North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1865-02-08
1866
Constitutional Amendments.

The resolution proposing amen dments to
! the Constitution of the United States abol-
ishing slavery, passed the House Of Repre-
sentatives on Wednesday by the necessary
two-thirds vote. They had previously pass
cd the Senate
We fail 20 see any possible good that can
result from this action at the present time.
The effect must inevitably be to more firmly
end deIerminedly unite the Southern people
/ IN favor cf separation, at whatever cost, by
The adoption Of the identical policy on the
part Of our government which it was charged
by the prime movers in secession, would be
done whenever the abolition party came into
power. 1t will enable the Southern leaders
to justify their acts before the Southern peo-
pie, silence all croaking, and, as last resort,
to themselves abolish slavery as the price Of
recognition by France and England, and the
formation of league by which the Southern
Con!edeTacy and the MaXamiIiam Empire
will become fixed facts, and the power Of
England on our northern borders be more
| firmly established. 1t is merely another
brand thrown into the flame which mas burn
cd so tiercely during the past four years.
Hal hey been styled "Rcsoiatiuns 10 more
! cfeatually recruit the Southern armies, sup
press tie recent manifestations in favor Of
/ peace, prOlong tGe war, and render re un-
| ion OF the States impossib!c,;' and framed in
accordance with the title, we d1ubt whether
the result could have been more eGtctuallY
! cached. Il is no; only unwi3c AMI iriQdi-
CI0uz, bat, ii the present state ii affairs, is
jmpract!cabIe, Like the emancipation proc
lama!joI, it is Bull against a comet,"-
No one who takes the pains to examine the
political, military and civil position of at
least ons-third Of the States which are called
upon to act on this question, can fail to see
that ratification Of this measure by an
| honest and fair expression Of the people is
impossible, and would never have been
dreamed of by any less obtuse and fanatical
body of men than compose the majority in
the present Congress. The number of orga-
uized States-includng the West Virginia
! bantlIng-is thirty five, To secure tue adop-
ton Of the resolutions would require a ma
! jority vote in the Legislatures Cor by Con
ventions) Of twenty seven States. A rejec
lection by nine States would defeat the
measure Does any one believe that in the
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Miss
issipp, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas, ten
! in number, legislatures or Conventions, TO
! be elected by the people will endorse these
resolutions While in the States Of Ken
tucky, Delaware and New Jersey, where a
| majority Of the people are Of the belief that
| slavery is local, State institution, and that
each State has the right to manage its in
ternal affairs in its own ways the same diff
Guilty would perhaps be met with. Nothing
| butthe most outrageous and 9eSpotic in
! terferance arith the rights of suffrage could
! 5y any possibility secure their ratification by
the States in the manner provided by the
| Constitution. The evil effects of such meas,
ures, at time when the efforts Of all true
patriots are directed to the means by which
! peace and Union may be restored to the
| country, cannot but be apparent to all. 1t
| merely displays the QninluS of the fanat les
| of the North, and furnishes fIel for the fanat-
! les of the South, without the possibility of
! securing any good results.-POitSritte SIAN
'durd.