The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-10
The Last Amendment.

special benefit.
The Last Amendment.
A speech of marked ability is said
to have been made in the House by
Hon. r. s. Hale, of Maryland, on the
last amendment to the Constitution.
It will be remembered that, by the
amendment, Congress is empowered
to secure by law to all the citizens of
the several States ''equal protection
in the enjoyment of life, liberty and
property" This amendment was
originally presented by Mr.. Bingham,
of Ohio, and referred to the Commit
tee on Reconstruction.
adoption, Mr.. Hale took the ground
that it, in effect, authorizes Congress
to pass any laws it may deem neces-
sary and proper for protecting citi-
| zens of all the States in the enjoyment
of life, liberty and property; that it
may take all these matters into its
own control, subject only to the con-
dition that the protection thus
afforded shall be equal. He regarded
this as wide and dangerous depart
ure from the fundamental principles
of the Government, and as completely
overriding all the powers and rights
expressly reserved to the States by
the Constitution. He supported this
view in an argument of great clear
ness and force-one which was not
affected or weakened in the least by
the attempts made to answer it.
The amendment, says the Balti-
more Transcript, seems to be only
another OF the steps proposed by the
radicals in Congress, for consolida-
ton of the central power, and the
complete overthrow of State authori-
ty. The steadiness with which this
purpose has been pursued shows that
it Is not an accident of political action,
but deliberate and distinct political
programme. 1t has more than once
been asserted in Congress, that as the
Southern States are now unrepre-
sented, and as the Northern States
thus have the opportunity to make
the Government precisely what they
would have it, they ought to embrace
1t, and to pass such laws and such
amendments to the Constitution as
will give them permanent and COM
plete control of the Government.
And the whole action of the radicals
in Congress has been steadily and
powerfully in that direction.
It is scarcely necessary to say that
this doctrine is one which may we'll
arrest the attention of the people of
the United States, and that it is i'm
possible for those who attempt to
carry it into effect to escape the most
rigid scrutiny and responsibility at
their hands
TAXING THE FEDERAL DEBT.-A
correspondent of the Baltimore Sun,
writing from Washington, March l,
says:
''The loan or funding bill, submit
ted at the commencement of the ses-
sion by the Secretary of the Treasury,
has met with much opposition in the
Committee of Ways and Means, and
in the House. The chief objections
to it were founded in the great dis
cretionary power which itinvested in
the Secretary over the currency and
the finance of the country, on the
provision authorizing foreign loan,
and on the legal tender, non-interest
bearing currency. The Committee
of Ways and Means deem it unneces-
sary to authorize any loan, inasmuch
as the revenue is adequate to the ex-
penditures of the Government, and
will afford a surplus for Sink
ing fund towards the reduction of
the public debt A redundant and
deprecated currency they deem as
essential to support the present sys-
tenn of internal revenue. On the
whole, there is no prospect of any
legislation that will tend towards a
reduction of the currency.
''The question of taxing the Fede-
raj debt is not to be availed of by
this Congress. In some communi-
ties, Government securities form the
chief wealth of the wealthier class,
and the exemption of those securities.
from State and municipal taxation is
complained of as grievance. At an
other Presidential election, this ques-
ton might become mingled with po-
litics, and even tend to produce
opposition to measures for sustaining
the public credit.
'"The Committee of Ways and
Means do not, however, propose to
depart from the policy of the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury in this respect. :"