Year: 1870

The Fifteenth Amendment


The cclored man has become voter through
out the United States, end the registration Of
such voters has become fact in the State oil
California. The people Of this State were
decidedly opposed TO the ratification ct the
Fifteenth Amendment. bat it has been pro-
claimed by the President Of the Urited States
that the requisite number of States have ap-
proved of its being maie part of tie organ
ic law. However distasteful it may be, ali
must respect it as the supreme rule of action
governing and controlling the elective fran
caise throughout the land, until It is changed
in legal manner. The fact of its ratifca.
tion having been forced by Congress upon
some of the States, or the question whether
New York and Indiana did ratify it or not,
has nothing to do with the enforcement Of the
new state of things. The Government pro-
claims that it is the law, ard having the pow
er will enforce it. Such being the fact the
sooner all of the people accommodate them
selves to the situation the better it will be for
the country. Under our form of government
il is essential for its continuance that all laws
should have the respect and support of the
people. This state of things is open for a
change whenever the requisite majority re-
quired shall so decide. Il will be futile for
small portions of the people to oppose the en-
forcement of this extension of suffrage. The
colored man is entitled to the privilege of vot-
ing in any of the States and Territories on
the same footing with white men, neither the
United States, or any State having legal
right to prevent him. The amended Cousti-
tuition guarantees him that right and he is
entitled 20 protection as citizen and voter.
Those who are opposed to his enjoying the
elective franchise should be satisfied by this
time, that their opposition is wholly ineffsctu-
al for any purpose other than keeping alive
unpleasant feelings. The age of radical pro-
gress has triumphed over opposing theories
leaving them behind for the present. Moth
ing is left but submission, if it is not made
freely and gracefully it must be made other
wise, the inexorable law and power of tie
nation demands that the Amendment"
must Re enforced. 1t is to be deplored that
such an enactment should become binding
upon people and that submission to it is
made necessary, but such is the fact, and
however much it is against principles and
feelings it is an inevitable necessity beyond
our mower to control. In this State the col
ored voters will number from two to three
thousand. AT the start they will vote nearly
unanimous for the radical party, euch sue
ceediuy election will find them more and more
divided. 1t is not reasonable to expect they
will have strength, enough to decide any politi-
cal contestin this State. In this county there
is about seventy-fve colored men who will be
entitled to vote, if our local elections in the fu-
ture should be as close as they have sometimes
been in the past, this class of voters may
have kind of balance of power that will
cause all political parties to make efforts to
catch their votes. The fact cannot be denied
that the time has come when black man s
vote in the ballot box counts full as much as
the one deposited by white man.