Fifteenth Amendment.—Although the 14th amendment to the Federal constitution guaranteed to the freedmen all the rights and immunities of citizens, it did not specifically confer upon them the right of suffrage. When Congress met on Dec. 7, 1868, a resolution was introduced in both houses on the first day of the session proposing another amendment to the constitution that would give to negroes the right to vote. After a long and acrimonious debate, the following amendment—which now appears as Article XV of the national constitution—was adopted by Congress on Feb. 27, 1869, and submitted to the state legislatures for ratification or rejection:

"Section 1. The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not he denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

"Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce the provisions of this article by appropriate legislation."

The Kansas legislature was in session at the time the amendment was adopted by Congress, and before the final adjournment passed a resolution ratifying it, but, through an error, the resolution was defective. Gov. Harvey, in his message of 1870, called attention to this as follows: "The report of the secretary of state will show that there was a verbal inaccuracy in the recitation of the 15th amendment to the constitution of the United States, as incorporated in the resolution of ratification passed by the legislature at the last session. I recommend that you rectify the mistake and promptly ratify the amendment."

Acting upon the governor's recommendation, the house, on Jan. 18, 1870, adopted a resolution of ratification by a vote of 77 to 12, and the next day the resolution passed the senate without a dissenting vote. The amendment was proclaimed effective on March 30, 1870.