New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-01
WHO IRE THE FRIENDS or TIE NEGR0'

TIE CLAIMs OF BCTLLE AND OTHER DLMOCRAT5
ANSWERED. FROM THE RECoRDs-TnE VOTES ~
TIE Stalls On IHH FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT
WAsEINGIoN, Oct 3O.-General Butler, believes
that in going over to the Democracy he was
doing that thing which woGld best promote the
interest of the colored race. Other Democratic
orators Of more consistent party records in Congress
and out, have on thousand occasions set them
selves to the task Of proving that the Democratic
party is the true friend of the colored man.
Conspicuous success has never attended such
efforts. Every page Of political history since the
party had its origin proves the claim to be false
But the record is TOO voluminous for easy mental
grasp and mere denial carries little weight The
Congressional Committee has, therefore, thought it
best to select a single illustrative political event
upon which the Democratic and Republican parties
took ISSUE and print for circulation The record made
by the two parties nron it. The event selected was
the adoption by Congress, ard the ratification by
the states, OF the Fifteenth Amendment to the
National Constitution.
The amendment, providing that "thc rights Of
,itizeus of the United States TO vote shall
not DC denied or abridged by tie United States OF
by any State account OF race color, or previous
condition of servitude. and that Congress shall
have power TO enforce this article by appropriate
lrgislatiodD was faVOrably acted upon by the
United States Senate on February %, 1869 Inc
vote stood 80 in favor OF adoption. and l3 opposed
The 80 wele Republicans and the 13 were Demo-
Gratis On the 27ih OF t,le same month tie House
concurred in the action Of the Senate by vote Of
IA lan Republican, to ii (all Democrats
The amendment then went to the states for rail
fcaton by their Legislatures. Every Democratic
paper in tho land and every Democratic politician
t.ied by fair means and foU to secure las deied {.
Not a sIuglc state Legislature having Dc;nncraiic
majority recorded Itself ~ favor O; lti !athcaiIon,
while ~ only two # me Northern states did any
Democratic Legislators vote for Us tatlhcatl9n. ~
the amendment simply provided ~ ciiert that no
abrldgmc mt of the right OF suffrage should b. law
ful in regard 10 coOred men which was not opera
tive toward all o;h.r cassa-. the negative v0os
upon the prIpOst oa for raii alton IN dlcatcd TIC
intention oi the la'u who cast them 20 and ser1e-
time ~ The abldgment OF that right or IN it5 utter
aboll ton.
Tie Committee gives tho vote Of states in detail.
Sngulaiiy enough Misses phi, thc abiding place II
the buildOzer Is the only S,ai2 Whose Leg.sia uIe
voted unanimously torr!ihoatiOn. rive Democrats
in the Senate and fifteen IN the House voted with
the Republic ans al!irmauyely.
NeW-York in comparison should he placed at tie
ether * rome. Her Legislature, when was Htpub-
ilc.n m 1869, ratified the amonameni ~ S.riet
party vote. Ia 1870, the Legislature having De-
como Democratic the action was IeVeTsed ~ 4
strict party vote, the Democracy recording them
selves a. opposed 10 ratification.
When The amendment was FIRST submitted 10 the
Georgia Senate the Democrats. owngt 10 some % the
Republicans beng absent. had a majority and re-
irolcd IL. At later date however IL Was IA titled
he division upon both occasions being upon party
lines. In Indiana the Democrats ret cd 10 vote
and some Of them absenied themselves to break the
quorum. The Republicans were strong enough,
However, to ratiiy the amendment.
In the Lower House ~ Maine, the Democrats
iouled with the Republicans to tatify tire amend
incnt. The Democrats Of the Senate, however, op-
posed ii. The New-Htnpshlre Senate voted 10 rat
Ify without "A division, The Democrats Of The
House voted IN the negative. ONO having a
Democratic Legislature N 1863, rejected
tho amendment. In 1870, her Republican
I'm Rhode Island four Republican votes were cast
in Opposition 90 the amendment the only instance
given. except IN West Virginia, whore three Repu5-
Iicaus voted in the negative.
The Tennessee Senate never acted upon the
amendment The House rejected IT, With these
exceptions the division IN all the Legislatures vas
mon sfrict marty lines, Legislatures where te
Democrats were in the mIJOnty Ielrcting the
amendment and those having Republican lnajortles
ratIfying 1t.