Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-07-12

, III may be observed i'm passing tina
: the fifteenth amendment to TN
constitution guarantees to citizen
immunity from discrimination in th
} elective franchise, on account q
race, color, or previous condition q
} servitude, and empowers Congress
to enforce the right by appronTiat +,
Legislation. The ri9ht fo vot.
comes from the State, but the right
OF exemption from the prohibited
discrimination comes from TN,
United States, and hence the mower
OF Congress to supervise elections
wnen congressman are to be chosen.
when necessary to prevent the for.
Dldden acts of discrimination.
The extent of the power has no
limit within the sanctions OF the
CONSTITUTION, If necessary to protect
the citizen IN the enjoyment of his
constitutional privileges and the
performance of his constitu tional
duties. No power is too great TO
'empioy IN the accomplishment of a
result OF such transcendiDg impor-
lance, aud the limit can only he
measured by the necessity that calls
the power into requisition,
THE SOUTH AvERsE TO JUSTICE.
The quarrel of the other side is
with any bill at all, lest it NAV cur
tail prerogatives now enjoyed at the
expense of other rights. If they
were willing to acquiesce i'm any
: legislation that would promote ms
tlce TO their fellow-citizens we mioht
discuss with them the comparative
effectiveness of different schemes
having that end in view. But every
man knows that our friends across
the aisle are not striving for Justice
to the Negroes. Whatever preten-
slons they make, whatever COM
mands they may have brought from
their masters, that was not one of
them, or ii il was it has beer erased
from the table.
a sanctlmonious pilot took to sen
with him the Ten Commandments
but hescraped out one of them, "Thou
shalt not steal" because. he said
mat commandment command
ed him from his functions" He
went out TO steal. Similarly |
think the commandment to do ius-
tice to the colored man i'm the South
would command the Democracy
from their functions. They sci ont
to do him injustice.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.
am for the bill on the distinct
ground that it is n constitutional
necessary measure-made necessary
10y those who fear its operation and
justified 10y the conditions created by
those who oppose its passage. And
when passed, am for its enforce
ment, North and South, if need he
with a tirmness and effectiveness
that may remind wrong-doers of the
manner IN which Aaron Burr j. said
to have presided at the impeacbment
oil Judge Chase-"Wit the vigor of n
devil but with the impartiality of a
saint"
vi the power and the duty of the
Government in the premises | have
no doubt. | will not believe that
this Republic, born in the cradle of
liberty, baptized in the blood of no-
trlots and dedicated to Justice. cloth
ed with majesty, dominion and DOW
er, is unable to protect it's citizens
rom political piracy. | cannot be-
iieve that nation which Ii O ems the
purse-strlngs of every citizen who
sells pint of whiskey, or a box of
cigars, and handouts every thief
VINO steals letter from a mail. box
within the limits of its extended do
mlnlon can not prevent or punish
the crime OF suppressing the votes of
any portions of it's citizens. Who
says to the contrary utters moral
treason. who believes it. must carry
IN his own breast the corpse OF his re-
spect for his country.
The Supreme Court of the United
states, in Cunningham VS.. Neagiev.
say:
The National Government must exe.ute IT,
powers, or 1t is no government. IL must execute
them on land as well as on the sea To A., thSS
II must necessarily have power to command che.
ulehce' preserve order and keen he pea,e and M,
person IN the land has right to resist or ques-
ton It's authority so long as il keeps within the
bounds OF its jurisdiction
In Martin VS.. Hunter, the same fri
bunal say;
The General Government must eease 70 80.
whenever It loses the power to protect itself n
we exercise OF ITS Constitutional powers
Behind the Constitution are the
Army and the Navy. Every sword
every bayonet, every cannon and
every dollar OF the nations wealth
are pledged to the enforcement of
every one of its provisions. When
the time shall come that the nation
acqulesces in the proposition that
the power OF the Government is une-
quail to the task of uphOlding. sus-
/ tanning and enforcing every com
mand OF the Constitution, that mo-
ment the sand in the hour-glass of
our history as a nation will begin to
run.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, there being a
remedy ought it not to be applied A.?
The disease is a loathsome one. but
1T will yield to treatment. If neglect
ed too long, however, it may REQUIRE
the last resources of surgery to save
the patients life. To adopt the sun-
gestion of Southern statesmen, and
let 1T alone, depending upon the
recuperative power of the patient to
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