Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-06-23
A NuIIiflcatIon of the Constitution
of the United States Advocated
Inv the Abolition Party Of Ohio.


of the United States Advocated
hy the Abolition Party Of Ohio.
ANDREW JOHNSON, when he was sworn
into the office of President of the United
States, took an oath to administer the Fed
eral Government in accordance with the
provisions of the Constitution of the Unit
Q States. This oath Is binding, and de-
s,rves to be kept with the utmost sacred
ness, an we do not entertain the belief that
he is animated by any other purpose than
to SO keepit. By the terms OF this Consti-
tuition it is impossible that he should inter-
fere to confer suffrage upon the Black man
in any section of the Union. Whether he
would be disposed, under existing circum-
stances, to confer suffrage upon them even
if the letter and spirit of the Constitution
did not interdict, is questionable; for In all
his proclamations reorganizing Civil Gov
ernment in the lately insurgent States, he
is particular to say that the determination
of the qualifications of electors and the ELI
gibility of men to hold office is power
that the people OF the respective States have
always ''rightfully" exercised, and that by
a parity of reasoning, 1t is power they
should continue to exercise. Be this as 1t
NAV. there can be found no foundation on
which to rest the belief, that in this partic-
ular he intends to run counter to the Con-
stitution. There is no War by which an
apparent justification can be found for such
a course In the plea of "War necessity"
With rapidity and docility that is re-
markable, and which is as gratifying as 1t
is remarkable, the Southern people are ac-
cepting the condition resulting from the
overthrow and discontinue of the Rebel
lion. For this intelligence we are not in
debted to ''contrabands" or ''intelligent gen.
tlemen." 1t comes up from all quarters.
Even the correspondents of the journals
that are persistent in their demands that
the extension of suffrage to the Black man
is essential to the speedy and permanent
pacifcation of the country, bear testimony
to this fact. Every day swells this affirma-
tory testimony. And the prediction is now
made, that by the 4th of July, the machn-
cry of reorganized Civil Government will
have been put in motion in every lately in
surgent State. Such has been the gratify-
ing success of the Presidents policy as to
have merited emphatic aud unmodified in
dorsement by Convention of men profess
ing to be his party friends. That the great
mass of the people are growing more and
more satisfied with that policy is so palpa-
BILE that there is no mistaking it, and hence
the hypocritical attempt by that Convention
to indorse that policy. They complimented
him for ''his unwavering devotion to
the Union through years Of severest
trial." but they said never a word in COM
mendation OF his unwaVering devotion to
the Constitution of the United States; nor
did they declare to him that if he would
take that instrument for his political guide
they would stand by him. What is the
matter with this instrument that they could
not pluck courage to indorse it? Would its
Endorsement have proven offensive to the
Reservites? There we're in that Convention
one hundred and forty-three soldier dele
gates-men who it is supposable fought for
what they considered the maintenance of
the Constitution of the United States; and
yet there was not one OF them in that Con-
vention who pronounced one word in COM
mendation of it. The reason is self-evident.
The Radical element held that Convention
spell-bound. By an Endorsement of the
Constitution of the United States, or by
counseling the President of the United
States to carry out its provisions with strict
fidelity, they would have put themselves
on the record as opposed to Negro Suf-
frage.
1t is not true that the majority of that
Convention had confidence in the President;
it is not true that they proposed to 'give
him" "hearty and undivided support in
his restoration" policy; for if they were
satisfied with tiff it met their cheer
ful Endorsement - they would not have
made "densand' that contemplated the
postponement of reorganization" and
that reorganization should then be only
on such terms" that would make the
Black man an elector and eligible to
hold office. 1t is the understanding Of
the country--it is the judgment of the
Supreme Court of the United States as
heretofore pronounced-thatin in the contem-
plation of the Constitution of the United
States the Black man is not the political
equal of the White man-hence the Con-
vention ignored it. Had they not done
more than simply to ignore it, their action
might have been attributed to oversight or
to belief that they did not think it essen
tial to indorse it at this time; but mas
much as they declared that the ''experi-
ence of the last four years shows the
absolute necessity, in all our political dc-
tion, of keeping, steadily in view the
great principles Of our Government as
set forth In the Declaration of Independ-
ence-that ''dH men are born free and eqlar'-
it is equivalent to instructing the President
to disregard the Constitution of the United
S ates wherein it may conflict with what
they conceive to be the Black mans rights
and privileges. The pith, the marrow, the
essence, the creed Of the platform is in this
resolution. 1t declares that all the depart
ments of Government must recognize the
Black man as the equal Of the White man.
Is this,not an advocacy of the Modification
Of the Constitution of the United States?
No NIista sc AbOut Lt.
From The Cleveland Herald, Cleveland