In Their Own Words: Party Platforms and Legislation

Democratic Convention at Charleston, South CarolinaDemocratic Platform of 1868

On the subject of suffrage: “And we do declare and resolve that ever since the people of the United States threw off all subjection to the British Crown the privilege and trust of suffrage have belonged to the several States, and have been granted, regulated, and controlled exclusively by the political power of each state respectively, and that any attempt by Congress, or any pretext whatever, to deprive any state of this right, or interfere with its exercise, is a flagrant usurpation of power which can find no warrant in the Constitution, and if sanctioned by the people, will subvert our form of government, and can only end in a single, centralized, and consolidated government, in which the separate existence of the states will be entirely absorbed, and an unqualified despotism be established in place of a Federal Union of co-equal states. ”


 

Republican Platform of 1868

Party Plank – “2. The guaranty of Congress of equal suffrage to all loyal men at the South was demanded by every consideration of public safety, of gratitude, and of justice, and must be maintained, while the question of suffrage in all the loyal states properly belongs to the people of those states. ”

 


 

The first vote by Alfred R. Waud

 

15th Amendment

In February, 1869, following the election in 1868, the Senate passed Joint Resolution No. 8 on February 17. That resolution as originally passed read as follows: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote and hold office shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, . . . "

In the House John A. Logan moved to strike out the phrase, "and hold office. " His motion failed.

On the 20th of February, the House passed the the Resolution as it had passed the Senate, reading as follows: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote and hold office . . . "

The Conference Committee of the two houses struck out the phrase, "and hold office" - notwithstanding the fact that the resolution had passed both houses containing the phrase, "and hold office." The Conference Committee struck out that phrase, contrary to all the rules and precedents in Congress. Sen. Edmunds would not sign the conference report on account of that fact, and Pomeroy of Kansas made a speech in the Senate calling attention to this breach of all the rules and precedents, etc. (See Congressional Globe, February 25, 26, 27, 1869.) 


 

 

 

Image Credits:

  1. The Democratic convention at Charleston, South Carolina - Interior of the hall of the South Carolina Institute in Meeting Street the. Charleston South Carolina, 1860. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/00652812/.
  2. Waud, Alfred R. , Artist. "The first vote" / AW ; drawn by A.R. Waud. , 1867. Novembr 16. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2011648984/.