The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-23
negro, have we subjected every citizen.ot
the IInife States fn fha in s.sfI

negro, nave we subjected every cftfzensof
the United States To- the indigntties and ont.
RACES provided for by this bill i'm attending
the polls for the mere purpose Of trying 10
vote? BY conferring suffrage tipon the COZ
ored race have we lost the rights our fathers
secured to us by the Constitution I'm
giving freedom to the slaves have we be-
come slaves ourselves I 1t must be apparent
to au that the language Of this pretended
fifteenth amendment confefs no power upon
Congress to pass such g measure as this
bill. It is at most only prohibition upon
the United States and the States as SUCH
upon them in their Legislative capacity, the
only capacity in which they can act-pro-
hibiting them from discriminating against
any citizen on account Of ..srace, color; or
previous condition ofservitude" Itmakes
void any act of the United States and the
States that would make this discrimination.
The power to punish individuals and I'M
pose penalties for the violation Of law or
obedience to State laws must be found, II
at all, in some other provision. And. sir,
is it possible that any one will be found bold
enough to attempt to defend the constitu-
tionallty of this measure under section 4,
clause l, Of the Constitution. u 2s,.a
Inc times, places, and manner ofh0lding
elections for Senator'S and Representatives
shall be prescribed in each State by the
| Legislature thereof; but the Congress may
at any time by law make or alter such reg
ulations, except as to the places Of choosing
Senator'S. ..e,s-..
Congress may at any time make or alter
such regulations. Can arbitrary arrests and
imprisonment, without trial or warrant, be
Justified under this provision? Can State
officers, for obedience to State laws, not
altered by any act of Congress, be made
criminals and subjected to the penalties OF
this bill ? Caea the army and navy be placed
under the command Of any marsfaRs dep
uty and marched indiscriminately. against
the citizens and officers OF States on. o bare
suspicion that they contemplated resistance
to some outrage Of such deputy mar
shal? Will any gentleman argue that
under. this provision or any other
United States may take possession of
the registration as well as the elections Of
the States, determine who is qualified and
twho not qualified, who shall and who shall
not register, to the exclusion of all State
authority, as provided by this bill that the
IGoyernors of the States and all other State
officers can, under penalties, be requil ed by
the Federal Government to serve as its Off
GERS and do its bidding? Sir, the PROPOSE
tion, and all such propositions, are too abb
surd and prepoSterous for u candid answer.
l / ueTe ID no cOuSGlLutlOual WarTdnI tOc GulF
measure. 1t is rank usurpation and rev. =
luton it is an insult to every citi-
zen Of the republic; it is hostile. in
every feature to liberty, and violates
every fundamental idea of republican gov
ernment; it will bring war and bloodshed !;
it Is intended to awe the freemen Of the
States and drive them from the polls. They
will not submit without u struggle. There
will be many q man, accustomed to cast his
vote without hindrance or molestation !;
many good and true citizen, faithful, law
abiding, and patriotic, who will feel more
like firing bullet than casting ballot
through the spy and informer paid from
the peoples treasury, which this bill places
before and behind the ballot-box to, OBJ
struct, not facilitate voting. The hypocrit-
ical cry of "Let lis have peace" will not
avail in the face Of such measures as this.
The people cannot he humiliated much
further; they will soon have borne all they
can; they will ere long assert their sove-
treign right and power to he free and they
will teach Congress, too, that its members
are the servants not the masters OF the pe0-
pie, and that the people have, under our
system, the right to govern themselves.