The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-04-14
The 18th AMENDMENT
Proclamation by the President
and Secretary Of State.
All Men not Only Created with
Equal Rights, but Equal
as Citizens.
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:

4 10 sne senate and House Of Representatives:
1t is unusualtO notify the two Houses
of Congress by message Of the promul-
cation, by proclamation of the Secre-
tary of State, of the ratification of a
ConstifutionaIAmendment. In view,
however, of the vast Importance of the
Fifteenth Amendment OF the C0nstitu-
ton, this day declared a part OF that
revered instrument, deem a departure
from the usual custom justifable. A
measure whirh makes at once four mil
1 lions of people voters who were hereto
fore declared by the highest tribunal
in the land not citizens of the United
States, nor eligible to become so, with
the assertion that at the time of the
Declaration of Independence the Opin-
ion was fixed and universal in the civ
tlized portion of the white race, and
regarded as an axiom in morals as well
as in politics, that black men had no
rights which white men were bound to
respect, is indeed a measure of granderI
importance than any other act of the
kind from the foundation of 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 intelligence, patriotism and in
dustry. will call the attention, there
fore, of the newly enfranchised race to
the importance of their striving, in
every honorable manner, to make
themselves worthy of their new priv
ilege. To the race more favored, here
tofOre, by our laws, would say, with
hold no legal privilege of advancement
from the new citizens. The trainers of
our Constitution firmly believed that
a republican form of government
could not endure without intelligence.
and education generally diffused
Iamong the people. The father of this
country, in his farewell address, used
this language; "Promote, then, as a
matter Of primary Importance, institu-
tiOns for the general diffusion of
knowledge. In proportion as the
structure. of the. government gives
force to public opinion, it is essential
that public opinion should be enlight-
ened." In his first annual message
to Congress the same views were fore
IDLY presented, and are again urged ia
his eighth message. I repeat that the
adoption of the Fifteenth Amendment
TO the Constitution completes the
greatest civil change and constitutes
the most important event that has Oe.
cured since the nation came into life.
The change will be beneficial in pro-
portion to the heed that is given to the
urgent recommendations of Washing
ton. If these recommendation were
important then, with a population of
but a few millions, how much more
important now, with a population Of
forty millions, and increasing in al
rapid ratio.
would, therefore, call upon Con-
greSs to take all means within their
constitutional power to promote and
encourage popular education through
out the country, and upon the people
everywhere to see to it that all who
possess and exercise political rights,
shall have the opportunity to acquire
knowledge, which will make their
share in the Government a blessing,
and not a danger. By such means
only can the benefits contemplated by
this amendment to the Constitution
be secured. U. S. GRANT.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Mar. 80, 20.