The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-10-21
RAYNER ATTACKS THE CONSTITUTION

Constitution OF thu United States.
What is the Fifteenth Amendment and
how does it read?
The Fifteenth Amendment reads in
exact words as follows:
THE right of citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by
any State on account of race, color or
previous condition of servitude. -
The gradual progress of public opin-
ion in the United States on questions
relating to slavery and the personal and
political rights of the colored race may
be clearly traced in the Thirteenth,
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments
to the Constitution.
The Thirteenth Amendment, pro-
posed by Congress while the war was
yet fragrant, simply declared that
neither slavery nor involuntary servi-
tude should exist in the United States
or in any place subject to national
jurisdiction.
The Fourteenth Amendment advanced
the negro to the status of citizen. but
did nothing atfirmatively to confer the
right of suffrage upon him.
The Fifteenth Amendment. set out
verbatim above, was imperatively
necessary to protect the freedman in
the exercise of the rights of personal
and civil liberty conferred upon him by
the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amend
ments. These latter two Amendments
for all substantial purposes, would have
been void and without effect, but for
the adoption Of the Fifteenth Amend
ment.
Mr. Rayner's attack on the Constitu-
ton of his country and his threats
against the Fifteenth Amendment can
not but react to the personal discredit
of himself as a statesman and to the
confusion of the party which he repre-
sents. The Constitutional Amendments
were proposed and adopted under the
belief that they would be honorably OBJ
served and enforced in all the States,
North and South, alike. The presump-
ton is certainly in favor of loyal obedi-
ence to the organic law of the Repub-
lie, without which anarchy has already
begun its evil work. If, however, by
reason of infidelity to Constitutional
provisions in some sections, If by vio-
lence in resisting them in others, such
as Mr.. Rayner breaches, it be suggest
ed that they should have been drawn
with greater clrcumspection, with a
broader comprehension of all the con-
tingencies of the future, the fact vet
remains that they are of priceless value
to the Government and to the people.
The Republican party could not free
the negro on the battlefield and then
desert him in the hour Of his need to
prosecutions worse than slavery. The
three Constitutional Amendments have
added largely to the muniments Of per
sonal liberty; they have UNNECESSARILY
increased the just power of the Nation
al Government; they have exerted a
constantly growing force against the
spirit that organized the Rebellion;
they have strengthened the bonds of
the Union against every form Of danger
which it has hitherto encountered.
Without the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments, the latter of which Mr..
Kayner attacks, the Thirteenth Amend
ment, which abolished slavery, would
have proved of little value to the OPP
pressed race which it declared to be
free. In every step taken after the
simple article Of emancipation was de-
creed, the Republican party which con-
trolled the Government m et with