The Portland daily press., 1870-03-31
WASHINGTON.
The Fifteenth Amendment.
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT AN
NOUNOING ITS RATIFICATION.

WASHINGTON, March 30.-The President sent
the following proclamation to Congress day:
To the Senate and House of Representatives
1t is unusual to notify the two Houses of
Congress by message of the PRONUNCIATION by
proclamation of the Secretary of State of the
ratification of the Constitutional amendments.
In view however of the vast Importance of the
fifteenth amendment of the Constitution this
day declared part of that revered instrument,
deem departure from the usual custom
justifable. The measure which makes at once
four millions of the people voters who were
heretofore declared by the highest tribunal in
the land not citizens of the United Sta'es, nor
eligible to become so, with the assertion that
at the time of the Declaration of Independ-
ence the opinion was fixed and universal in
the civilized portion of the white race and re-
garded as an axiom in morals as we'll as in pol
itics, that black men had no rights which white
men were bound to respect, is indeed meas
ure OF grander importance than any other one
act Of the kind from the foundation of our free
government to the present time. Institutions
like ours, ia which all power is derived direct
~ from the people must depend mainly upon
their lntellgencs, patriotism and industry. I
call the attention then efore OF the newly en-
franchised race to the Importance of their
striving in every honorable manner to make
themselves worthy of their new privilege. To
race more favored heretofore b, our laws T
would say, withhold no legal privilege of ad-
vancement to our new citizens. Tue trainers
Aiu'y utleVeu LDaC a re-
publican form OF government could not en- lure
without intelligence, aud education was gen
orally diffused among the people, The Father
OF bis Country in his Farewell Address uses
this language. Promote then as a matter of
primary Importance institutions for the general
diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as The
structure of government gives force to public
opinion, it is essential that public opinion
should be enlightened" In his first annual
message to Congress the same views were for
chilly presented, and are again urged in his
eighth message.
repeat that the adoption Of the 18th amend
ment to the Constitution completes the great
est civil change and constitutes the most i'm
portant event that has ever occurred since the
nation came into life The Grange will be ben
ehcial in proportion to the heed that is given
to the urgent recommendations of Washing
ton. 1t these recommendations were import
ant then, with population of but q few mil
lions how much more important are they now
with a population of 10000 900 and increasing
in rapid ratio. l would therefore call upon
Congress to take all the means within their
constitutional power to promote and encour-
age popular education throughout the country,
and upon the people everywhere to see TO t
that all who possess and exercise political
rights shall have an opportunity to acquire
that knowledge which will make their share in
the government blessing and not danger
By such means only can the benefits coEtem-
plated by this anne ndment to the Constitution
be secured.
(Signed,) U. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, March 80, 1870.