The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-12-07
lion Of the next proposition, which is 10
adopt what is known IS The
pt,cE ,upSnNpNT
FLICK AMENDMENT.

wei hhVhu, anu meIe ~ NV 'hu' S''4S w
cur most esteemed contemporaries are now
urging the necessity of its passage, We
should content Ourself with simply GiSnp-
proving Of the measttr.
In order to arrive at 4 correct under.
standing of this proposition, it is necessary
to 60 back to 1869. The Legislature
which assembled in January, of that
year, or The eve of its adjournment, pre-
tended to taIify the XVIII Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States.
The next Legislature, which met in Jan
uary, 1870, was composed ola larger num-
Der Of Democrats than any preceding it,
and they, together with certain 'lei-up"
republicans, attempted to procure some
legislation for the relief of the disfran-
chised portion of our citizens. We are all
familiar with the result Every PROPOSE
ton looking to their reliefwas pcrsistcntly
voted down by the radicals. They refused
to amend the Registration Law in any
particular. THY even refused to allow
the Registrars to be elected by the people,
and this, notwithstanding the many
pie ges made by the leaders of the party.
Fearful Of the result .ftheir artieu, when
it came to be caurassed before the people,
in order to save themselves FROM the just
Indignation which their treacherous con-
duct so justly nlcsi.cd, with 4 great show
Of libclaiity, tcwards The close Of the SEES.
sion, what has since been known us the
"Flick Ameu1mei!i,' was Introduced. it
was fartherel by tho radicals, and was
passed by them, with the aid Of such
Democrats as were wiling to overlook the
evils of Negro Suffrage. which it legaiized,
in order to obtain the boon Of eufrnnchisel
meut, which it promised. 1t was merely a
tub, thrown to the whale Of public opinion
% trick, TO bridge over the ensuing cleo
lion, and 10 obtain from the Democracy an
endorsement of the action Of the former
Legislature in raiifying the NYth Amend
mcnt. That this is rue, cannot be sue
cessfally controrertcd; for, the very men
who were the fathers of this measure had
refused, time aud again, to DO anything
looking TO the umelioraliun Of the rUndi-
ton Of the disfrancki,rd; and when Mr..
Davis, Of Harrison, offered substitute
for the proposed Amendment, which was
identical with it; save that it retained tie
rord rhite, every radical and ''lct up" in
the House, aud, VIC regret to .sy, {, least
ono Democrat voted against il Here, il
they were truly solicitous to relieve our
DISTINGUISHED citizens, was an opportunity.
The question was flirly and squareIy pre-
scented, unelnbarrassed by any other issue
-Eufranchisemcnt or no Enfranchise.
mcnt-and tie result WIS that our radical
friends, who are now so exceedingly fear
full lest the Democracy should go astray,
refused, .Hatly, to have anything to dc
with the rebel reimbursement, pnless Il
eas allied to Negro Suffrage! Were q
farther proof of the iusinceriiy of The rad.
icals Necessary, it would be found in the
action of their State Convention, which re.
fused to endorse the measure, as did also
the Democratic State Convention.
But the friends Of the proposed Amend
,uent say that to sdopt it would not b,
an endorsement of Negro Suffrage" "tha
BY the force Of the XVth Amendment
Tat is now an accomplished fast" ant
''that We must 'zccept the shsation. -
No more perniciCds doctrine than thi
was ever expressed! All the liberty il
world was, from tire 30 time, born of
froud, stubborn ari successful rcsistanc
I. accomplished facts" and all tn,
usurpa,ious, all the political crimes nuc
all the desposisas which has existed. cam
from following these doctrines and FAC
coping the situation" Whenever til,
situation is one of wrong, oppression
and usurminEra is she duty of every maj
to resist il This is one Of tic selfevi
dent truths, and needs no commentary
Every Democratic paper. s7eTy crater,e v
cry statesman in its ranks, has prOclamct
time aud again that the present ''situa
ton" haJ been brought about by fraud
violence aud conception, sid that til,
XVIII Amendmef. has not been adoptc,
in ci:ter Of the ways prescribed by tn,
Constitution of.hc United States for Il
amendment. It was not passed by two
thirds of legally constituted Senate, no
has it been ratified by three fourths of thu
States.
The pretended ratification BY :acutherr