Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-05
Canght n Tartar.


Our article OF last week headed "Tbc
Amendments-the War between the
states v-hss attracted the attention OF the
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, which COM
menls as follows:
"Probably one reason why the Demo.
cratic party does no. openly advocate ut this
time The adjustment OF the amendments by
wiping them of the slate on which was
written war legislation II that the great
fraud that gives the Democracy power Is
sheltered in the Interpretation OF those
amendments.
"The fourteenth amendment provided for
the punishment OF the disirancbisers OF their
fellow.c citizens by taking representative
power from them in the enumeration In pro-
portion 10 the prevention OF voting. This
language we SIRE aware is not lawyer-llke,
but I, tells the truth exactly.
"Then came the fifteenth amendment
which prohibits States from doing the things
for which political impoversbment bad been
provided as punishment in the fourteenth,
and Il ls now held that as the Constitution
under the fifteenth amendment forbids
thug, # cannot happen. The theory is that
a. The State is told It must not, 1t can't. The
people do IL, however, aud Tetsin all their
capacity. and laugh at policy which looks
20 the punishment OF the disiranchlsement OF
n million men.
"The amount OF II IS the whites vote for
tie blacks IN the South, resent the Republic
can victory in the war, and obtain for tbem>
selves the Democratic party and use IT TO re-
take for the Solid South all that was
Loot I'm The overthrow Of the Southern Con-
feicrlcv. aud even beyond that. More than
this. the southern bosses propose to rule the
whole country. They exclude Dakota TO
give themselves q finer margin upon which
g. continue the reign OF The bosses OF the
black belts over the nation"
II our Cincinnati contemporary Is not in
error the Union armies caught a Tartar
when they captured the Southern Conied-
oracy. There must be mistake somewhere.
The history Of the world cannot furnish
parallel ease. II the case be as the CONNER
ciqi. gazette states H. Millions and billions
OF money aud millions Of lives were lost IN
that unsuccessful war. II unsuccessful it was
We regard It as certain that the northern
people (we were made TO say the southern
people day before yesterday know great
deal more now than they did thirty years
ago. The war aud its consequences have
taught them what southern statesmen had
from history learned before the war between
che States took place.
The Interpretation Of the amendments
which /, mentioned in the extracts above
quoted we endeayored to impress upon the
mind OF our Cincinnati contemporary seye-
nal years ago. Especially did we strive 70
convince him that the ratification OF the fif-
tecnth amendment had virtually stricken
from ;he Constitution that PORTION OF the
fourteenth amendment which provided for
Furnishing State for denying the right OF SUI
fracc % negroes. lie now admits our inter
probation to be the true one, stating the pro-
position in the queer language, Gas the
State Is told 1t must not, it can't That is
II exactly. The fifteenth amendment, rati-
fed Of course after the fourteenth, provides
than no State shall deny the right OF negro
TO vote. Logically and uuayodably 1t fol-
lows that no State can commit the offence
denounced in the fourteenth.
The Commercial Gazette talks much OF the
suppression Of the negro vote 10 the South.
But the fact is that the negro is much more
respectable character in the South than in the
North. The southern States sent between
fifty and a hundred negro delegates to the
Chicago Convention. The northern States.
though these bad about three times as many
delegates as the southern, sent not a dozen
IN all-nOt q hall dozen, We suppose. And
yet the negro voters hold the balance Of
power in q number OF the northern States.
In Ohio there are over twenty-five thousand
negro voters. What consideration have these
voters ever received at the hands OF the Re-
publican party? In New York there are
over twenty thousand negro voters. What
sort OF show could the Republicans OF New
\ Ork make II the negro voters there were to
80 over to the Democratic party? And how
are the negro voters treated by the Republi-
cans OF New York; We should not miss it
far If we were 10 answer that they are treated
as objects OF contempt
VIII the amendments which were foisted
into the Constitution by unprincipled Re.
pubilcans in order 10 perpetuate the rule of
their party ever be pronounced worthless by
NNt CulItuC Noult VI tuV tulCu CtdtcS
Oh, ne. They will all soon fall into cOndi-
ton OF "lnnocuous desuetude." The thir.
teenth abolished slavery. 1t has no vitality
even now, there being next 10 nobody in the
United States who would reestablish slavery
n he could. s;esides, as the House Of Repre-
sesiatiyes stands adjourned when the Speaker
declares II does even though a majority OF
the members may have voted against aG.
iournment so the declaration that slavery
was abolished abolished it forever. There
Is no power on earth that conld revitalize ii.
The fourteenth amendment contains no
provision that the people OF either section
are likely ever TO want to abolish. Its first
section suits southern as well rs II does
northern men. The second section was re.
pezled by the fifteenth amendment. The
third section will expire as soor as the last
person is dead. who having held Office up-
der UNCLE SAN afterwards engaged "in ie-
beilion." The fourth section Is very much
OF sbe same nature. The new amendments
will al soon expire by limitation OF time
or by being placed In new environment, to
which tbeY cannot accommodate themselves.
Oar Cincinnati contemporary need cot fear
their abolifion by the % Solid South -