The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-12-15
The Flick Amcndment...The Law
and Common Sense In its Favor.
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The Flick Amcndment.--The Law
and Common Sense In its Favor.
FruA TIE PlrkETI6ETV GG;ttte (D'EE.)
The Flick Amendment is precisely what
is should be; indeed il is incredible that
any person should object 70 Is 1t b well
paraphraSed by a distinguished citizen Of
Ohio county, who wrote over the sigma
tuEe Of T. IHOn. G. W. Thompson, En-.
Int. |, published as an extra, some weeks
since, to the Parkersburg Gd:ette. We
quote:
poSe 10 do! simply " restore 70 the ConStttn-
lion the hFst section Of article third OF the Consti
tuition Of 1863 Simply to restore that Constttu'
touaI provision 10 the fullest, bFOadest and moot
complete form that any Legislative act conVen'
ton or amendment can attain upon the subject.
No state convention OF Legislature composed ex'
elpsiVely Of Conservative o. Democrats can 40
complIsh more than Il prOpoted BY this amend
meut, 20 far - the C0nSltnhOnAl recognition Of
the white man IL concerned. This amendment
does not strike ont the word white" That was
done by the XVIII Amendment Of the Constitu.
ton Of the United States and whether stricken
ont or NOT, from the day Of the adoption Of thai
amendment all lawyers giving legal advice, AZ
oHieers dIscharying any dR,y in connection with
that section, and all Judges deciding questions
pertaining 10 Il, must read that section - II the
word white" was notln II. TIC Flick Amend;
ment IL therefore 0imply and only the repeal O.
the dirQuAlitying clause Of 1854 The FLICK
Amendment Il nothing more, nothing less tnan
thIs
We endorse the Flick Amendment for
the obvious reason that it Is the shortest
and speediest means OF restoring the ballot
10 all. The Legislature may, the tiESt week
Of the session, pass joint resolution APP
nroyinp il. and law submitting it 70 q
vote Of the people, and it may all be &C
complished in thirty or forty days, in time
to enable the now DISTINGUISHED 10 vote on
the call for a Convention or any other
question that may be submitted to the
neople. Pray in what other way can this
most desirable result be obtained in so
short time. All must admit there Is
none, unless the rule or ruin faction OF the
Democratic party can prevail on the Leg
stature TO attempI 10 annul the COnStitu'
ton BY q simple law. Such q course
would greatly imbitter the Republicans,
divide the Democratic party, and we be-
lieYe would shock the general sense OF the
people Of the State and result In depnvtDg
the Democratic party Of power. What
would be gained by such a viOlent course!
Why, it is said that the Flick Amendment
recognizes negro suffrage. We have
not enough patience TO treat such
an objection with calmnesS. The Flick
Amendment or anything that the State
can do, cannot affect that question. It is
fixed in the Constitution Of the United
States, and may be regarded as having
passed from the domain Of controversy.
In the language Of distinguished Demo.
crat OF Cincinnati, 1T is fixed and It will
stand" Why, then, lash ourselves into
fury over dead carcass, which nothing
but revolution can resurrect? We hope
to have convention at an early day, and
if a new Constitution Is adopted, can a
man be so politically insane as to contend
that such new Constitution will not be
made 10 conform 70 the Constitution Of
the United States? Nay, does not the
Constitution Of the United States compel
US to admit the negroes TO voter Is not
the word white" dead letter in our
present Constitution: Why, then, insist
upon its remaining: Why permit it TO
obstruct the passage Of the Flick amend
ment, when it serves no purpose but TO
engender and keep up strife, and prevent
the restoration of that harmony and con:
cord so essential TO the well.being and
prosperity OF the State?