The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-27
THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT
Letter i'm New York Tribune.

Arrangements are in progress in Boone
county and are being seconded by citizens
at Indianapolis and elsewhere throughout
the State. to present an appeal to Congress
through the Indiana delegation in behalf
of Stephen Neal, an old citizen of Boone,
and recognized the undoubted author of
the fourteenth amendment TO the Constitu-
ton of the United States. Mr.. Neal was
born in Pennsylvania county, Virginia, on
June II, 1917. and came to this State when
young man. He studied law and identified
himself with the Republican party in 1856,
having previously served in the state Leg
islature and proved able member in the
trying period of the settlement OF the enor-
nous state debt, which resulted from the
collapse of the internal improvement sys-
tenn undertaken in 1887.
When the question of reconstruction con-
fronted the country MIR. Neal in his
prime, ana was regarded one of the
ablest lawyers in the State, and took
great interest In the problems that had
grown out of the war of the rebellion. 1t is
a matter of history known to all students,
that the majority in Congress was not
unit upon any policy to be pursued toward
upon citizenship, others advocated dis
reimbursement, and others protested
against giving colored men the right of un-
restricted suffrage. 1t was at this time that
Mr.. Neal turned his attention to the SUBJ
ject. and after much thought drew up and
Forwarded to Congressman Godlove S.
Orth, who represented the Eighth Indiana
district at the time, the instrument which
now appears as the first four sections of
the fourteenth amendment. The author
rarely speaks of his achievement, and
when asked about it he replies modestly
and with apparent reluctance He is not
taking any part in the movement here to
have him recognized as the author, but, on
the contrary. has discouraged il when it
has been mentioned TO him by his friends
When asked to-day with reference to the
amendment, he replied, after much hesita-
| ton:
Yes. it is true that 1 wrote the four
| teenth amendment. When l say l wrote
| 1t, / should be understood to mean that
wrote the first four sections. The fifth was
| added by the committee of fifteen, which
was known as the central directory, or the
committee of safety. and whose member
| ship included Garfield. Stephens and many
other eminent congressman. The fifth sec
| ton, you will see. If you turn to it, simply
provides for the enforcement of the pre-
| oedng sections. 1 have always thought
| that unnecessary. The conditions which
| prevailed at the close of the war were
| very complicated. for the reconstruction
| period brought forth many questions which
| had never before confronted the people.
THE Republicans in Congress were in a
| quandary, some favoring certain restric-
| tons on citizenship. some advocating the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of SOutherners and some
| opposing negro suffrage. Every situation
| which presented itself was so delicate that
many times serious crises were impending
with the introduction of measures and
| finally the central directory, committee
| of safety, was appointed, and to this COM
mittee all the pending measures were re-
! ferred. l wrote out the form which you
| will now find attached to the Constitution,
| under the caption of Fourteenth Amend
| ment,' and forwarded it TO Godlove Orth,
| our congressman, as suggestion. Later
| / received a letter informing me that he
| had presented my original manuscript and
| that the committee had accepted it with
| practically no corrections. Garfield and
| others stated that. while ii was not ex-
actly what they desired, it seemed to be
| the best that could be had. 1t was feared
| that President Johnson would veto il. and
| provisions were made to pass it his
| Veto
| Turning to his desk Mr. Neal drew an
| envelope. yellow with age, from a pigeon
| hole. and took from 1T the letter of Con-
gresham Ortiz, to which he had referred
| 1t bore the date of April 20. 1866 and is
acknowledging the receipt of the manu-
| script. and saying il would be adopted by
| the committee. Asked regarding his ideas
| which found expression in the amendment
| Mr. Neal replied:
| IL had been student of ancient laws
| and had made study of the governments
of the Greeks and Romans, and from all
| these sources i drew for my composite
what | wanted, but Ii was written with
the point in view of securing the creates,
| concessions toward the exercise of liberty
| and suffrage. | have never thought IL ex.
| pedient to say i'm what points 1 would have
| preferred something different / though,
II important that four things should bs
| secured by the amendment. and the firs-
| section was intended to define who are
| citizens. the second relates to the appor.
| tionment of representation, the third te
| the validity OF the public debt and the
fourth outlines official duties"
Though now in his eighty-fourth year
| Mr.. Neal is vigorous in mind and we'll
| preserved In body. and has vivid memor,
| OF many of the occurrences in the early
| history of the State. He is In easy cir
cumstances, and seems averse TO tn,
movement now on foot to have Congress.
formally recognize him the author o.
the amendment. 1t is certain that he would
reject any acknowledgment of his servic.
should 1t come in the form of a pension OF
money consideration. The instrument, o
course, came from the committee of safe
~ as the joint work of it's fifteen mem
bers, but the letter OF Congressman Ortl
and his statements I'm confederation of 1
| 10 many persons now living. leave no doub
OF the authorship, even IL Mr.. Neal himsel
were silent upon the subject Just wha
action Congress will take. II IL takes any
cannot be foretold. but IL Is probable tina
1t will be only the adoption of resolution
| reciting the facts of Mr.. Neafs authorship
| of the instrument and thanking him II
the name of the people for it,
No Mercy for Highwaymen.