The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-25

This formal notice of the proposed
amendment TO tha Constitution OF the
United States has rot yet been received.
When it Is | will communicate the same
to YOU Tie amendment may be seen
in the acts of the last Congress, and is in
these words:
Neither slavery, nor involuntary ser
vitude, except as punishment for crime,
whereof the party shall have been duly
convicted, shall exist within the limits of
the United States. or any place subject to
th cir jurisdiction.
Sec. 2 Congress shall have power TO en-
force this article by appropriate legisla-
ton.
Approved Feb /. 1865
A few days since, | addressed a CONS
munication to Mr.. Seward, Secretary OF
State, by mail, in which | repeated and
enlarged Oh the views previously express
sed to the President, in reference to the
objections which were entertained in
South Carolina to the proposed Constitu-
tional amendment. am happy to state
that the Secretary of State does not re-
gard these objections as well founded,
| but considers them "qu rulous and un-
! reasonable" 1t is true, that plain. hon
est construction of the language OF the
| amendment would be, that slavery was
abolished in the United States, and that
| Congress should simply euforce it. When
this was done their legislation would be
| ended They could not attempt, under
the authority given by this amendment,
to pass laws for the government OF the
freedmen" in the free States. The Atv
! torney General of the United States arel
the President both have been under
stood az concurring in this opinion. 1t
would, therefore, be we'll, in adopting the
proposed amendment, to place upon re-
cord the construction which had been
given to it by the Executive Department
of the Federal Government.
1t is manifest, from the earnest, elo-
| quent, bold and patriotic terms in which
| the President has urged the adoption OF
this amendment, that he regards, as he
says, "all that South Carolina has done
and 80 well done-as thrown away, un-
less the amendment is accepted by the
Legisluture."
the Secretary of State is still more ex-
plicit in his language. He says "the
President considers the acceptance OF
the amendment by South Carolina as in
dispensable to a restoration of her rela-
| tions with the other States of the Union
The reason why this exaction is made OF
| the Southesn States, after they have
abandoned slavery, is that they might
otherwise, at some future day, change
their constitution and restore slavery in
defiance of the Federal Government.
You, gentlemen. have, at this time,
the destiny OF the State in your hands
and l feel assured that you will act
calmly and dispassionately, with the view
to the peace, happiness and well-being OF
South Carolina.
| | addressed a commune ltion to the
Secretary of the Treasury at Washington
a few days since, urging that IN case the
| Legislature should assume the payment
of that portion of the dire CT tax for which
South Carolina is liable, that the Federal
Government should receive her bonds for
| the same, or suspend the collection of the
tax for the present year. | would advise
| the immediate assumption, by the State,
of her portion of the direct tax, which is
about $4,000 This will relieve the
| t to the Federal Tax Collectors, and
enable the State to make some arrange
ments in reference to it with the Treas
ury Department or Congress.
In my communication to the Secretary
of State urged the propriety of with
drawing the colored troops from the in
terror of. the State to the forts or sea
coast, and requested that white troops
might, for the present, be retained in
Charleston, Georgetown and Beaufort.
| have forwarded the resolutions you
sent me the other day, in reference to the
school house in Charleston, to Gen
Howard, and asked that they should be
restored to the proper authorities.
made the same request in regard to the
Military HALL in Charleston.
B.F. PERRY.