Maryland free press. [volume] (Hagerstown [Md.]) 1862-18??, 1866-10-11

4
EN-The Constitutional Amendments are
paraded before tire country as the platform
of the Radical pafty. Before agreeing te
make such extensive changes in an instru
ment that we have been accustomed to re.
gard as cmbodying aft that was good and
wise of the worlds political experience in
the past, it behoovcs every man to give
the matter calm consideration, lest we lose
the good VIC have aud fly to ills We know
OF of.
The first section We have several times
before quoted. It makes every nfan. With
out regard to- color, born in the y. s.. or
who becomes n*trraiized, d eitigentkeyevf
This Is sfrea,fy ttfe case with all cfasse,
save the negro. This provision therefore
benefits only him. 1t further provides
that ''no State shall make or enforce any
law which shall abridgo tho privileges and
immunities of citizens Of the United States.
1t becomes then only necessary that Con-
gross shallE lao define and fix the RICH t
Of suffrage as one Of the priUileges Of the
citizen, and it forces by mere majority
negro suffrage on the people throughout
the Union. That this is the meaning and
intention Of this section tho leading Radi-
calls Of the Northern States Fever pretend
to der, .-s ..r.
Fire second section presents 10 tire pco-
pie Of this State she alernatfre Of losing
representative in Congress or permitting
the negro to vote. In the Northern States
where they have few or no negroes they
cannot lose by this operation, but they gain
in power just as we arc deprived of it, con-
sequently they are anxious for its success.
New England saysito you: "You have the
negroes, do with them as you please. We
will not force you to vote them. but If you
do not We want one Of your members of
Congress, or what is the same thing, We
want you to have ono less" This is not
only attempting to do us an injury but adj,
ding to it insult. It is denying US the
right to form our own State Government
and debating to us who shall vote and who
shall NOT. ....
But it is argued by the Radical, thai
this section is necessary to equalixe the
power of voters North and South. This
is all fudge-.hc sophism Of demsgogues.
The power of voters never has been and
never can DO strictly equal under our form
of Government. For instance. twenty.
thousand voters iu the State Of Delaware
elect Legislature which makes two Scna-
tors in the US. Senate. In the State of
MARYLAND it takes one hundred thousand
voters to do the same thing. Therefore
the voter in Delaware has five times the
power of the voter In Marylsud. And yet,
nobody complains of this.
The third section is "bill Of pains and
penalties" 1t proposes to punish all who
have Voluntarily engaged in the rebellion.
It, however. amounts to nothing. 1t was
intended merely to minister to the passions
and prcjudices OF the ignorant mob. 1t is
er post jacto and therefore clearly in vio-
lation of the whole spirit of our Constitu-
ton. Adopt this Amendment and you
have planted enemies in every ncighbor-
hood. village and HAMLET all over the
South" You leave them nothing to hope
for from Government which refuses them
trial by law, or chance for defence. y
Adopt this amendment and then engage iu
foreign war-"which side would there
men take? Which side does the Amend
mcnt invite them to thkcT There Is dan
ger and weakness lurking in this Ametid.
ment.
The fourth and last section declares the
validity of the public debt, q thing VIII ich
no one questions. but which admits doubt
Of the integrity and honesty Of the people.
All this is mere clap-trap designed to
frighten the people and to aid in conceal
ing the dangerous and degrading points in
the three other sections. .....
s-e-s---
The Judges Of Election.