Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-11-21
TIE CoNsTIrU-1csAL AvESDaEyT.

TIE CoEsTTTCZECSAL AMENDMENT.
Wesu1'01nt the Constitutional Amend
men the adoption projection o. which
has absorbed So much Of JhepubIc inter
esL and which, IL would appear, is to be
made q shi10oleth Of fuIl restoration
Of the revolving States 10 their
former status In the Union. This
Amendment was proposed by Congress
IL resolution approved the FIRST Of Feb
nary, tlcc51 hundred and sLz5y-four-
and IL As -o-5wz:
AR. IS. s. Neither Elavarylo-
Involuntary z5-vl-ILe, except as punish
men OF crime whereof the party email
have been duly convicted, shall exist
within b United states, Or any place
subject ~ Lleu jurisdiction.
Sec. 1-C0lgre5S shall have power 20
eulJ-cs this by appropriate legislation
To the d-s- section Of tins amendment
10 objection has been made, save mere
and tls-e by some fierce Rip Van Win
kle who thinks the warts not 0veryet, %
and s-h0 grove all the more beIicose as
the soldiers are subsiding into the pacific
dispositions Of quiet industrial pursuits.
Every State Convention which has met,
has promptly accepted the verdict against
slavery pronounced by the unsuccessful
termination Of the war. They have
truly reflected the frank m|anliness Of
southern character, by fulfilling the con
dit1ou OF their surrender and parole.
But in regard to the second section Of
the amendment there Is a wider and
graver difference Resentment. It Is ob-
jected To, with great force, a. giving TO
Congress the power Of legislating on a
subject which, without a very nomen-
tous change in u system Of government
"a change that would destroy the equi-
Hbrium between the governments OF the
States and the Federal Government
pertains b and IS Of the very essence Of
the life Of the States. 1t is urged that
the adoption Of this section viii uproot
the distinctive feature Of our com
pleN republican system, and trans
form the Government at Wash
ing.on into an o-vershadowing cen
trd power, with no constitutional
check to restrain it from absorbing all
the substantial functions Of the States.
On the other hand, it is contended that
This second section adds no power TO the
Federal Government, which it would
not have by the incorporation Of the
first section alone, derived from the
eighth section Of the Constitution as it
now stands. They Of this persuasion
fortify their position by the language Of
The eighth section, which is as follows
Congress shall have the power to
make ali laws which shall be necessary
and proper Tor carrying into execution
The f~g-evoing povrera drd an oTuER
ToUers ussted o. this Constitution IN the
GOUaramsgt Of Le Caited &dtss, or IN
any Department or officer thereof"
They urge, further, that the Radical
Republicans 90 not claim The power 10
lesIzlatc On the subject Of the status Of
The freedmen in the States, ez-
as derived from tie war
power, and upon TIE assumption tia;
the revolving States are conquered prov
!nc9z, % 30 held and leglsisted Tor a
sgoa 1L-l Congress chooses 70 rehabLl-
,a.e .hem and IL Is argued that, by
a--~lg the amendment, pure and
-lp.,. the Presidents adverse doc
I Inc vi be maintained, the southern
ZeaDaI - admitted, and the radicals
defeated AID caught ~ their own trap
l-- s- lz 10 power further than
g aga-- --,- legislation, the
81 slavery 10 suv Of the
-t c1 no dsc,sles 10 ger
--- -Le Con -..-. % -rfr
ends sul e we f3 mol know lv
a-.-l experience that the gra-
% gse topic Is az yle BREATH OF HE
-5-.a- 10 tie radicals at tlo Egw Eng
land school 0f Laaalc.=u, we miast 81
Content 70 accept this view. and So be
thankful that, With the adoption of faf.
thirteenth article, we should havea an end
Of strife between the North a- tas
South One chief objection 10 -sa
oll section j., that ID is to- much Tg-,tr.
resolutions Of seventeen h,f15-a4--r 5
n~inety-eighJ '-~susreDah.e Of two ia,
terpretations. II took ta--;hIo
four years civil war ~ nah,
that these famous r-es,Ir.f,rs
could not and should not. moan
he right Of secession. II this second
is TO keep up an eternal agitation
and strife as to whether we are or are not
20 regulate our d0mesticadairs / aou-
1wn way-without a partisan struggle
Every four years TO settle whether, as
we are bond or free-we would
prefer that our provincial dependence
.hould be decreed and made plain now.
We have great repugnance 70 n merit
rar-in political efigy or in stern reality
on any such basis,
"Why can we not AL come up TO the
work rof reconstruction in a proper
p- SEQ. II. Magruder, Of Virginia,
a.. -