Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-06-22
Wv .eFBsnde we'd ogge.s. Anendlns

ts Mss question in which the curious
nieht hnd entertainment, had they moth
+ Ing else 70 do, to ascertain, by patiently
3 Wsding through such congressional OratO.
" as has been expended en- the subject,
the reasons why Democratic legislators
think il best net to amend the COnstitu-
2 ton.
We have taken the trouble with much
wsarinsss, to track the tAin thread Of
logic, running through nszes Of sOphistry,
BY which Fernando Wood hopes to lead his
followers, to the conclusion that slavery
should not be extirpated from the land
without dignifying the shallow reasoning
Of the gentleman from New York city,
with formal refutatiOn, we are content
merely to state his arguments, knowing
that they furnish their own rsfutatiOn.
Mr.. Wood regards the condition Of the
country, the excitement incident to great
civil Wsr, IS unsuited for the discussion
3 Of 90 grave matter ss that Of amending
the Constitution. he assumes that II re-
euires great eOolness of mind t, decide
upon such question ss thst Of amending
at such atime as this.
In the next place Mr.. Wood objects be-
cause the proposed amendment "prOpOses
to make social interests subjects Of gov.
srnmsntal action" Slavery he declares is
wholly social interest and not spO!itical,
as If there could be anybody so blind as
not to see in slavery he bone Of political
contention and the subject Of constant
legislation during our history. Ar. Wood
thinks also that the abolition Of slavery is
abreach Of faith, as if the South, having
broken sll faith snd plunged the nation
into 3 fearful war, is to be dealt with SO
. ttnderly that the origin and strength Of
Z the rebellion shall 90 unmolested. After
laying down this general proposition, Mr..
Wood indulges in a few glittering gensrAli-
ties about individual rights, which would
constitute good defense of the rebellion
II uttered in Richmond.
Mr.. Wood is alarmed. Fearful visions
Of the future torture him. II the amend
ment passes, ait involves the extermins-
tioR Of the white men Of the South" How
this is to be brought about he does not say
unless it is q tSoit confession of the
superiority Of the black race.
But more than alF other objections, Fer
zsndo Wood, the right hand man Of JEFF.
Davis, In the North, regards two other rsa-
sons IS more Eeighty than all the rest
State SoVereignty would be violated The
--1l-L-s - Si-IS4l 9nr.ld l,e brakAa-
The argument is that State sovereignty
Is indiVisibIei hence it must exist
in all force, notwithstanding the pow
sFS delegated to the Federal sovOr.--o,.'-
The whole argument on State sovereignty
amounts to this and no more: State has
. right to do anything ahe plesses. II she
wants to seeede, let her sscedo. II she
wishes to maintain slavery in her miost,
that is her business, no matter how fear
fully wicked her crimes in rebslling
against the general government. The
whole doctrine is nothing hut speoious
Hypocrisy, shameful apology for the re-
bellion. The last argument Of Mr.. Wood
is that slavery is the best possible cOndi-
tiOn for the ne 70. This, though the last |
In the series, is really the foundation Of
the other arguments. Every democrat
who voted against amending the constitu-
tion, did sO because he thinks slavery is
ths best possible condition for the black
man. We have been looking for an OTen
advocacy Of this doctrine By the Dem
oCresyi and this shallow defence Of GRIM
inal set viii be the keynote Of future
political action in their ranks,
Personal defamation.