Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-07-26

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ss.ssy>a,s ysass go ~ wise msa Of
- var which producsd cor independsaes
lesssd upsu ssstais vsisess esrho ~
,osditisss ~ which the people Il thhesun-
~ wsss y b. ssvssned and psspUu 400
ueotrolled. These tsrna ssd conditions
NJ embodied in the Consultation adopted
b. ~ sooveosisa over wAleA:W Washington
presided; and certain amsndm@ss thereto
proposed and adopted BY the people at the
time fiss rasiacation. From that day un-
III IL shsGsisa PARTY came into power
The people rested sa.isfsd With that almost
sacrsd instsumsns- except - to the formal
mode OF voting for President and Vice
President which vas Afterwards changed.
Nov, We hear Of one hundred and sixty
six amendments having been proposed by
this Congress-or part Of . Congress We
said the people rested satis6cd 30 they
did - body. not only satisfied but proud
Of the chart Of their liberties, the wisdom
Of which Vas the subject Of praise in all
enlightened countries. But, nevertheless,
it 10 true that, not only at the time Of 10
adoption, but ever since. certain monarch>
lists n heart in this country, have contend
ed that Il did not give power nongh to the
government thereby created. and consc.
quently did not take that power from the
people, Or the governments which had be
fore that time existed. namely, the States.
For, In looking back to first principles, wc
see thst sovereignty, or the right and POW.
or Of governing primarily resides in the
people and that this right or power they
may 10 . certain extent ccdc to named and
constituted authorities 10 be exercised in
their behalf, and for their benefit.
With 10 The autho, tics thus constituted
we're State Governments md . United
States Government THE latter dcrivil its
cole power from the Constitution aforesaid.
BY that Consultation il has always been
held that the right didnot exist in the gen.
sral 0ovsrnmesI to say who should DO q
citizen Of . State. nor who should vote
therein. Ono Of tho amendments lately
proposed BY the Rump Congress 10 Be i'm
eorporatod into, and become part OF, tho
Constitution. II adopted, will. we ASSERT,
change the whole theory and practice Of
our Government upon the poin1 named. Il
10 % follows:
Aar,cLe XIV.
"AIl persons born or natnralixcd in the
United States. and subject 10 the jurisdic-
ton thereof are citizens Of the United States
end Of the State wherein they reside. No
State shall make or enforce any law which
shall abridse the privileges or imnunitics
Of citizens Of the United States nor shall
any State deprive any psrson Of life, liber,
~, or property without due process Of law
nor deny TO any pcrsoa within its jurndic
ton the equal protection Of its laws"
-
THE Congress shall hass power To en-
fssc. by appropriate liquidation. the pro,
visions Of this article"
0e."rv". NOE, eli persons born, etc, in
she United States ars, BY this amend,ncnt
declared 10 be "citisens thcrcoi"-not only
40. but arc 'citizens Of the States wherein
they reside" What is the purpose Of thi,
amendment To fully understand i,s i'm
port We must look back mon ent. Tn,
Supreme Court had decided that . nccr.
was not citizen within the meaning Of In
ConstitutiOn--for this .ecision that tribu
nsl was rcvilcd by the Abolition party il
such terms M might have reasonably led I,
the expectation TINT they would, upon thc
accession 10 power, have changed the t.
Of That decision. They now, by this pro.
posed amendment, in connection with tic
Civil Rights bill, Acknowledge the legality
OF that famous decision, and consequent,
the injustice Of their structures upon it. -.
For. II 1t Was wrong they had nothing TO do
but reverse II in principle. This they do
not undertake to do by the courts but TO
declare BY amendment to the Constitution
that negro 10 = citizen, both Of the Uni>
ted States and Of the State. This is taking
from tho States one Of the rights reserved
under tho Constitution as il has heretofore
existed namely, thc right to dctcrr inc rs
to citizenship Of the State, in certain as
poets. But this dangerous proposition does
not stop at this Innovation. 1t declares that
mo State shall max. or enforce any law
which shall sbridse the privileges, or I'm.
munitics Of citizens Of tho United States. y
What are these privileges aud imnuni-
ties, "a understood aud avowed by the fran.
ers Of this amendment This we exnect
to attcmpt hereafte. 10 show. Aud VIC nov
say that in our judgment No will he able
clearly to demonstrate that in this amend.
mont is covered up = power, ~ right. ia
Congress, to make laws giving negroes tho
righte to vote in the States.