Year: 1869

The Democracy o. this State and ofthis county


are endeavoring to make headway with voters by


a great outcry against the fifteenth amendment.


We say endeavoring, for the reason that they


have NO tangible foundation for argument, have


not deceived the people and have only succeeded


in placing themselves In position 6tly charact-


erized by q leading Democratic paper in New


York city as being 'one hundred years behind


the age" Their arguments carry with them


their own refutation. Their Misrepresentation


have been repeatedly exposed and the pertinacity


with which they persist in their course upon this


question, clearly indicates the desperate straits


to which they reduced for something upon


which to hang An argument, evincing a disparag-


that cannot fail to be overwhelmingly rebuked


at the polls. When Democratic papers and ora


tors declare that the fifteenth amendment means


Chinese suffrage they know better. They know
that the Chnaman can no more claim the priv
silege of citizenship here than can the American


in China. They know that not only the nat


uralzation laws, but the treaty with China


must be abolished before Chinese can become
citizens. They know that the fifteenth amend
ment can no more confer rpon Cinnamon the
right of suffrage than has the fourteenth amend
ment admitted them to testify in our courts.
They know that the Republican party of this
State, and every where else that the issue has
been made, is unqualifedIy opposed to Chinese
suffrage, and that this doctrine is plainly and
positively announced in the platforms of the
party. They know that the Southern people,


without distinction of race or color, accept and
adopt the fifteenth amendment and that there is
no organization Cor the wholesale introduction
of Chinese into this country except in the South
ern States and it is the Democratic party there
which favors theif introduction, while it is the
Republican party in that section which opposes
and denounces the policy, They know that the
amendment simply provides that no citizen
shall be da.franchised because of his particular
birth place or because his complexion may be
white, yellow or black, or betause be may have
been at some time place held in seryitude.
They know that it only prohibits dixfranchise-
ment for these three reasons that it applies only
to actual citizens; that repeals no naturalization
law and leaves the State free to establish any
other test of the right to exercise the electoral
franchise. The fifteenth amendment only places
all citizens npop level rs voters, aud in effect
provides that any local OF national law looking
to the establishment of limitations upon the right
to vote shall apply to all Americans citizens
alike. Such provision is not only imreratively
demanded by every sentiment of justice, but is
strictly in accordance with the teaching, of civ
lization aud the constitution. Citizens of the
United States should enjoy the privileges and
mmunities of the citizens of the several States,
md no test can be fair and just that does not
operate alike upon all. Any other sentiment is
alse to the spirit Of our government, aud detracts
rom the dignity of American citizenship. The
people know that this system of misrepresenta-


ion is no new thing with the Democracy.
They remember we'll that from day to day, from
month to month"; and from year to year, during
the last eight years, the march of events con-
victed the Democratic mouth-pieces of gross and
deliberate falsehqod, concerning all the living
issues of the day. Knowing and remembering
these things is it to be believed that the voters
will now repose confidence in their assertions
or place them in positions of political influence
and responsibility.