Year: 1870

WASHINGTON, d. G March 80.


To the Senate and House of Represent
1t is unusual to notify the two Houses
Of Congress by message Of promulgaton
BY proclamation Of the secretary of state
Of the ratification of q constitutio nal
amendment. In view, however, Of the
vast importance Of the Fifteenth amend.
ment of the constitution, this day de
clared a part Of that revered instrument,
l deem a departure from the usual Gus.
toms justifable. A measure which makes
at once four millions of people voters
who we're heretofore declared by the
highest tribunal in the lond not citizens
of the United States, not eligible to be.
come so, with the assertion that at the
time of the declaration of independence
the opinion was fixed aud universal in the
civilized portion of the white race and
regarded as an axiom in morals as we'll as
in politics that the black men bad no
rights which white men were bound to
respect, is indeed measure Of grander
importance than any other act of the kind
from tho foundation of our free govern
ment to the present time. Institutions
like ours, in which all power is derived
directly from the people, must depend
mainly on their intelligence, patriotism
and industry. l call the attention there.
fore Of the newly en!ranchiscd race to the
impor ance Of their striving in every hon.
orable manner to make themselves worthy
of their new privilege. To the race more
favored heretofore by cur laws would
say, withhold no legal privilege of ad


vanccment to the new citizens. The
trainers of our constitution firmly be.
lieved that republican form Of govern.
ment could not endure without in,ell;.
gcnce and education generally diffused
among the people. The father of his
country, in his farewell address, used This
language: promote, then, as a matter
Of primary Importance, institutions for
the general diffusion Of knowledge. In
proportion as the structure of the gov.
ernment gives force to public opinion,
it Is essential that public opinion should
be enlightened" In his first annual
message to Congress the same views were
forcibly presented and are again urged in
his eighth message. | repeat that the
adoption of the Fifteenth amendment to
the constitution completes the greatest
civil change and constitutes che most i'm
portant event that has occurred since the
nation came into life. The change will
be beneficial in proportion to the heed
that is given to the urgent recommenda.
ton of Washington. If these recon-
mendations were important then, with a
population of but few millions, how
much more important are they now with
population OF 100000, and incrcas'
ing in rapid ratio. l would therefore
call upon Congress to take al! means
within their constitutional power to pro
mote and encourage popular education
throughout the country, and upon the
people everywhere to see to it that al


who possess and exercise political rights
shall have an opportunity to acquire the
knowledge which will make their share
in the government blessing and not {
danger BY such means only can tn,
benefits contemplated by this amendmen
to the constitution be secured. .a


(SigneD, u. s. GRANT


Executive Mansion, March 30, 1870
HAMILTON FISH, -a. -.t..a ..t


Sec'y. of State Of the United States