The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-03-22
EQUALITY OF CITIZENSHIP.

EDU ALlIl III bll4IGN NIX
NUNnFR FOUR.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
You will observe that, although the
Fourteenth Amendment emphatically
defines what constitutes citizenship,
both in the United States and the sew
eral states, and absolutely prohibits the
states from abridgiug the privileges and
/ immunities Of the citizen, it leaves the
/ United states government free to abridge
the political rights OF United States cit
liens, as such, at its pleasure. This
oversight soon became apparent II
was found that the Fourteenth Amend
ment afforded no protection to United
States citizens outside Of State limits.
In the Territories they had absolutely
no protection, unless the Constitution
should compel the United States gov
eminent to recognize universal suffrage,
by forbidding it to deny to the citizens
the right to vote, or in any way abridg-
ing the privileges and immunities Of its
citizens. This necessitated the adoption
Of a Fifteenth Amendment to the Con-
stitution prohibiting the United States,
as well as the several States, from
abridging the political rights Of citizens.
This amendment, section first, reads
"The right Of citizens to vote shall not
be denied nor abridged by the United
States, or by any State, on account Of
race, color, or previous condition Of
servitude." The generally received
opinion among the people is that these
amendments were made expressly TO
cover the case Of the newly emancipated
slaves; that Congress, knowing the
prejudice against the colored people, saw
IL was necessary to so amend the Con-
stitution as to prevent the United States,
or any OF the States, from denying their
citizenship or abridgiug their rights as
citizens, thus securing 10 only the Afri-
can race the full and free exercise OF the
rights Of citizenship. This popular idea
is certainly an erroneous one. II could
not have been gathered fIom the amend
meuts themselves, for there is nothing
, in them to indicate that there is, OF ever
has been, a person of the African race
belonging to, residing in, or been held
i in slavery, emancipated and eufran-
chised in our nation; nor that the en-
franchisement and equal protection be-
fore the law Of the African race was
sought or intended by the provisions Of
q these amendments. The African race
. is not even referred to in the remotest or
most obscure manner. Indeed, let any
one, not knowing that such a race was
, in existence, read these amendments
D and give his opinion as to whom they
refer, and the answer will be, 'TO per-
8 sons OF any and all races who by birth
or naturalization become citizens Of
your nation" II asked 20 what sex
they refer, he would answer, 'To both.
There is no distinction made between
e. the sexes; the terms persons, race, citi-
zens, are nouns Of the common gender
aud include both sexes
I We do not wish to be understood as
denying that the case OF the newly
emancipated slaves was intended TO be
u covered by these amendments; but that
this was their sole intention, we en-
e phatically deny. Had only the eman'
= cipated slaves been intended to be in.
- cluded in the provisions Of the Four
] teenth and Fifteenth Amendments, oi
had the intention been to include all o
African descent, whether newly emanci
pated or previously free, they woul'
II have read african race" One provis
e ion Of these amendments is that all per
% sons, Of whatever race or color (whicl
j Of course includes both men and women
for no one will deny that a woman is
person, and that she belongs to SOM
race and color, are citizens, il born o
le naturalized in the United States AM
W owing allegiance to the government
is and are all alike entitled to the equa
at protection Of the law in the enjoymen
lr and exercise OF the rights Of citizenship
Another provision is, that neither th
IN United States, nor any of the State:
to shall have power 10 deny or abridg
ID these rights. It is therefore eviden
'n that these amendments secure to all cit
a liens, Of whatever race or color, NAL
r. and female, the exercise Of the right {
ed suffrage.
st Suppose there had never been an ele,
IL ton held in any of the States or Terr
IS. tories, and that one was to be held fC
or the first time, and that the questio
should be raised as to who was entitle
Is; to vote, and to settle it the Fourteent
or and Fifteenth Amendments to the Cor
~ stitution should be cited. What cor
struction do you suppose the States an
Territories would put upon them
= 1 Would they not decide that, takiu
in them as they read (Which is the onl
ed way constitution or law can be taken
.er they confer the right to vote on a