Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-17
TUESDAY,. JANUARY II, 1885,
prsrn,cTED SUFFRAGE.

vvnuan II. Guthrie. Esq, has puOilsh-
"a 4, hook form n series of lectures Whlch
- do,,vered before the Dwight Alumni
Association on the subject OF the our
,eenth Amendment" and II receives "
column and a half of favorable reVie" J"
the New York Sun.
IN the discussion Of his subject 1t APP
nears that the author has confined MN
self chiefly 10 the cases decided by inc
supreme Court of the United states ne
maintains that It is incorrect to say that
r. North .forced" negro suffrage upon
Tho sonth. He says that "had the south
nromptly and graciously accepted 'ne
terms Of the Fourteenth Amendment
and afforded some protection 10 negroes
there would have been no occasion ioi
che Fifteenth Amendment, which IL VIII
he recalled. was not adopted until March
1S7c" But, the author declares tine con-
duct of the irreconciable portion OF the
neonle OF the South caused the hhaui-
tants of the North to believe that inc
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of the negro was neces-
sarv for his protection"
Tho fact is that negro suffrage was
unon rs long before March, 1910. In 1891
when il was decreed that a CONVENTION
should be called TO revise and amend th'
Constitution OF Virginia, the negroes no
only voted. but carried the convention lol
the Republicans OF the five members ina
Richmond city sent 10 that convention
several were negroes. Again, in july 1905
when the people of Virginia were caie'
unon TO 20 to the polls and adopt IN
Constitution thus framed, end vote 10
Governor and members Of the Leglsia
ture the negroes again voted III was ON
NV the most strenuous efforts OF u
Democrats. or Conservatives, alueu
the "rrue Republicans" that the Ohoel
wood Constitution was adopted, win u
DISTINGUISHING clause struck out a"
that same vote elected Gilbert O. wake
as Governor. and gave us CohserNau'
majority in both branches OF the hesr
,o,ure So. we see that practically spear
ing negro suffrage was aireauy las'en'
upon US: and, what Is more the rea
mission OF the state TO the Union WI
conditioned upon its ratification OF u
Fourteenth and Fifteenth amehdmeh
TO the Constitution.
IL is only since negro suffrage
proved a failure we hear from hepnp
cans that Under the Fourteenth Amen
men. the Southern States could ha
abridged negro suffrage by consenting
pro,ortional loss of membership in
United States House OF RepresentauV
ard in the electoral college.
The fact is. In the case or virginia
carpet-baggers had tight Gluten w
,ur state Government until the elect
q, Julv 6. 1863. when a Conservat
Legislature was allowed to assemble VI
condition. practic' speaking that
would ratify the Fourteenth and i
teenth Amendments. In other words,
variable action upon those amendmo
was extorted from MS Smile we were b
under the duress Of military power
oppression. SO much for AIR. Guthr
absurd pretension that the South is
snonsible for the adoption of the 4
teenth Amendment
Mr.. Guthrie holds as we learn from
review IN question. that the Fourtee
Amendment has been superseded by
Fifteenth Amendment. in so far as
former is inconsistent with the lat
which was adopted subsequently,. III
stil remains question, he thi'
whether any state Constitution or
requiring property or educational az
ncation. particularly II arbitrarily
posed so as in practice 10 discrimiI
against any distinct class Of 70,
would not. In pursuance Of the f.
teenth Amendment. require reduc
Of representation In Congress and In
electoral votes" This point. he says,
not yet been decided authoritatively
the United States Supreme Court
the hope Is expressed by him that 1t
be settled al some early date. $50 a
avoid having Il raised in some close 7
dental contest. when the decision m
be necessary 20 determine the cleo
OF a President"
II Is clear enough, from the ton
many Republican papers IN the NJ
that the Views presented by Mr.. Gut
are widespread and well approved in
section. II. therefore. seems we are
yet quite done with the question Of n