The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-27
EDMUNDS AND HIS RESOLUTIONS

E9fnunds OF Vermont, appears to be hav-
| ing quite hard time with his resolutions
enunciating the doctrine Of Federal inter-
| ference in State elections. Three separate
times has he called them up, and just three
separate times has the Senate ado urned or
done something else In order to avoid con-
sideration Of them.
We had allowed ourselves to anticipate dur
ing the present session one Of those old-time
congressional fights between the centralizers
and the States-rights men, In which such men
as Calhoun, Webster and Hayne, Benjamin,
Seward and Douglas won their spurs and
made themselves famous In the days before
1864. In this, however 1t seems that we are
doomed to disappointment. The Republicans
refuse to respond with enthusiasm to the call
OF Edmunds' bugle Although their party Is
responsible for the kuklux act and the enforce
ment act, the living lights of that creed fail
to rally around the Appropriate Legislation
or to stand up to Edmunds In his avowal OF
that doctrine There was no such hesitation
In the times of Thad. Stevens and oliver P
Morton. The times have changed and men
have changed with them.
There is no such timid hesitation, however,
on the part Of the Democrats. AS soon as
Edmunds as the spokesman OF his party
enunciated the centralizing doctrine "that it
is the duty Of Congress to provide by law for
the full and impartial protection OF all citizens
Of the United States legally qualified in the
right to vote for representatives In Congress-,
his dogma met with instant reputation and
provoked the formal declaration on the part
Of the Dem ocrats that Federal supervision,
direction or protection of the elective fran
chise was authorized by nothing In the con-
stitution, and was nothing less than wan
ton infringement upon the rights and powers
OF the States. This prompt and fearless re-
Spouse appears to have knocked the breath
out Of the Vermont Senator, and made of him
and his resolution, In a very sudden and i'm
promptu manner, couple OF very "demd,
damp, uncomfortable bodies"
The Democratic resolutions on this point
which were agreed on in caucus and presented
by Senator Morgan, Of Alabama, are as fol-
lows:
RESOLVED, That the constitution of the
United States has not conferred the right of
suffrage upon any one and the United States
have no voters Of their own creation In the
States, but the fifteenth amendment to the
constitution has invested the citizens of the
United States with new constitutional right
which Is the exemption from discrimination
In the exercise of the elective franchise on ac-
count OF race, color or previous condition of
servtude. And 1t Is within the jurisdiction
of the United States, which Congress NAV ex.
ercise by proper legislation, to prevent the
denial or abridgment by Stats OF the right
OF citizen to vote, when denial or abridg-
ment is on account of race or color or pre-
vious condition of servitude OF the voter.
RESOLVED, That when such right to vote ii
denied or abridged by the conduct of person
who Is not 50 acting by the authority or ia
obedience TO the laws Of the State, the juris-