, 1865-08-10
Constitut1onal Amendments,
fFrnn the Hocheafer nsmnrrnt1

The Chicsgo Tribune advocates several
amendments to the Federal CouBtitutlen.
First, an amendment authorizing uniform
national suffrage, to be confinsd to those Who
can resd and write second An amendment to
prevent the payment Of the n bel debt or sthe
payment Of pensions to rebel eoldiera third,
an amendment affirming that National Soy.
ere5gnty is In the National Government !;
fourth, 81 amendment providing additional
safeguards for filling the Office of President,
In the event Of Ito becoming vacant by the
death Of the incumbent or otherHise !; flfth,
term to liz years, and making the President
Ineligible for q second term snd sixth, An
amendment providing that the inauguration
Of President ehail take place IS early IS the
second 1uesdhJ in December, instead Of the
9Th Of March.
Some Of these amendments are undou5ted-
ly desirable, and their addition to the Con
sItuiinn would gEeauG-frrrava4 4iAA i-.A---
mint. we tninK4 however, tWo1ld be rather
email business 10 put Into the Consultation
rebel debt or Of pensions to rebel soldiers.
These can be prohibited sufficiently by the
ordinary political and legislative action OF
the country. We would not give to the re-
beIllon or 10 the rebels the historic dignity
Of q specific mention In ths Constitution.
The suffrage question, we thirk, should be
settled BY q constitutional amendment, de:
tlning citizenship Of the United stat.s, and
establishing uniform qualid idcat!on for v5tIns
for all national Offices. Tho qualifications OF
voters for State Offices shonld ba determined
BY the States themselves The limitation Of
the sufftage: 10 those who can read Is perhaps
as reasonable a. Limitation aB can be deyi4ed,
and Is probably the one which would he most
generally acquiesced In. What NC want Is
10 get i'd Of ofagltatlon Of the subject Of sui.
fiage, aud to have 1t settled on a permanent
basis, without leaving any considerable por-
t1on Of the people In state of discomfort 1t
beng deprived Of rights aud priyiless1o
which they have reasonable claim. !.
The amtndment affirming that national
sovereignty Is In the National Government Is
one to which only traitors and dtsuntonlsts
can object, and it ought to be passed over
their heads and made Tor all Tins to come an
established principle Of the republic, beyond
question or controversy.
To the amendment providing. additional
in the event Of its becoming vacant By death
or otherwise, 10 objection would probably
be offered from any quarter. Experience has
shown that the want OF such provision may
expose the nktion to confusion md anarchy
in the most momentous and perilous crises Of
Constitution provides that in case Of, the
death Of both the President aud Vice Prest-
dent, the Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court
shall succeed. The Supreme Court 10 per-
manent institution, universally respected,
and its chief or its members might perhaps
with prorstety he designated 2s autharized
to carry on the executive government In case
Of the taking away Of the elected officers by
massacre or otherwise. In q Government
like our, with such immense interests at
state, VIC cannot too carefully provide for
contingencies.
On ihe proposition to extend the Pfesi-
Dental term to six years, and to make: the
President ineligible for second term, there
Will be 8 wide diversity Of opinion. ,Onr
mcst experienced and sagacious statesmen
would doubtless approve the amendment
mrking The President Ineligible, and per.
haps majority Of them would prefer That
the term should be heightened. Many Of
them, however, would be apt to contend
that Ire PreeIdent WAS already too power
fu!, and that just regatd for the principles
oil the Government would dictate . reduc.
tIon rather than an extension Of tho term OF
office. ...-
The amendment providing that the inaugu-
ration Of a. President shall take place as
early us the Eecond Tuesday in. December,
instead Of tic Fourth Of Marsh, L. too OBJ
viously good one to meet with much oppo-
Eitton. The trainers Of the Constitution, In
| t1xipg 8 period Of four months between the
election and the Inauguration, had in view
the Glow modes Of communication and travel
which existed In the last century. With tho
telegraph and the railroad all reason' for
such delay has passed nway, md the e1pe.
rience of l8G0'61 should be sufficient to sat.
isfy us OF the danger Of suffering much time
10 elapee between the election and the inau.