The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-13
! ENERANCn lSEMENT.

sehs VITO are disfIaarhisrd by the amend
n'ea; adopted in, Es66. This, beyond al!
question, is the only proposition proroun-
! d.d TO as. Wie unhcsiratingly ray that
we 'hou'd not. as Democrats, fail to en-.
d"rse the sc,i"n of our Democratic
friends il the Legislature. who have
agreed to the proposed amendment. Al
though We have heretofore expressed a
desire to siopt ,ome other mode to en-
franchise the white mau. ye, We Rave al
xays considered 1t 'eoimporian. fer u. 10
secure thi' measure Of relief, TO ppccu j..
ditionally oPpo.5 ;he Flick amendment.
VS. dc TO, consider the objections
which have Teen urged agains, !, a.
having 'ai5ciHn, Importance to Justify OPP
position. and thus put in peril the great
boon o! voting 10 eur disfrauetised fr..
i0w-ei'i2ens-ard especially 80 a. large
majority of our Democratic friends in the
present and !sst session, have endorsed
il.
We Pr"po,e 70 review 'hs points Of Oh.
Jrc,!on heretofore made: I. hiss been pt.-
ted chat this amendment endorses negro
suffrage. This Is not correct. 1t is no
voluntary recognition Of negro suffrage.
The negro votes, With or xithom !his
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. our repeated pro.
tess-and the Democratic party is no.
responsible for it; and If 1t were not ne.
ee.sary for the enfran chissneus OF The
white man, We would not End it neeesu-
sary to bars the Flick amendment adop.
ted, and then the negro would still be a
voter.
The Fifth article OF the Constitution
Of the United States provides that when
two-third, Of both Houses Of Congress.
propose amendments 10 the said
Constitution, and the ,amn shall
he ratified by the Legislatures Of
tho several States. that such amendments
siaishe part Of The Constitution oe the
Cn;icd Sta,ss. Mare th,u two-thirIs Of
Congress did propose wha, is kncrn as
the Fifteenth amendment. and more than
three fnrrtbs Of the Legislatures Of all the
States Of the Union did ,r,,ify the said
Fifteenth amendment Til. Fifteenth
amendment secured suffrage to tho ne
Sro-.i, gave him tho right ,o,o.r and de-
hiss to West Virg MIA or any o hs- State
tie right TO deprive the black man Of bis
right to vote. All This was done by the
Radical party, and can be undono now
only BY thrce-fur,hs Of al the States
If Ire unler axe to unje it VIC violate the
Constitution, unless thrce-fonrihs of the
States unite and help us--aml who now
expects that this is TO be accomplished
very soon? Who would say now. be-
cause the Radical party has built the
fence SO high that negro suffrage is Sc
curely guarded and enforced, that We
should madly and insanely persist in
m:re matter Of form-not of sut,t,pce--
in opposing the Flick amendment, and
thus deny suffrage to tho white mani
The examples ofour Democratic friends
in the States Of Maryland. Tennessee.
Kentucky and Missouri deserve approba-
ton. These States opposed iic adoption
Of the Fifteenth amendment; but when
it was made part Of the Constitution,
they modified their Constitutions and law,
in conformity to it. The Democratic
Legislature Of Tennessee refused to rat.
fy the Fifteenth amendment, but when i.
became part OF the Constitution By the
votes of other States, they by an almos.
unanimous vote recommended to the
Convention Of that State. then in session.
10 conform the Constitution to the FIJI.
teenth amendment-aud it was done.
This Flick amendment" will probably
be acted on in April, and il rstifcd l.,
the voters. our white fellow citizens whe
are now disfranchised will thereafter AZ.
sumo the privileges of freemen. lire.
iec'ed, the negro will still continue tc
vote, while the DISTINGUISHED white mar
will be left without tia. right. Let u,
all unite and give the white man :ha bal
lot. Thio is really the only question in.
rolved in the vote 90 the Flick amend
ment.
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