The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-11-19
Negro Rights.
from the New York World

Negro Rights.
From the New York World
Negro rights. ~ results of the war,
have been finally fixed and established
by amendments Of the Federal Con-
stitution. Against those amandments
the Democratic party will make no
war. Whistler it was wise or pru-
dent to interfere with the question of
negro suffrage by the authority of an
amendment of the Federal CoRstitu-
tion-Whether it was wise or prudent
to deprive the States of all control
over the questions another matter
The country, however, has decided it
and there can be no atep backward
without an agitation which it would
be foolish to undertake It can scarce
Iy be considered aS worthy of mo-
ment's apDr0hsnsion, now that the
more intelligent negroes in manV of
the Southern StAtss have become all
lies of the Democratic party, that this
party is going to turn round and agi-
tate TO deprive them of suffrage
which they are willing to use in our
behaIf. This would be suicidal pol
icy, of which, we trust, the Demo-
cratic party is not foolish enough to
be capable. Bnt all questions of poll,
cy apart, negro suffrage is 80 TAR =
fxed fact under the Constitution of
the United States, that no State can
make law that will operate to with
hold the right of suffrage from any
man because of his color. With all
that it has to do with the great work
of reformation that is before it, the
Democratic party has no idea OF un-
dertaking to repeal or get rid Of the
amendments of the Federal Constitu.
ton which the people Of the country
saw fit to make s.the great results of
the war" whether they were necsssa-.
ry or unneceasary results.
1t is against the Radical legislation
which PROCESSES to be based upon the
amendments, but the great bulk of
which is not only unauthorized by
them but hostile to their spirit and
purpose, that the Democratic party
will have to raise its reforming hand.
There are portions of that legislation
which are well enough, and Which are
quite cOnsistent with the AEaend ments.
There are other portions Of 1t which
are wholly aside from any authority
which the amendments have conferred
on Congress, and which have served
no purpose, as they were designed for
ne earthly use but to stir up strife be-
tween the Southern whites and blacks
and to furnish the machinery for run
ming the mill of ''S0uthern outrages.p
The Democratic party does not ac-
cept the legislation which the chief
miller, Attorney General Williams,
has used as q pretext for . military
despotism in the South: We shall
execute the amendments of the Con-.
stitution hOneStly, inlpartially, and
fearlessIy. But we shall not tolerate
laws that elevate the black man above
the white; or laws that create offenGes
which the amendments never intended
should be subject of Fedeaaf cognI-
zance !; or Iaws that viii enable FedeE-4
al officers to exercise = dangerous con-
troll over State elections. 1t is q per-
fectly easy and simple thing for any
honest Congress to execute the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments of
the Constitution by lOgislaiiOn that
will do all that they require. That
Legislation. has only TO aim at Justice
and not injustice, at equality and not
inequality, and then society in the
Southern States will take care of itself.
The grand principle which forms the
substance of what are called "the
great results of the war;" so far as in
diViduAls is concerned, il, that citizen
ship and it's rights, including suffrage,
have now and henceforth, nothing to
do with color, race, or previous con-
dition of serVitude. An honest party
in the control of the Federal Govern
ment, can legislate to effectuate that
principle without creating any other
disturbance than is created by the ex-
ercise of legislative power on any eth
er subject that is committed to the au-
thority of Congress. A dishonest
party can make that principle the pre-
text tor legislation that will set the
two races by the ears, produce con-
slant clashing between Federal and
State authority, and introduce the ut
most confusion into the subject of cit
izenship under the Federal Constitu-a
tion. This is what the Radical party
in Congress has done, while the hon.
est Republicans who have hitherto
maintained those Radical leaders in
power are now brought to see that
this whole matter of carrying out the
amendments to the Federal Constitu
tion, which embOdy the Hgreat results
of the war" in respect to individual
rights, must be taken out of the
schemes Of party politics and be dealt
with soberiy, rationally, and honestly
as any other subject would be that iS
committed by the Constitution to the
cognizance of Federal legislation.
We have thonghtproper to say thus
much on this particular topic, because
the advice which is just now so Free
ly offered to the Democratic party
would seem to imply that there is
some danger of its not accepting the
results of the war. There is palpa-
BILE distinction between rejecting the
amendments and their great principle
andRejeeting the abominable legisla- |
ton which professed to carry out
those amendments, and which, has
done so much mischief. 4t,.is... =