Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1870-04-08
R.fTIFIC.fTIO.V or THE isrpr
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Mra"Aor OF THE PRESIDENT TO cosonrss

t-n'Noh w PRECEDENT COHgRFsR
TO the Senate and Jyovsc of y,onrceo,,o-
tiUeS. @''F' ''0'''
1t is unusual to notify the two Houses of
congress by message of the FORMULATION
OF the proclamation by the Secretary of
State OF the ratification of the constitutional
amendment In view, however, of the vast
Importance of tho 18th amendment of tho
constitution, this day declared part of that
revered instrument, deem departure
from the usual custom justitiable, Thu
measure which makes at once four millions
of people voters, who were heretofore dc.
cared by the highest tribunal in the land
not citizens of the United States, nor eligi-
gible TO become so, with the assertion that
at the time of the declaration of indepen-
dence the opinion was fixed and universal
in the civilized portion of the world, re-
gardo1 as an axiom in morals as well as in
politics, that black men had no rights white
men were bound TO respect, is indeed
measure of grander importance than any
other one act of the kind from the founda-
ton o. our free government to the present
time. Institutions like ours, in which all
power is derived directly from the people,
must depend mainly upon their intelli-
gence, patriotism and industry. l call the
attention. therefore, of the newly enfran-
chised race TO the importance of their striv-
! ing in every honorable manner to make
themselves worthy of their new privilege.
To the race more highly favored heretofore
by our laws, would say, withhold no lo-
gal privilege of advancement to the new
citizens.
The trainers of our constitution firmly
believed a republican form of government
could not endure without intelligence and
education were generally diflused among
the people. The father of his country, in
his farewell address, uses this language:
"Promote, then, as a matter of primary inn
portance, institutions for the general difTus-
ion of knowledge. In proportion as the
structure of government gives force to pub
lie opinion it is essential that that opinion
should be enlightened" In the first annu-
al message to Congress, the same views
were forcibly expressed, and again urged
in his eighth message. l repeat the adop-
ton of the 18th amendment completes the
greatest civil change, and constitutes the
most important event that has occurred
since this government came into life. The
change will be beneficial in proportion to
the heed given to the urgent recommended
tons of Washington. If these recommen-
dations were important then, with a popu-
laton of but a few millions, how much
more important now, with popu-
lation OF forty millions and increasing in
rapid ratio.
/ would therefore call upon Congress to
take all means within their constitutional
power to promote and encourage popular
education throughout the country, and up
on the people everywhere to see to 1t that
all who possess and exercise political rights
shall have the opportunity to acquire the
knowledge which will make their share in
the government blessing and not danger.
By such means only can the benefits con-
templated by this amendment to the consti-
tuition be secured.
Signed, U. S. GRANT.
March 80, 1870.