The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-02-12
NATIONAL POLITICS.
Speech of Senator Voorhees, on the
Edmunds Resolutions.
A ma ssachusetts Missionary Politely
Requested 10 Begin Work mt Home.

thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments to the constitution Sena
tor Voorhees, made the following
vigorous reply to an assault made by Sena-
tor Hosr of Massachusetts,, on the constitu-
ton of Indiana:
Mr.. Voorhees-Mr. President, I have not
participated in this debate for two reasons:
First, because 1 am suffering too severely
from a cold; and secondly, because I attach
but Ii tie importance to the resolutions OF
the senator from Vermont or to the discuss
ion upon them. L only arise now for fear
the assault or criticism made by the senator
from Massachusetts (Mr. Hoar) upon the
constitution of Indiana may be miscon-
strued if should remain entirely silent.
My view Of this whole question is that
whenever the constitution of a State made
before the war, or since for that matter con-
tanned a provision upon the subject of suf-
frage discriminating against any one on &C
count or race, color, or previous condition OF
servltude, the fifteenth amendment to the
constitution OF the United States oyerrides
that provision and renders 1t nugatery and
void, even though it may still remain in
l
amendments to the constitution of the
United States as valid parts OF that instru-
ment, and together with the other provisions
of the constitution they constitute the para
mount law Of the land. By the fifteenth
amendment all Determinations on account
of race. color, or previous condition OF
servitude are forbidden, as l have stated.
but with this exception the question of suf-
frags and its regulation remains with the
STATES as heretofore.
l voted for the amendment offered by the
senator from Arkansas (Mr. Garland1 and he
| expressed my views far better than can ex-
press them myself. i do not merely think.
or conjecture, know that the fifteenth con-
stitutional amendment was not legally rati-
fed by the Legislature of Indiana; / know
that as an historical fact. Consequently,
when called upon 20 vote whether the amend
meDts, including the fifteenth, were legally
ratified or not, l could vote but one way.
l did not make the issue my self, but when
1t was made could pass upon it only in the
manner 1 did. But sir there is a ratifca.
ton that comes by usage, by sanction, by
acquiescence, by acceptance on the part OF
the people, and of the States, and of the va
rious departments Of the Federal Govern
ment. That kind of ratification has been
given to the amendments of the constitu-
ton brought in question here, and pre-
sumo there is not a man in the United States
who desires 10 disturb them. Certainly l
do not. i 81? to the senator from Massachu
sets that at some other time, not tonight, /
Will perhaps endeavor to entertain him with
comparison between the constitution of
Indiana and the constitution OF Massachu-
sets, in the privileges, rights and liberties
they extend to the citizens of our respective
States
Mr. Hoar-Will the senator allow me
moment2
The Presiding Officer (Mr. Cockrell in the
chair. will the senator from Indiana yield
to the senator from Massachusetts,?
Mr.. Noorhees-Certainly.
Mr.. Hoar-Mr President, the senator from
Indisna certainly misunderstood me il he sup
posed IL was my purpose in the least to maze
any reflection or disparagsment upon the
constitution OF his State. | was endeavoriDg
simply to express my view of the PROPOSE
ton that suffrage was not conferred by the
constitutional amendment; and for the sake
simply OF putting that point, said here is
the constitution of Indiana; it is an old one:
the same thing was in that of Connecticut at
| one time: / cite Connecticut because il is
the State of my own ancestors who had
something to do with its institutions. But
my point was, the State of Indiana says the
negro shall not have suffrage. and that is all
1t Gays; then comes in the constitution of the
United States and says you shall not dis
crininate against him. NY question was
From what authority does the negro get
his suffrage?" 1t was not in the least with
the view of intlmating that the constitution
with any other in the country, but simply
as illustrating a legal proposition.
Mr.. VOORHEES,: did not understand the
criticism of the senator from Massachusetts
to be in hostile spirit. What L desire TO
say now, and am not in q condition to talk
at all to night, is simply that Indiana with
that clause in her constitution yields abso-
lutely TO the paramount law contained in
the constitutional amendment; and that
discrimination which she made before the
4 A<.f IL L.
abrogated by the constitution of the United
States. The black man enjoys suffrage, the
right to vote, and all other civil rights as
completely in Indiana as in any other State;
much more so, the senator from Massachu-
sets will pardon me for saying, than he can
| possibly do in the State of Massachusetts,
OF the three-quarters of million Of black
men who vote In the Southern States there
are not $4,000 who could vote under the con-
stitution of the State of Massachusetts,. And
why? While not discriminating against
them on account of their color, yet there ia
clause in the constitution of Massachusetts,
which requires man, before he can vote. to
be able to read the constitution in the Eng
lish language and write his name. 1t is well
known that the negro can read it, as q gen.
eral rule, in no language. 1t is not their
fault, 1T is their misfortune, the misfortune
of their former condition; but Massachu-
setts standing, as she assumes always to do,
in the front ranks of human progress, has q
clause in her constitution that would disfran-
chise nearly the whole negro race at every
voting precinct in her borders. She also
1 DISTINGUISHES those of foreign birth until
| they can learn q new language. When YOU
see those words 1.-THE English language" in
her constitution, you at once see against
what class of people the clause is aimed. 1t
| is provided that the foreigner who goes to
Massachusetts, to seek citizenship shall stay
there long enough before voting not merely
to understand something of the institutions
of the country, not merely to imbibe a VEN
Grafton and love for them, but he must be
schooled in q new tongue, SO that he can
read the constitution IN the English Ian
guage. And submit in all kindness to the
senator from Massachusetts, that while there
is some want of harmony between
| the constitution OF Indiana and events
that have taken place growing out
of the war. while some of her