The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-01

tioaal security anu NatIOual Faith" de
manded no less thsn SIX q. reversible guar
snnes' against the stili active spirit Of sla
very and the rebellion Fer he ocean VITA
the assumption that "neiiher the rebellion
nor slavery IS vet ended: the reb, lion hsl
. been dlssrmed, but that is all: slavery ha.
been ABOLISHED in name. bot that Is aIl; ..
there is still qaasi rebellion, Sd there T.
stll q gtGs slavery"
Without stopping to inquire how a rebel
/ lion watch ls dlsarmed can be more than !
disafiection, or now bondage which has n
Wsrranf IN law can Pc move than q simpls
luieriority Of condition, let us look 40 the
GUARANTEES against these evils which TIE eio-
quent and learned senator pEopo e.. They
are SIX in number, as We have said. involv-
ing various complicated considerations. and
speedy As well as decided action on the par.
OF both Congress and the state legislatures.
10 the first place. the Univ Of tue Rspub-
ne IS O. be distinct y recognized BY the L IL
sutuuons Of the several states, as 70 has been
IN the new Constitution OF the stste Of Ms
s,uri; IN the second place. the enflanch.ss-
ment snd equality Of the negro is 90 De &C.
kho Niedged by the laws Of every state: 10
me third place, the payment of the nstional
| deht must be made q condit on precedent Of
| the admissioa ofany msurgeut state into The
Unions IN the fourth place, the payment al
| the Confederate debt must be forbidden TO
the states--we suppose by an act ofConeress
Ia the fth place, impartial suffrage must
| be secured be ore any state can be allowed
to resume its political relations with US; aud
IN the sixth place, the education OF the
| whole people Of the United States must Be-
/ undertaken by the United States, g the peo-
/ pie Of Massachusetts, are educated hv the
| state Of Massachusetts.
/ These are goodly objects, most Of which
| ought 30 be and many Of which will DC ac-
| complishsd, though not, We think. in the Wav
/ Mr. Sumner proposes. They will be scc0m-
/ plished IN consequence Of popular q SOUS
sion, by State and other action, and not 40
| the dicJation Of Congress. It is difficult 10
see, indeed, by what authority Cngress
could prohibit q State from contracting or
assuming what debts IL might please, or
I force upon 10 particular system Of suffrage.
or compel the people 10 send their children
/ 60 publls schools. To dcduce such q new
ana extensive authority from the war
power when no war exists, or from the con-
stitutional Injunction " to guarantee repub-
licau form Of government" or from 1.-THE
| right Of self defence" or from " the Aeces-
| sity Cf the case" Is 70 tTihe with words aud
with craftsmanship A centralsm 50 pro
digious and overwhelming ought 10 be urged
| only upon the dearest view % is absolute
I
carry with them the general mud Yet we
doubt whether the guarantees proposed bv
Mr.. sumner viii meet with this ready sud
general reception; on the contrary, 10 seems
10 US that they are likely 70 lead 20 protrac-
ted and violent debates the existing rela-
tons Of part Is cannot be maintaiued in re-
gard 10 them: and while the process of
transformation Is ling on, the federal pow
er, which IL IL 50 importsnt 10 hold, will
have escaped to other hands.
What tne loyal party has now 10 do; the
one irreversible guaraute 10 ought 90 de-
mand; the single issue 90 be made before the
country, is the Constitutional Amendment
That is practicable question; It is popu-
lar question; 1t Is already more than half
carried, aud yet it's so comprehensive that
iJ embraces Bcarly all the other questions
now in debate Let us fix in the great cen
tfal Constitution, In the organic and su-
preme law, the oterusl prohibition OF slavery
or seryitude in any shape, giving at the
same time 20 Congress the power % leEislste
in the premises, and we put of an sinister
designs within the States, VIC defeat all the
concealed schemes Of reset 'ouists, we hold
she entire subject in our hands, and We
command the esult Without the amend
meut the legislation Of the States against
slavery, though valid for the time, may be
revised, or eysded. or repealed. The power
which makes DO is the power which can
break b.. But with the amco dmeut the
subject is removed nom every coat ngency,
and passes into history forever.
Why this great, controlling, vital meas
ure has been allowed 90 fall iut0 q sort of
desuetu5e, while we pass 90 more doubtful
and less eilcacious plans. it is difficult b d.
vine. Whom it was proposed 10 Congress it
was carried by vote that can scarcely be
described as a party vote at all. The con
victiou that slavery ought % be smitten as
fatally by legislation as it bad beeu smiiten
by events, iu order that 30 might never by |
any possibility be restored, was go general |
thst II was carried almost By acclamation. |
When t was Fsubmitted 90 popular de- |
eision, 10 was 40 lass enthusiastically ap- |
proved. Every free S ate, with the single /
exception OF New Jersey, has gone heart and |
soul into the change. BY constitution !
al requirement, two-thirds Of the States, OF /
twenty-seven i'm number, are needed TO rst- /
iiy the new clause; that clause was proposed /
on the last day # January, 1865; and before /
February, the shortest month Of the year, /
was 81 sed, mo- lsrs han twenty-three Of the 1
States hld Set the sea. of Their appreciation /
uron tie benehccnt and glorious deed. /
Twentv-threc free and independent COM /
munit,es, animated by love ofcountry alone, |
and acting solemnly 10 the light Of their i
moral ami uillirdl cOuNitllul-s uecffeu mat /
human bondage should never again, with /
their consent, poilute the territory Of the /
great r public.
Why not finish this great reform, this stu
pendous moral and social revolution in fact,
so utterly oblterativc OF the past, 90 preg
nant with consequences for the future, with
out hazarding lie success BY other nud su-
coordinate measures? Let as DO the work Of
the time, and let ~ do u completely and
we'll Let Us do what we can do before we
attempt what we may DOS be able to do. |
Other topics, such as suffrage. as the debt,
Is universal education, neea aud viii pro-
woke dc bats they will divide parties anew;
they can be carried only At the end Of long
time but the Amendmeut-next 70 the
Of Freedom the greatest deed
Of the century may be effected before the
coming Christmas. The nation is ripe Tor
1.-THE South is even getting prepared for
1.-THE world expects il Of us,--it is the
child Of the loyal Party,-the best bond OF
its union,-the surest pledge Of continued
and success, and the duty Of the
hour.-more near, more imperative, more
important. than any other 10 is possible 10
assume or even concsive.-N. J.. POSI-.