Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-13
/ From the Mobile Register and Advertiser.
rvFT cONSTITUTIONALA AMENDMENT

From, the Mobile Register and Advertiser.
rTFEs cONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
This journal has hitherto opposed the
adoution OF the second section Of the pro-
! nosed Constitutional lAmendmenton prin-
! cipley; and on principle, it has no reason
10 alter the dictates Of its first judgment.
We have opposed il, not as a Southern
question, but as one in which all the
/ States are equally interested-f0r happily
now. slavery is no longer a stalking horse
I TO divide patriotic men of al sections
upon questions Of Constitutional law and
duty To the first section, declaring the
abolition Of slavery, there can be no
objection, for the slave States themselves
have in convention solemnly deereed
emancipation The second section which
gives to Congress the power to pass laws
to enforce the decree of abolition, is
ameanable 10 grave objection from every
man who is sensible Of the high duty OF
! preserving what is left OF the State Sow
Z ereigmty feature of a mixed government,
and of resisting the dangerous tendency
! of the times 10 run the government OF our
! fathers into the extremes OF central mll-
I tary despOtism, unrestrained by consul
tutiOnal charter, and limited only by the
viii of a numerical majority. In THIS
1 the man who loves English liberty-the
] y
stitutions. Of bills Of rights and Of law
/ is inst as deeply interested who lives in
/ Massachusetts and Illinois, a. he who
] lives In Virginia or Alabama. These are
l the views we have held while thisseemed
( TO be, 10 Us, an open question. But it is
( no longer so. The fat has issued from
| Washington that the Amendment mast
be adopted in Alabama, and a terrible
penalty is fixed as the alternative-th
penalty Of a non-rest0ratiOn TO the privi-
leges Of civil government, and the pro-
tracted rule Of the sword. As emancipa-
ton was a sine qua non and We submitted
20 it so is this Amendment, and we must
submit TO it a. choice of evils. For all
the consequences in time TO come, from
this and other Departures from the great
landmarks Of liberty left by our fathers,
we are not responsible; and while we feel
that the act Is hurtful TO the whole Amer
lean people, and that time viii prove ii.
the law OF self-preseTvati0n forces Us 10
give up a bOOtless struggle, and save our
selves from that fearful condition of pub
lie affairs which has just now fastened
the hangman's moose about the neck Of
Gurley of Alabama. We listened the
other day 10 a discussion in the Alabama
Senate, in which this question was col
laterally brought up. There was much
indignant protest, many manifestations
Of that irrepresSible American spirit that
aches under wrong, and shrinks from the
duress that forces a subscription to a doc
trine opposed 10 Constitutional right Z
But il was painfully evident the warmest !
Of senatorial speakers were conscious of
the eXigency of the requirement ltwaS
the Gagged lion frettiDg against the bars, 4
and there was no alternative but submits (
sion. And, now, that South Carolina /.
has ap0pted the Amendment, il ascertain Z
that the Constitutional majority Of States I
needful 10 ratify il viii be had, and the
question becomes a barren issue. five /.
had any Influence with members Of the 4
Legislature we would eXhCrt them see /
ing that the deed was inevitable to exc
cute it quickly and bravely. 1t is an un-
manliness not worthy of statesmen, in 4
moments of national crisis, tOstand aside
and be willing TO see Others put their
hands 70 an act they confess te be de- !
manded by the public safety, and vet take
shelter from personal responsibility under
a vote against ii. We do not believe
there Is a man in that body, who if the
rested on his single should
ers, would not pass the Amendment; and
yet we do believe that a majority of them
desire to have il passed, with their vote
in the negative. Mr.. Houston made cap
ital in his recent election on the ground
Of opposition 10 the Amendment, vet now
that he Is chooses, he sees that he cannot
reach his seat until it is adopted. Public
iuty and the interests Of personal ambi-
ion alike prOmpt him 70 wish the Amend
nent passed; vet his avovals as a late
.andidate close his lips. The most deter
mined OF the opponents Of the measure
ieclare that if there were any guaranty
hat this was to BE- the last condition eX-
lcted, and they could see any limit 10 the l
concession Of principles, they
'Ould consent and endure-the answer is,
nat there as a {i1aik and that is the iCU
II the pglCCr at H'dShUqtOB. and the
sooner we acquiesce in the inevitable and
reach restoration, the sooner will the eX-
actions cease 1t is hard for men of the
south 10 realize that they are a conquered
1eOple and that the power ofthe Federal
Government is exercised over them !
through the authority Of the President o.
he commander-in-chiefo Of the army and
navy Of the United States. The highest
lehesJs Of liberty plead TO every AIneri-
an freeman for speedy period 10 this
lerilOUs cOnditlonO Of Government. Every I
hour that il endures is full Of danger, for
sreat changes in the institutions Of gov
srnment are sudden and insidiuous, and
he freedom Of q people may slip away In
/ night. A single and blO0dless coup
f'etQt, passed France from Republic to
IN Empire in Rn hour, in our own times.
The nation went TO bed under "a polity of
reedon, and woke up 10 find master. ]
Are Americans exempt from dangers
which belong 10 all mankind2 Is it not
o be feared that the people win become
nured 10 the RUE Of the bayouet and lea-n
% bear ITS yoke after long months of en- Il
iurance. lie. a. hasten then 70 DO al
hat Is necessary 10 re-estahlish the reign
If civil law, and send the soldier back 10 b
lis appropriate duty in al free Govern
nenrs-that of supporting the Govern y
neut i'm the enforcement Of the laws and
unfolding the pillars Of liberal and e,taI-