The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-12-09
Amend the Constitution.

If the proposed amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States, abol-
ishing slavery, had passed Congress at
It's last session, it would, this winter,
have received the assent of at lest
twenty two States--twenty-seye being
therequisite number to give ii validity
and the other FIVE could have been OBJ
tanned within another year But the
House refused to concur in the action
of the Senate, and the matter rested.
Congress IS again in session, and it is
TO be hoped that the House will recon
slider its late aciion, and pass the pro
vision Since the question was up in
the House, great change has taken
place. The election has passed, and the
emancipation principle been endorsed
with unparalleled unanimityi and a
House, by nearly or quite three to one,
friendly TO the amendment, has been
chosen; but unfortunately it does not
have a legal existence this year. More
than hslf of those who voted against
the amendment have been emphatically
repudiated by the people; and if they
ever expect to regain the confidence
they have lost, they must cut loose from
angquated ideas, and adopt new ones,
in accordance with the spiritof the age
No men arc more susceptible to the
pressure of public opinion, than poll
ticians. Indeed It is not only fgnra.
lively, but in many instances literally,
their food, as from obedience to its die
tation, they derive theft support; and
they will hardly defy such an express
sion as that made on the 9Th of last
month, and at the State elections pre-
vious. We believe that at least ten Of
those who opposed the amendment
last year, could be induced to favor it
this and by a strong Effort, be belieV
it could be passed.
Asan evidence of the progress of pub
liz opinion on this point, we have to no
tice the fact that the Louisville Jour
nal is admitting communications into
its columns, in favor of the amendment
and urging the legislature to take action
on thesubject and the Journal bespeaks
for the views promulgated, candid
consideration, and declares that il is
useless longer to contend for slavery,
as IL is dead
The amendment will pass the next
Congress- will members Of the present.
like James Brooks, who declares that
slavery is dead, continue to vote with
rebel sympathizers, to prevent it from
passing this2 We scarcely think they
will To vote for it now, would stone
for life Of political folly. They can
not prevent the adoption of the meas
ure; through it, the present controversy
must ultimately be settled Then why
delay aetion7 There are many "con>
servatives" who win seriously consider
this question, no doubt
BY the adoption Of the amendment /
q host Of legal question:, arising out Of
the legality Of the emancipation proc
lamation, and the confscaion laws,
will be removed, and finally settled. |
There would be nothing in the way, |
then, Of genera! amnesty, if one
would be of advantage In any event,
Il would be beneficial
If the present Congress does refuse 70
pass the amendment then We hope to
zee the one lately elected called togeth-
eT on the 5th Of March next, for the
express purpose Of amending the Con-
stitution, so as to abolish slavery.