The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-02-17
ELIGIBILITY OF THE NEGRO.

W WuctHcI Va Hob uHc Picscue IlouiSuA ochae
would admit the Ohio negro, Revels, to sea
as Senator from the State of Mississippi
The refusal of the House of Representative
to admit a negro named Menard to his seat a
a member of the House from Louisiana i
looked upon as precedent, or rather regarded
rs an evidence of the unwillingness of Radi
: calls even, to practice the doctrines of po:ica
and social equality which they have been 81
long preaching, and endeayoring TO force or
the people of the country. We do not know
that the members of the Senate will allow
their action in the premises to be influenced
by any personal considerations either OF like
or dislike of their newly elected African broth
er, but are inclined to think that some such
considerations, in connection with other more
weighty reasons, will prompt them to shut the
doors of the Senate in the face of the carpet
bag negro Senator. We think they would be
perfectly justiiable in doing so, but only on
Constitution grounds. Section OF Article
of the Constitution of the United States pro.
vides us follows:
No person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained TO the age Of thirty years and been nine
years citizen OF the United States, and who shall
not when elected be inhabitant of that State FOR
which lac shall be chosen.
The question now presents itself: Is Revels.
the negro. eligible under that provision of the
Constitution
The Supreme Court of the United States
ia dad
was not a citizen of the United States, aud
that decision has been acquiesced in BY every
department of the Government, even Ly Con |
gress itself II that decision was not the law oil
the land, or the decision had been oyerrulrd
subsequently,, what necessity was there of
adopting the Fourteenth Amendment 10 the
Constitutions! Radical Congress. BY pro-
posing the Fourteenth Amendment aud pro.
riding for ITS submission To the Legislatures If
he several States for their action. thereby ad.
nitted that under tho Constitution rs il then
TODD negro was no! citizen. and The bred
scott decision was correct
The first portion Of Section | Article IA,
3
All persons born ur uAiarallzca in the United s,.ea
nd subject 81 the Jurisdiction thereof az. t,tsrn. -,
DC United States and Of he State Wherein they ruae
Admitting, for the sake of argument. that
be- Fourteenth Amendment was eea!ly ratified
J the requisite number OF States, and tina. II
nw forms part Of the Constitution. under il
rgroes are made citizens of the United States.
nd their citizenship would date from tho day :
ITS official PRONUNCIATION as 4 part of the
constitution BY the Secretary of State. On
IL 2lst day OF July. 1853 Mr Seward then
ecFeEary, issued n certificate declaring the 7"
hole number of States in the United States :
be iuIr:y.seyen. aud that twcniy.thrcc State .
cgislaiurrs had ratified the amendment. tina. 3
had also been ratified "by ncwly constituted :"
ID newly established bodies ayowing them. "
Ives to BE-. and acting as The Legislatures Of g
kansas, Florida, North Carolina. Louisiana y
nth Carolina aud Alabama" which. being -
united as States. made n sufficient number u
d he pronounced the amendment valid "a :"
IT OF the Constitution Of the United S;a,es ia
July Il, Is69, Congress passed a concur. 1"
~ resolution. that said Fourteenth Article 81
hereby declared TO be- part of the Copsti. IN
ion OF the United States" And short '''
re afterwards, the State of Georgia having 'o
ihed the amendment. Secretary Seward. 81"
y 2'th, issued his official declaration declar. NC
the amendment to be a part of the Consti. ."'
ion. dr.
ahing, therefore, the Radical view Of the ""
tier that negroes were made citizens If the 10
tied States by the Fourteenth Amendment 4
The negro carpet Dagger from Miss ssippi meI
ineligible under the Constitution, having visi
n citizen Of the United States only sine, ing n4g
y, 1868, and be can only become eligible the
he position of United States Senator on or l
r the 2Sth day of July. 1877. Eel
or these reason we are inclined 10 think chu
the newly elected Senator will have to bly,
e out bis probationary term of citizenship forr
re he will be able TO claim the distinguished and
Or OF seat in the United States Senate, wor
by that time we confidently expect that com
White Mans party will have control Of the won
eminent. and Mr. Revels will find the ayo. whi'
IN of barber more profitable than the fore
uit of political honors. cent
,S'r srnprx, Hr p.n,,u polit