The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1865-12-30
Dangerous Power.

|
tuition abolishing slavery consists of two
sections. The first section declares the abo-
lition of slavery, and the second delegates
TO Congress a general and indefinite, but
unlimited power to legislate for the EN-
forcement of the prime object of the
amendment. .I 'Y.I. -
In many of the Legislatures which have
passed upon the amendment, 1t was urged
by its opponents that the power delegated
to Congress by the second section would be
liable TO abnse; that the language of that
section would be construed by the repre-
sentatives of the North TO authorize them
| to intermeddle in all the local legislation
of the Southern States In any manner re-
| lating to black men, and that the States
directly affected by the amendment would
| thereby necessarily become subservient in
large degree to odious and officious Con-
gressiOnal dictatiOn.
| That the words were ounningly devised
with reference to this purpose, and that
there was real ground for apprehension in
| this particular, will no longer admit OF a
| rational doubt. The bill introduced in the
Senate on Tuesday by Senator Trumbull of
! Illinois, Is the fitting prelude to mass of
cumbersome, expensive and meddlesome
Legislation by Congress on local subject
with which the present Representatives IN
Congress have no practical familiarity and
lconcerning which they are indisposed TO
act with either wisdom, discretion or can
dor. As to the extent of the power dele
gated by the section i'm question Mr.. Irum-
bull said: . Ht.I ..
II have never doubted that under the sec
ond section of the amendment IL would be
competent for Congress to protect every
person within the United States, in all
rights of person and property belonging tc
free citizen, and to secure those rights IL
the object of the bill propose to intro
duce." tr}.t t.. .......H ... Ify
: Under this construction it is palpable thai
there is no limit TO the authority of Con-
gress over the legislation of the States. BY
this construction Congress may assume Il
. declare the qualifications of electors in Wis
: cbpsin and Massachusetts, as we'll as II
Georgia and South Carolina, and it may fi1
the relations Of labor to capital in one Stat'
as Well as in another. In short, there i
: comparatively little legislation possible
which does not in SEINE manner relate Y
what Senator Trumbull terms 1.-The rights o
!, person and property belonging to fire.
citizen.r And il Is with a view of pawn;
e the way tn every class of legislation of thi
character that Trumbull talks of the pro
priety of controlling and suppressing tn
r. local opinions of the people of the Statet
and prates of the necessity of establishing
= true freedom and ''reaI freedom" as
the word freedom required a new and spc
!, cial Interpretation tO meet present circum
stances.
The greatest danger apprehended iron
:. the late civil war, was caused by the cover
determination of those who directed it Z
- enlarge the powers of the central govern
nient. In the hight of the bloody tumul
and in the calm of the peace that ensuet
|, the ruling minority never forgot the i'm
pOrtance to themselves of securing the az
q complishment of this object BY the aC
cidental elevation of Andrew johnson I
the Presidency, they are prevented froI
q actually reducing states TO territories, bu
~ IL is their intention to go as far In thu
direction as their waning power over tl
= fortunes of the republic will permit.
= Nor is 1t the south alone which will su
o fer by this perversion of the power of IL
l. central government and this degradation
= our republican institutions. They involN
. tie veal of all the States and Of the peopl
The very bill of Senator Trumbull--tl
principle of which is endorsed by the who
}. radical party-inyolves the distribution
q vast official patronage and largely increas
NJ the annual expenditures of the govern
,le rlent and the taxation of the country. Al
ny yet this is but the door TO the food of sin
liar evils to be apprehended hereafter.
- Afil,odukee Netos.