The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-04-22
~, rnforoe the Fifteenth Amendment.

40 Gsn1OICc 1AS = - eSS-AS~~E ~~>S -
On Monday Mr.. SARGENT introduced into
the House Of Representatives o bill to en-
force the fifteenth amendment. 1t was re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee. 1t u
strong and sweeping enough to crafty the
most ultra Radical. Such bill, II p',sse',
into law, would be monstrous teue, ,A
cancer. sending its roots deep sn'o VIZ
States.
It provides that any State ofhcer Who
shal, fail to give colorcd man an opportu-
nifty to qualify himself to vote shall forfeit 70
the man $500 for the injury done him. ana
shall be, In addition, fined not less than sou
and imprisoned not less than one month II
ia furthermore provided that the coiorea
person 80 falling to qualify shall be ent'tieu
10 vote notwithstanding the failure, the sum
he receives for injury done him ana the nne
imposed on the officer and any officer VINO
rsf,ses to receive or count the vote Of this
colored man failing for such cause to quail
fy shall be liable to o fine OF not less than
$500 and imprisonment for not less than one
month.
ANY person who may be deprived OF
Office by any violation Of the act has the
remedy Of appeal to the Federal court lot
restoration to his Office and damages, and
shall have the full benefit Of all the VOTES
which he can prove he would have received
without such violation Of law. SO such
law would throw quite number OF con-
tasted elections into the Federal courts.
Then, there are like penalties imposed
for Intimidation" as it is styled, by
threats of election from employment, OF
from occupation of houses or lands, or re-
fllsal to renew contracts, to prevent coloreo
people from voting. In this case, on con-
viction the colored man making the com
plant is entitled to $500, and there is o tine
of like amount and imprisonment.
All this Is for the benefit OF colored peo-
nle. The white man is still left without
remedy. For the thousands that are lntl-
Undated by northern manufacturers ana
made to vote in accordance with their
wishes on threats Of being discharged there
is no protection. But the Legislation OF
these times is all black.
The whole of these cases Of infringement
upon the colored mans rights are taken
exclusively under the jurisdiction OF the
Federal courts, and thus we would have
the government, while affecting 10
establish measures to obliterate all dlstlnc-
tions of race and color amongst the people,
establishing the greatest distiction OF race
BY making one race the subject of special
legislation and special administration OF
justice eliminating them from other men,
and Furnishing restraints upon their hDeft'
which when inflicted on men of any other
race 20 without punishment or even notlce.
This Is the madness of fanaticism.
The bill proposes fine of thousand dol
lars on any marshal or deputy marshal Tor
failing to attempt the arrest of any one vio-
lating the provisions Of the bill; and it pro-
vides fine Of one thousand dollars for har-
boring or secreting any one for whom
warrant has been issued.
United States commissioners may be ap-
pointed in every county to issue warrants,
and q fee of ten dollars is awarded for each
arrest under which q good business might
be made.
The President is authorized to direct the
attendance Of United States judges and
under officers at all places where resistance
to the provisions of this bill may be appre-
hended, and, besides the posse co1n'tatus,
the army and navy may be called in TO en-
force the law. .-..-
This is going considerably beyond Chle1
Justice CHAsE's view that the States are
left in the possession Of all their rights. Ii
the gap opened into State jurisdiction by
the fifteenth amendment is as wide as this
bill makes it, then there is nothing lett 10
the States. Cases arising under this Dill
will involve the whole political and social
economy.
The provisions OF this bill are so sum-
mary, the penalties so enormous, and re-
wards for informing and manufacturing
testimony so large,-not to speak Of the
power it puts in the hands Of partlsans-
that it is simply monstrous.
But it is put out to dry-nurse with the
Judiciary Committee. We shall see what
will come of it. The South is used to op-
pressions, and it is mainly with the North
to say how far the Government Is to be
abused by fanaticism and partisanry.