Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-25
SUNDAY.........0Cr0BER Is, 1885
rhs rourteenth Amendment.

KYR and Mr.. SHERMAN are coming TO
Virginia TO let our people know that If
thev refuse TO bow the knee to MA
HONE, and doff their caps in the pre-
sence Of His Boss-sbip, this State will
be deprived of four Of its members OF
the national House Of Representatives,
and the "solid South" Of nearly or
quite forty. They have uttered this
threat wherever they have spoken
in Ohio, and one Of them has repeated
IL In New York. II they intend to deal
fairly, candidly, and honestly by the
southern people, and If they really
believe that it is in the power of
Congress, or Of the legislative, execu-
tive, and judicial departments of the
Government combined, to cut down
States representation in Congress as
punishment for the acts Of persons, then
they will manfully hold the same threat
over the heads Of the people whom they
address in Virginia, and not meanly say
behind their backs what they are not
willing to say to their faces. Let MIR.
FORAKER tell the people of Rockingham
county next week, and Mr.. SHERMAN
tell the people Of Norfolk and Peters
burg, that because Of the Danville riot
be thinks that Congress ought to de-
prive Virginia Of four Of her congress
men, and that he holds that this pun
ishnent may be melted out to any State
whose citizens engage in riot.
Perhaps, however, Mr.. FORAKER
and Mr.. SHERMAN have learned be-
fore now that Ohio is an offender
against the fourteenth amendment, and,
If the statements of the Democratic
paper in Cincinnati, corroboratcd by
the statements Of the Republican paper
there, may be credited, is in danger of
losing all her members Of the national
House Of Representatives. The reader
must not forget that the contention Of
SHERMAN and FORAKER is that if the
citizens of . State do any such act as
bulldozing. or psrpetrating frauds on the
ballot-box, or intimidsting voters, that
act is denial Of the right to vote within
the meaning Of the fourteenth amend
ment. We regard that as an absurd
teaching, but rs it is the teaching Of
FORAKER and SHERMAN, we are
justified in treating the proposition as
serious one, and rs one threatening
danger to the South and . renewal Of
sectional strife, war passions, local pre-
iudices. and universal ill-will. Perhaps,
however. il Messrs. FORAKER and
SHERMAN had examined the fourteenth
amendment closely before they made
their proposition, and found has it does
not apply merely to the negroes, but to
the whites, they might have hesitatsd
before submitting 1t % the judgment d
sensible world not carried away by
hatred Of the South.
Let us, before We 60 further, see
What the provision is under the aathori-
ty of which the South is 10 be deprived
Of nearly forty members, and made SC
weak and feeble in Congress that she
would forever afterwards be more help
less and INDECENT than ireland, Tha'
provision reads as follows:
Article XIV, section 2. "Repre
sentatives shall be spportioned among
the several States according to their re-
spectiye numbers, counting the whole
number Of persons in each State, ex
clu ding Indians not taxed. But wheI
the right to vote at any election for tn
choice Of electors for President an
vice-president Of the United States
representative in Congress, the execu
tive and judicial officers OF Q State, o
the members Of the Legislature thereof
Is denied to any Of the male inhabitaut
Of such State, being twenty-one year
Of age and citizens Of the United States
orin any way abridged, exception part
cipation in rebellion OF other crime, tn
basis Of representation therein shall B
reduced in the proportion which Il
number OF such male citizens shall bes
70 the whole number Of male either
twenty-one years Of age in such State.
II requires no comment to show tn
that provision applies as we'll to whit
a. TO blacSs--as well in Ohio as in vi
ginia. And seeing that in Ohio it CT
be proved by the foremost men in Z
State that frauds inncmerable upon 4
ballot-box were committed last Tuesdl
week, and thousands Of voters deni
the right to vote, 1t follows that Oh
can constitutionally be deprived Of we
nigh all her representatives in Congress
At Rochester, N. Y, on Thursdl
last, Mr. FoRAKER played the role
JOHN 5. WISE and out-Herod,
HERoD. He said, IS reported ia Il
World Of Friday:
IN Is not rroag 10 demand a ia
consf IN tie South, and re win hare
II at the point Of the bayosss.
No. And II Is not wrong 70 demsr
. fair count 10 Ohio; but suppose
southern spssker. were to add 1--WE wi
hare Il II ct the point Of the bayonet,
what State would b large enough
oonAns within its limits the howl tn
would 20 up from the Republics
peessss and osatorsS
Ifths buildozing FORAKER can CON
q Virginia and faos her people inm'
dIak>ly afssr making thst diabolie'
ottsssnes, 4 = because WISE, MA