Court Opinion

ID: 9559429
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 17:29:03.398511+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:10:59.594241
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Frantz
specially concurring:
Our pronouncement this day is on the side of history. What we have here said is in harmony with eternal principles to which the founding fathers pledged fealty in simple, noble language in the Declaration of Independence. For it is historical fact that Colorado’s statehood marks the first fulfillment of these principles.
The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the Federal Constitution were adopted respectively on December 18, 1865, July 28, 1868, and March 30, 1870. They are known as the Civil War Amendments, since they were the product of that tragic, intestine conflict. Each of these amendments, in practically uniform language, provides that “Congress shall have power to *252enforce this article by appropriate legislation.” Art. XIII, Sec. 2; Art. XIV, Sec. 5; Art. XV, Sec. 2, U. S. Const.
In summary, Article XIII provided for the entire emancipation of slaves; Article XIV defined citizenship and prohibited the states from abridging the privileges or immunities of citizens, from depriving persons of life, liberty or property without due process of law, or from denying to persons the equal protection of the laws; and Article XV forbade the United States or any state to deny or abridge the right of anyone to vote on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Such was the anatomy of the Federal Constitution when the people of Colorado sought admission to the Union as a state. It is a memorable fact that we were the first to seek and achieve statehood after the adoption of these amendments.
In its consideration of the application for statehood, Congress was conscious of the sanction of these amendments that it “enforce [these articles] by appropriate legislation.” It passed an Enabling Act authorizing the formation of the State of Colorado, and empowering the Convention to form a constitution and state government, “provided, that the constitution shall be republican in form, and make no distinction in civil or political rights on account of race or color, except Indians not taxed, and not be repugnant to the constitution of the United States and the principles of the declaration of independence ...” Section 4.
For the purposes of this case, it should be observed that our constitution must not make any distinction in civil or political rights on account of race or color and it must not be repugnant to the Constitution of the United States nor to the principles of the Declaration of Independence. These several conditions at once somewhat overlap, but in doing so, leave no doubt that Congress had hearkened to the power vested in it to enforce the three amendments and had sought to fully execute them.
*253Awareness of the right of Congress “to enforce” the amendments “by appropriate legislation” is reflected in the debate concerning the Enabling Act. (Vol. 3, part 3 and appendix, 43rd Cong. Rec. 2nd Sess., pages 1671 to 1690.) This excerpt from the argument of Senator Sargent proves the point:
“The Senator from Maryland says that this provision requiring that the new State’s constitution shall make no distinction in civil or political rights on account of race or color is now for the first time raised in reference to any new State. This is very true. * * * [I]n 1868 the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified, and consequently Congress now has the right, and it is its duty, to insist that a constitution shall be thoroughly republican in form; that is to say, it shall see that there are none of these discriminations. . . .”
Actually, that which was epitomized in the Declaration of Independence found more particular expression in the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments; these amendments are reaffirmations of the tenets of the Declaration of Independence. Whether we look to the express words of the Enabling Act commanding that rights cannot be made to depend upon race or color, or to the 'mandate therein that our constitution must abide the Federal Constitution in which the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments contain the same idea, or to the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Convention for statehood would have reached the same result.
To comply with the Enabling Act, the Convention had to defer to the Declaration of Independence, and in so doing recognized certain self-evident truths: “that all men are created equal; that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men . . .” (Emphasis supplied.)
*254Some pertinent observations evolve from the quoted portion of the declaration. It would appear that accidental differences arising from the presence or absence of pigment in the skin does not affect equality. The word “among” in context signifies that basic rights other than those mentioned exist. And among such unenumerated rights would be the right of enjoying political, social and legal equality, particularly as such equality would safeguard the dignity of the human person. To secure these “endowed” rights, whether enumerated or not, governments are brought into being.
Thus, the Enabling Act carried into effect the constitutionally declared policy of the Union. Obedient to the Enabling Act, its letter and spirit were realized in the Colorado constitution.
Here is the bill of particulars:
Art. II, Sec. 3: “That all persons have certain natural, essential and inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing and protecting property; and of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness.”
Art. II, Sec. 26: “That there shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude. . . .”
Art. II, Sec. 27: “Aliens, who are or may hereafter become bona fide residents of this state, may acquire, inherit, possess, enjoy and dispose of property, real and personal, as native born citizens.”
Art II, Sec. 28: “The enumeration in this constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny, impair or disparage others retained by the people.”
Art. VII, Sec. 1: “Every person over the age of twenty-one years, possessing the following qualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections: He or she shall be a citizen of the United States, and shall have resided in the state twelve months immediately preceding the election at which he offers to vote, and in the county, *255city, town, ward or precinct, such time as may be prescribed by law.”
Art. IX, Sec. 8: “* * * No sectarian tenets or doctrines shall ever be taught in the public schools, nor shall any distinction or classification of pupils be made on account of race or color.”
Thus, Colorado satisfied the requirements of the Enabling Act. It should be noted that some of these constitutional provisions are affirmative, others negative or prohibitory. But all state a policy against discrimination on account of race or color.
The act in question is consonant with such policy. It is the latest chapter in the history of Colorado, dealing with race and color, commencing with the Civil War.