Confederates enraged by push for Black people to vote 150 years ago

This State Journal editorial ran on August 18, 1876:

The Confederates are confounded by the result of their own work.

Scott Lord, a prominent New York Democrat, introduced a bloody shirt resolution calling for “the prompt prosecution and punishment of the criminal or criminals” guilty of violating the 15th Amendment. This was either an honest declaration demanding the enforcement of constitutional rights (for Black people to vote), or it was a dishonest attempt to put on record a resolution that the Democrats did not believe in.

President Ulysses Grant took them at their word. He found the 15th Amendment recited, declaring the right of all citizens to vote, and giving Congress power to enforce this right. This was followed by a declaration saying it was asserted that these rights had been violated, and then calling for “certain, condign and effectual punishment,” of those guilty of “force, fraud, intimidation and terror,” in violating the Constitution.

The president is bound to support the Constitution, and when his attention is so pointedly called to its violation, as it is in this case, he would be culpably negligent if he did not use the power entrusted to his command to protect the people’s rights.

That is just what he has ordered done. ...

We have been told repeatedly that the Democrats accepted the amendments in good faith, that they would abide by them. And on the top of their platform declarations to this effect came Lord's resolution. Yet the first order issued to enforce the resolution is greeted by Confederates as Lincoln's first orders were.

With the history of the last 16 years before us, it is amazing that Democrats should make haste to repeat their old blunders. As an inevitable result, they will meet their old defeat by the loyal people.