The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-02-24
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT

THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT
In repeating all the federal election
laws congress has practically annulled
the fifteenth amend ment to the con-
stitution, which provides that the right
Of citizens to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by any state on account OF
race, coler, or previous condition Of
servitude, says an exchange. That
amendment also confers upon congress
the power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation. The Demo-
cratic party, in national convention,
declared such legislation 'sfraught with
the gravest dangers, scarcely less mo-
mentous than would result from q
revolution practically establishing
monarchy on the ruins of the republic, +"
and. iu congress that party has re-
pealed all federal laws to protect vot-
ers, and in effect denied the right of
congress to legislate for the enforce
ment) of this article of the fede, al
constitution.
If the fifteenth amendment be null
lifted the government must fall back
on the fourteenth amendment, which
provides that "when the right to vote
at any election for the choice of cleo
tors for president and vice president
Of the United States, representatives
in congress, the executive and judicial
officers of state, or the members of
the legislature thereof, is denied to
any of the male inhabitants of such
state, being 81 years of age, and citi-
zens of the United States, or in any
way abridged, except for participation
in rebellion or other crime, the basis
Of representation therein shall be re-
duced in the proportion which the
numbers of such male citizens shall
bear to the whole number of male cit
izens 2l years of age in such state"
There are fourteen states where
large proportion of male citizens are
denied the right to vote, and the party
responsible for this does not deny the
truth of this statement. These four
teen states are Maryland, Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Missouri. KENTUCKY,
Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis
lana, Texas and Arkansas. These
states haYe more than 100000 of
negro population, and this population
gives to the south thirty-nins repre-
sentatives in congress In South Car
ol ma, Miss ssippi and Louisiana there
are more colored people than white
and more colored voters than white
voters. In Georgia nearly one hall
the population is eolered; in Virginia,
one-third; in North Carolina, one
fourth; in Florida, one third; in Ala
bama, nearly one half; in Texas, one
fifth; in Arkansas, enc fourth; in
Kentucky, one-eigbth.
The negro population gives to Mary
land one representative in congress, to
Virginia four,to North Carolina three,
to South Carolina four, to Georgia FIVE,
to Florida one, to Missouri one, to
Kentucky two, to Tennessee two, to
Alabama four, to Mississippi four, to
Louisiana three, to Texas three and to
Arkansas three.
There is but one negro representa-
tive in congress, and but six Republi-
can members from these fourteen
states to represent what is conceded by
the south to be the Republican vote.
Two of these Republicsa representa-
tives are from Missouri, two from
Tennessee and one from each of the
Carolinas. The other southern states
have no representatives of the colored
These fourteen states have thirty
three members in congress who are
there because citizens of the United |
States are denied their right to vote.
They are given to the states to repre-
sent the negro population, and the ne
groes are denied the right to elect men
who would represent their interests.
If this Democratic congress is sin
cere in its belief that the federal gov
ernment has no power to enforce the
Gfteenth amendment to the constitu-
tion it should at once fall back upon
the fourteenth amendment and pass
= law that will take from .he south
'hirty-three representatives. in con-
yress. They must do that or less
aullify that amendment.