The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-10
None Conferred on Him by
Fifteenth Amendment.
PROOFS FROM RECORDS
EFFORTS TO GIVE HIM SUCH
RIGHT DEFEATED.
FIGHT IN CONGRESS OYER TIE measure

Out Before the Amendment Could b,
Passed. Historical Evidence
in Abundance.
| To the Editor:
On the 11th of December, 1898, You
published a communication which called
attention to a very important point in
the United States Constitution. which
has escaped attention to Il surprising de-
gree. but which is, nevertheless, true
that it still leaves the power with each
State to deal with all inferior races for
itself in the matter of office holding OK
| actly as it sees fit, to give them that
right in full. to abridge it or to entirely
deny it, on the ground of race. This po-
| sition was fully maintained in that two
column article by arguments upon the
! last three amendments TO the Federal
Constitution, and by the United States
Supreme court decisions upon them, show
| ing that the 18th Amendment did moth
| ing for the negroes except to free them
| from the control of their former owners;
| that the nth. making them citizens and
guaranteeing them the privileges and
| immunitias of citizens, did nothing for
them except to secure them the same
protection of the laws that the white
race enjoys in civil matters-that is in
securing to them equal rights in prop
erty and in protection Of life and limb,
but not extending to any political right
ut all; and, that the 18th extended to
them political guarantees only in the
right of voting-nOt in the right of
office-holding in any degree. whatever.
| These propositions were maintained, as
said, by argument on the amendments,
and extracts from the highest, legal au-
| thorities relating to them.
THE PASSING OF THE 18TH
AMENDMENT.
There remains. however, one line of
| proof. not touched upon at all in that
| article, but which is, nevertheless, ex-
cellent authority in an effort to get at
the truth of such a matter as this. 1t
consists of historical proof-an eXamina-
| ton of various changes the amendments
underwent while pending, and of the
| opinions of Representatives and Sena
| tors expressed upon them mt that time
| in their debates. Both these lines of
examination go TO show that the mem
| bers of beth Houses knew that they
were not giving inferior races the same
rights. in full, that the superior race en-
| joyed. There is no need TO look into any
thing except the passing of the last
amendment, the 10th, as that which was
said and done while it was pending COW
ers the whole ground and shows that
each State, prior to that time. could suit
itself as to these political rights in the
| matter Of bestowing either one or both,
III Wh0lesor in part, upon inferior races,
| or entirely withholding them, and that
| the members of Congress realized per-
fectly that they were not guaranteeing
the negro in the right to hold office, but
only in the right to vote, and that some
of the Warmest advocates of the amend
| ment were quite sore over not being able
to accomplish all they desired in this
direction
Very numerous were the changes pro-
posed in the contemplated 10th Amend
| ment by each House before its provi-
sions rs adopted were finally agreed
upon ~ both Houses. A concise his
tory Of these changes can be found in
McPhcrsOn's History of Reconstruction,
chapter 40. pages 800 to 400, from which
we cory those parts telling of the most
important action taken by each House
in its consideration of this amendment
throughout all its stages of progress.
The history Of the main features of the
Congressional action on it is as follows:
IT STARTS IN THE HOUSE.
On January 30, 1869, the House paes-
ed the 18th Amendment in these words
THE right of any citizen of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or by
any State by reason of race, color or
previous condition Of slavery of any citi-
zen or class of citizens of the United
States"
The vote was: Yeas, $50; nays, 10;
not voting, 81.
GOES TO THE SENATE.
On February 3rd, in the Senate, Sena-
tor Stewart moved to amend by subst-
tuting the following in the place of the
House resolution: (
THE right of citizens of the United
States to vote and, hold office, shall not
be denied or abridged by the United
States. or by any State on account of
race, color or previous condition of seryi-
tude."
Senator Wilson moved to amend Mr.
Stewards amendment by substituting
for it the following: