April 22, 1870, Frederick Douglass's joy at the ratification of the 15th Amendment is boundless.
His speech at Albany, New York.
He says with this there is nothing more for the Freedman to ask.
The former slaves, the black men, are free, are citizens, are guaranteed due process and the equal protection of the laws, are equals with all others.
Now they may rise or fall, like anyone else, according to their character and merits.
And the nation will be all the stronger for its being made up of Chinese, Jews, Africans, Europeans, and all sorts, he says.
At least that night, his joy was boundless.
But things went badly at once, with southern resistance so determined and violent Congress passed three enforcement acts authorizing the president to mobilize troops and federal supervision of congressional elections, banning organizations like the Klan, and authorizing the president to suspend habeas corpus.
The Democrats bitterly resisted all of them in the names of federalism and states rights.
See also Carl Schurz's remarks on enforcement in the senate, May 19, 1870.
No comments:
Post a Comment