New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-05
THE RACE QUESTION.
Return to First Principles of the Constitu
tion Urged by Correspondent.
) Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Governor Warfeld. in his speech before the
Maryland Society. reported in your issue of Satur-
day, February %. touched upon the keynote of the
race question by asking for the repeal of the Fiji
teenth Amendment. but did not go quite far enough
TO cure the ills bequeathed by the reconstruction
folly.
We profess great respect and veneration for the
founders of the government, and credit them with
almost superhuman wisdom and foresight in the
formation of the Constitution and yet in the recon-
struction amendments abandoned the most po-
tent and far reaching safeguard which evil
IDENTIFY considered by them of paramount i'm
portance. for 1t is contained in the first article of
the Constitution. in the second section, immedi-
ately following the unequal1ed preamble declaring
the intent OF the founders. The first section of
the first article provides that all legislative pow
shall be vested in Congress, which shall con-
sist of Senate and House of Representatives"
The second section provides that "the House Of
Representatives shall be composed OF members
chosen second year by the people of the sew
eral States. and the electors in each State shall
have the qualifications requisite for the most nu-
branch of the State legislature" Thus
limited suffrage, regulated by each State for ITSELF
was then provided the direct means for enforcing
the tenets declared by the preamble, and the evil
days that have fallen upon us may be traced d.
rectly to the abandonment OF this provision of the
founders. and the adoption Of part Of the second
section Of the Fourteenth Amendment, follows
But when the right to vote at any election for
dent of the United States Representatives in Con
gress, the executive and judicial officers of State
the members of the legislature thereof is denied
10 any of the male inhabitants of such State. be-
United States. or in any way abridged, except for
participation in rebellion other crime the basis
OF, representation therein shall be reduced in the
proportion which the number Of such male citizens
shall bear to the whole number of male citizens
twenty-one years Of age in such State" This part
of the second section nor the Fifteenth Amendment
has not been enforced in the South and cannot be
enforced without obliterating multiplying the Ian
Of every object therein declared. Therefore, not
only in Justice to the South but in justice every
law abiding, patriotic lover of his country-North,
South, East West-thiS portion OF Section Of
Fifteenth Amendment entire should be expunged
from the Constitution. and thus restore to the
States themselves the regulation of suffrage it
from the foundation of the government down
to July, 1863, when the Fourteenth Amendment was
declared adopted, and March 80. 1870 when the Fiji
tenth Amendment was declared adopted and since
that time have abundantly demonstrated the
wisdom OF both amendments. and should be
these amendments have done much to degrade the
standard of American citizenship to debauch the
elective franchise by bribery and corruption and
have made possible the system OF graft that per-
FURNISH up its reverence for the wisdom and patri-
otsm of Washington and his compeers who framed
the Constitution in 1881 and thereby perpetuate the
liberties established by the Anglo Saxon race, they
will to it that these amendments are expunged
the Constitution and that the preamble certi-
fed to by George Washington, President and Deputy
from Virginia of the convention that unanimously
adopted the Constitution-"We, the people of the
United States, in order to form more perfect
union establish justice, insure domestic tranquil
lily, provide for the common defence. promote the
general welfare and the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our postery do ordain and estab-