The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-08

] 4SSAStaIAou III GoueGL1On Win W11G0 Ele
cqnstttutional amendments may be
spbmitted5 to the States. They are
loyal, have been properly elected, have
| a, loyal constituency behind them, and
can honestly take the oaths prescribed
by law.
Congress has passed a joint resolu-
tion, by majority of two-thirds in
each House, containing four sections
amending the Constitution of the
United States, which, when 1t shall be
ratified by three-fourths of the States,
Will become apart of the fundamental
law of the land.
The first section of the amendment
All persons born or nntura1ized in the
United States, and subject to the Jurisdiction
Thereof, are citizens OF the United States md
Of the ststes wherein they reside. No State
snail make or enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges or fmmunities or citis
zens OF the United States; nor shall any State
ty, without due process or Jaw, nor deny to
| any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws ~ -
Oppose this section who can. I can
not comprehend how any right mind
ed man who Is not a believer in mon
archy or slavery, can take issue with
any portion of 1t. 1t establishes the
fundamental principles upon which
the Union Is based, and is an express
sion of pure and unalloyed Democ-
| EhCys
The second section equalizes repre-
sentation in Congress and in the EIec-
torat College bystaking from thewhite
people of the States lately in rebellion
the right to represent In Congress more
than four millions of negroes living in
their midst, whom they deprive of all
political rights whatever. As the mat
ter now stands the white people of the
Southern States have sixty per cent
more of political power in the House of
Representatives and in, electing the
President and Vice President, than an
equal number of white people in the
Northern States. This is a gross and
unrighteous inequality and an absolute
injustice to the Northern people. Even
'1tthe Southern people were allloyal
they could not have the slightest claims
to any such advantage. But when we
consider that nearly all of them are
Democratic rebels, and but a few.
months ago waged bloody war against
the Government, the idea of their re-
tanning such an enormous and unholy
advantage Is too monstrous to be
calmly considered.
Ifan were equally loyal, North and
South, the, proposed amendment would
be measure of simple but imperative
jushcei but when we consider the char
acter of the Southern people and oftheir
Northern allies, and the terrible calam-
tiles they have brought upon the coun-
try, the claims of justice are intensified,
and longer submission to the ineQualis
ty on our part becomes an nIhumiliation.
The tDemocraticle leaders in Indiana have
declared themselves sttheamend-
ment, and their mem bers of Congress
opposed it by their votes. The person.
al degradatiUn which they suffer, IblIich
each one of them suffers, In being prac-
dcally treated us sixty per cent less of
manot than his fellow Democrat of
Georgia they care nothing about. They
will swallow with avidity this or anV
other indignity that may be thrustup-
on them, provided it comes from men
who have been shareholders and rebels
IN arms, and who give reasonable as
surance that they will vote the Copper
head ticket. A greater political degra-
dation towards the people of one seq,
ton OF the country than that which now
exists In the inequality of representa-
tton, cannot be imagined. and the cheer
tuI Su admission to It by Northern DEM
ocrats for the low and selfish purpose
ofreaping little political gain, presents
a spectacle (Which it is not pleasantto
contemplate. The ratification of this
amendment 1S one of. the most impor-.
tant issues submitted to the people of
Indiana at the next election. The jus!
ttce Gift, and the necessity forit, lieup-
on the surface, and are too plain for ar
gument. We might as well argue that
TWO and two make four, or that awhole
Is equal to all its parts, i5-tsf5lSdis
The third section provides I'm SUBJ
stance that every person, who, as a
member of Congress, officer of the
United States, members Of the Legisla-
ture, or judicial officer of any State,
had taken an oath to support the Com
stitution of the United States. and az
terwarus committed perjury by engage
ing in the rebellion; shall Be Ineligible
to any Office under the United States, or
any State. The object of It is to ex-
clude perjured rebels from power. II
a man has once taken an oath TO sutl-
| port the Constitution and broken 1t, he
should not be permitted to take 1t again
IN the same way, You will doubtless
agree with Congress that men enough
can be found who hnVe never commits
ted this wicked and, bloody perjury to
I'LL all the offices, both State and Ma
tional, and that It is but reasonable
precaution Tor orpnbic safety tojprevent
these men from again coming into
power. L.is - 80 :.
There is no political Or moral oblig,a5t :
ton to trust them again, and every die
tate ofprudence, Justice, love for the
Union, and abhorfence for the rebel
lion, demands that they should not be
again trusted. 4, n e, 500 go
The fourth section proclaims the val
idity of the public debt of the United.
States including debts incurred for
pigment of pensions and bounties for
service in suppressing the rebellion,
and lprohibits the United States fiof
any State from assuming or paying any
dept incurred In aid of the rebel lion or
ans. claim tor the loss or emRncipatio
otBlaves.ie 50 auii5. al :. G1.iiii = D.
The strong sympathies manifested by.
Northern pemocratic leaders for the
oldefs of the rebel war debt, and their
malignant hostility TO the holders Of
the bonds ofHthei United States. make
TINS ,amepdment necessary. Should
the great calamity happen that the
NationaI Government should pass into
the possession Of the Democratic party,
We are not at liberty 70 doubt but what
they would cause it to assume the paw
ment of the rebel war debt Not only;
are the inclinat Hons of the Northern
members already in that direction, but
their FEell-knoWni ipusfl fllanimity in the
presencs OF Southern men wonId over
come any fears Of unpopularity at
home, and they would march up
promptly to the support of the measure
aS soon as It was demanded by the
Southern wing of the party. Should
the Southern wing demand as 3 condi4
tion for their support thai they should
pc paid for their slaves who can doubt
j tor a moment. when they consider the
love md devotion OF Northern Demo-
cratic leaders 70 slavery, the history of
] the passage of the Nebraska hill, and 4.
/ hundred other political events which
/ nave otscurred in the 1RSkIthirty wears,
TINT the demand viii be promptly ac-
/ eeeded to. HgTT t9H
The amendment iS, therefore, impera-i
lively roqnired = by the sympafhies
cogsar[iicei and the habits OF anbmi issioti
/ tg,s0uthetn men by Whieh Noffherh
\ Dem atici leaders are distine1 1ishefi
Y 10 say that p1enlw who but yesterday