Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-12-20
WHY NOT ALTER THE CONSTITUTION

Why not alter the Constitution ? asks one anC
another who admit it to be pro-slavery and We
object to our proposition for q dissolution of tn,
Union. sure enough, why notf respond hosts o
Others who, ashamed Of their position under III,
government, pro-slavery as it is, would edo some
thing" to relieve themselves and help the Slave.
We once asked Senator Chase the same question
when he admitted the pro.slavery of The documen,
With something of impationce in bis manner, pro
vnked by the verdancy which could ask such
question, he laconically replied, "BecauSe ii is i'm
poSS DE-" And 81 it is. We don't seek for it be
cause it is impracticable. Disunion is n mucl
shorter remedy and more easily secured. Disunior
IS possible, because Il can be Drought oLout by TN
Northern States. or by any one IF them. TIE Con
stitution cannot bo altered without the Union o
every Northern State. and the added cooperation
of several of the Southern. Men who talk abou
the alteration of the Constitution SO AZ to reinnv,
its pro. slavery, do not know what vote is required
for that alteration. F. their information, wt
copy from Art. V. of the CONSTITUTE IN, which pre-
scribes the method of amendment. 1t is as fol
lows:
"The Congress, whenever tlro.thirds of both
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose
amendments to this Constitution, or, on the appli
cation Of the legislatures Of fpo thirds Of III
Sererdl States, shall call a Convention for proposing
amendments. which, in either case shall he valid
to all intents and purposes as part of this Con.
stitution. phen ratified By the legislatures o,
three; fourthS Of the Sererat States, or 6y Conrea
tons in three jourths thereof, as one or the other
mode of ratification may be proposed by the
Congress-"
Such are the only conditions on which the Con
stitution can be altered or amended. For example
would our friends attempt to relieve tho NORTH
from tho odium and guilt of constitutional slave
rendition, the proposition must be made by two
thirds of both Houses of Congress or by the Legis
latures of two.thirds of the States that is Of
twcnty.one Statos,-the sixteen free and five OF
the slave States. This every one can see is an i'm.
possibility till these slave States are converted to
abolitionism. But supposing the proposition
made, the Convention called, and the alteration
agreed to by a majority of the Convention, still it
must be ratified by the vote of three. fuurths Of the
States. That is, with the present number of
States, twcHty-three States must rotc for the meas
ure to secure its adoption, or in other words, ali
the non-Sldreholdiag Stutes and Seucn of the SlQuc
States. just so, too, in regard to the clause con.
corning the foreign slave trade, (which is no longer
to be considered a dead letter. and the clause,
concerning domestic instructions and slave rep
resentution. 1t IL manifest to all that Before AM
such amendments can be made to the Coustitu
ton, the whole North and nearly |one.half the
slave States have got to be abolitionized. A long
time to wait. Long ere it can be done, we can us
solve the Union, for to do that we have only tt
convert the North or to make u commencement r
one of the States, us for example Ohio. Let hel
step forward and the work is done. Another i'm
portAnt consideration is, that in tins way we car
do it withou, doing evil to bring about the good
without swearing To support slavery through the
Constitution in order to secure its overthrow. |
is the practical, practicable, honest, manly course
Let us adopt it.