Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-24


I Boston Transcript lets out Of the Reprb-
loan meal tub q cat which re confess
We had for some time suspected vas con
cealed therein. The correspondent fay-
that the Republicans have been trying
gerry hard 10 guard the gecrot that IN me
asrt Congress they viii attempt 70 apply
~ the Southern States which have taken
steps % dlsfranchise the negro the sub
iyired provision u the second section Of
the fourteenth amendment.
"Buf when the right 10 vote az any cleo
f.0n FOR the choice ~ electors for ffesi-
cent and President ~ the Iniitd
States. repreqonfa fives in COr1rf o.. TIE
executive and judicial officers ~ state
0Y The members of the L@gf-'a'1-e there
~. is denied 20 any ~ the male inhahl-
tapts " such State. being % years ~ age
srj Cirzens n the Tinted Sfaief ~ I'D
auy way abridged. except FOR participation
in rebellion or other crime the basis ~
rotTtfcnfafl0n therein eha.l Dc reduced IN
the proportion which the numbes o. s1ch
rra1r citizens shall bear % the whole num-
icr III male citizens Il years ~ age in
such state"
IN order 10 en- understanding ~ what
follows. 81 De- also necessary 20 give the
first section Of the fifteenth amendment,
which says.
"The right ~ citizens - the United
states 90 vote shall not boz denied Or
abridged by the United States. or b. any
State. on account ~ race. color. or pre-
w0us condition NJ sertitu0e."
Degpite fhc contention. which We noted
some days ago. that The Supreme court
OF fhe United states had never passed
upon the above provision OF the fourteenth
amendment as applying 10 the restriction
~ suffrage. 81 o. held by many who have
carefully studied the courts decision in
the Mississippi case. that that decision
covers the issue. IN the Mississippi case
the Supreme court sustained in terms tho
"disfranchieing clause" ~ The Mississippi
Constitution as not being obnoxious TO
tho fifteenth amendment ard 90 is claim
Cd that The general language and spirit
of the decision. 90 least carried the
same conclusion ae regards The relations
of the clause 90 the reduced repre- fenta-
ton provision Of tine fourteenth amend
ment.
Eut this apart The Springfield Mass)
Republican. lu commenting on the revela-
n0n ~ tho Transcripts correspondent.
ravg that the provision NJ the fourteenth
amendment has never been enforced. for
the reason that the fifteenth amendment.
adopted later ON. prohibited che States
from thus denying the franchise 10 the
persons especially referred TO-" "If
therefore" continues the Republican. can
ATTEMPT Or made 90 apply the fourteenth
in This particular u will
amount to an admission that the fifteenth
amendment is a dead letter. and that the
nation mirr as well give 90 up and ac-
ccpt q condition of negro inequality be-
fore the law"
These points are well taken. our cone
temporary. however. does not stop here.
II adds.
"But II the second section Of the four
tccuth amendment Dr. applied to the South /
oru States 10 must boz applied to all ana |
tnr application would not affect negroes /
alone % would AFFECT all States Imposing /
D, etrictlOuH CON- tho suffrage OF male cll- /
zcus above 20 years of age, and especially /
which has 1u educational /
of male citizens above % years OF age |
are denied the suffrage ON this account. |
and thousands Of others ou account Of tho |
as 10 time OF residence IN the |
State and locality.
"Maaachuaotts would bc liable 10 lose /
one cOurrc- -man under such law az is /
proposed. and this would not popularlze !
Tho scheme hcrDabouts, cor. at Least. In |
the states delegation in Congress. And |
other Northern States would also be ar |
fcctcd. though uot tp the extent OF the |
SOUTH"
Precisely. o. norn ox would also |
bo rored and aton would hardly |
bc submitted .o .a...iy FOO that quarter.
In conclusion. the Republican says that /
It will finally ie found more expedi-
.nt 90 enforce the nreonth amendment !
Rut MS a practical fact under the deci-
SION I'm thc Mississippi case, that amend /
ment cannot be enforced ~ the efforts az /
Inc states Co prevent Cos enforcement are /
made along certain lines. Whether the /
decision in this case was broad enough /
to cover the second section of the four /
toenth amendment or not there seems no /
question Chat 90 virtually pronounced the /
fifteenth amendment a dead letter SEQ I
- would appear that as 90 this whole I
matter the Republican leaders are Doe
tween "the doyn and the deep sea- n /
they attempt Co render the fifteenth /
amendment operative in accordance with I
lts malignant conception they viii find /
The way barred hy the highest judicial /
tribunal Boz the land Ir they try Co apply .
Tine seeoud section az the fourteenth I
amendment so os 90 deprive The South
of amy part Of The increased representa- !
ton in Congress She has ly reason OF .
the existence of the fifteenth amendment.
he effort viii prove "a boomerang in the
shape of disanection in the North There
fore. while as We have inumated. ne
disclosure of the Transcript correspond /
emit docs not surprise us. seeing that in I
ihc circumstances thc Republicans could I
hardly avoid pretence OF making the /
'disifanch'scment OF the man and the .
brother am issue we rather reckon that /
when 30 comes down Co hard-pan they
will LET the issue drop into innocuous I
desuetude. They cannot well anord to /
DO otherwise
The Chicago News is authority Ter the
statement that the Wisconsin LEGISLATURE
Is now GfuNplV considering ID lfu o., mr..