The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-04-28
JUDGE CHASE.


Fifteenth Anendment-He Advocates
Universal Amnesty.
From the Cincinnati Commercial, April IT,
The following important and remark
able letter from Chief Justice Chase has
been received by the Committee of Cor
re,pondence Of the colored citizens OF
this city, who are about to celebrate the
ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment:
WASHINGTON, March 80, 1870
STTENIEN-Accept my thanks for
the invitation you have rendered me, IN
behalf of the colored people OF Clncln-
natl. to attend their celebration OF the
ratification Of the Fifteenth Amendment.
Ny duties here will not permit me to be
present except by good will and good
wishes.
almost q quarter Of century has
passed since some oe you, probably, heard
me declare, on the 9th Of May, lS45, II
an assembly composed chiefly of the PEG.
pie whom you now represent, that all
LEGAL distinctions between individuals OF
the same community, founded on any
such circumstances as color, origin, ana
the ike, are hostile to the genius OF our
institutions, and incompatible with the
true theory Of American liberty that
true democracy makes no inquiry about
the color OF the skin, or the place OF ma
tiyity, Or any other similar circumstance
of condition; and that the exclusion OF
the colored people, as body, from the
elective franchise, is Incompatible with
true democratic principles.
81 congratulate you on the fact that
these principles, not then aVoWed by me
Tor the FIRST time, nor ever since aban-
doned or compromised, have been at
length INCORPORATED into the constitution
and made part Of the supreme la" OF the
land
s'lanv, no doubt, would have been
glad, rs [ should have been, if the great
work coasumated by the ratification
Of the Fifteenth Amendment, could nave
been accomplished by the States. through
amendment Of the State constitutions
and through the appropriate State legls-
lafi3n; but the delays and uncertainties,
praiBaicial TO every interest, lnseparabie
from that mode Of proceeding, seemed to
neoassitasa the course actually adoptea.
Nor does the amendment impair the
real riEkss u any State. 'tleaves the
whole regulation of suffrage - the whole
people Of each State, subject only to the
fundamental law, that the right OF no
citizen to vote shall be denied or abrldg-
ed, ca account Of color, race, or previous
condition of servitude. 1t Is to be hop
ed shat Zach State will 50 form its con,
stitu.ion and laws to this fundamental
law that 10 occasion may be gwen to
Legislation by Congress.
But .ae best Yindication of the WIS
1on as well as the justice of the amend
men5. must be found in the conduct of
thas large class Of citizens whom you
raa-egaut. On the occasion to which L
have referred, [ ventured to say that
the bas5 way 10 insure the peaceful
dwelling together Of the different races,
is the cordial reciprocaton of benefits,
not the mutual infection of injuries and
[ cannot now give you better council
than / offered then: Go forward, hav-
ing perfect faith IL your own manhood,
and IL God S providence, adding to your
taith, virtue and to virtue, knowledge;
and to knowledge, patience, and to pa
tIauce, temperance ; and to temperance,
br5theriy kindness and TO brotherly
kindness, charity.
why not signaiIze your rejoicing IN
the rights secured under the fifteenth
Amendment, by urging upon Congress
the prompt removal Of all political disa
b..ities, imposed upon our teilow-cltIzens
u the 1eurtGeliln AuituuulShI 50
that, through universal suffrage and uni,
verSal amnesty, peace, good will and
prosperity may be established through
out the country.
EVERY good man must rejoice in the
progress which the colored citizens of
the United States have made in educa-
ton, in religious culture, and in the gen.
eral improvement of their condition.
Every good man must earnestly desire
their continued and accelerated progress
in the same direction. All public and
private interests will be promoted by 1t;
and it viii insure, at no distant day, cor
dial recognition of their rights, even from
those Of their fellow-citizens, who have
most earnestly opposed them.
No man can now be found who
would restore slavery a few years hence,
il the colored men are wise, it will be
impossible to find man who will avow
himself in favor of denying their right to
vo.c Very truly yours, S. p. CHASE.
AIessrs. PETER II. CLARK, &c, Com
mittee.
This is a letter that commands study,
and viii repay investigation. When we
consider all the circumstances, we must
cal il an event.