Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-09-10
THE CONTEsT.

10 representation IN the SOvernhlent !
Congress has declared for certain condi-
tons which are proposed as amendments
to the Constitution. II adopted the ques-
ton is settled. and the belligerent States
may send delegates TO Congress or not, as
they please. President Johnson and those
who act with him oppose these amend
ments, while the Union party favors them.
They are IN substance:
"lst. Persons born OF naturalized in
the United States and subject to its juris-
diction are citizens thereof and OF the
States wherein they reside. No state shall
abridge the privilege of citizens Of the
United States, and all persons shall be
equal before the law"
Why should not that be made part Of
the fundamental laws Is not the principle
correct: Is 1t not the basis OF enlightened
governments everywhere Who in Cali
fornia speaks against it:
"2d. Representation shall be based upon
population, counting all persons save In
dams not taxed ; but where the right to
vote is denied by a State to any citizen OF
the United States, or abridged, save for
| puI SlSlpuNlOu III iCOSAAOu Va NhhSA $500
the citizen thus denied the franchise shall
no, be counted in the basis Of representa-
ton"
Can loyalty object to that: One may
very well understand why rebels and their
allies oppose it. 1t calls them i'll plain
terms criminals, and curtails the ancient
slave oligarchy Of a considerable portion
Of its former representation. But in this
as in all these amendments, there is no
distinction made between Alabama and
California, or between South Carolina and
Massachusetts. AL the States are treated
alike. The South made war to extend
slavery, and slavery was abolished. And
because she labored with all her might TO
destroy the nation and failed in the at
tempt, shall they therefore have increased
power in the Government Every right
thinking mar will say no that for this
high crime they should be punished rather
than rewarded. And yet if this amend
ment be not adopted the South will gain
thirteen or fourteen votes in the House OF
Representatives, because. and only because
| she made war and lost the thing for which
she fought. Let US see:
Before the war, and while slavery lived,
the South was entitled to count her
basis of representation every five slaves as
three inhabitants, hence 1000, 900 slaves
(allowing 100, 900 persons to each repre-
sentative) gave her nineteen representa-
tives in the lower branch of Congress;
but because they raised the black stand
ard Of rebellion these four million slaves
are turned into freemen, and therefore are
I'll to be counted il her basis Of represen-
.ation-every n counting one and not
three-fourths Of one as before. The
change would give her thirty-three repre-
sentatives for the blacks as freemen,
whereas she mad only nineteen for them
as slaves! Thus, by reason Of the peEpe-
tratuon OF q most henious ~offense. she is, in
this vast extent, to increase her power and
add to her influence in the very Govern
ment she sought to destroy! Is that the
punishment" TO which treason is enti-
tied: Or are traitors to be rewarded and
patriots to be punished And yet those
who oppose that amendment would thus
reward treason! But let that clause be-
come part of the Constitution and not
only will the rebel States be prevented
from obtaining this new and extensive
power, but they will be deprived Of all
representation for the blscks-unless the
black is allowed to do his W voting.
Slavery has from the beginning Of the
Government enjoyed this undue advan-
tsge over freedom, that the master voted
for the slaves, and now it is proposed to
put an end to this vicarious voting, and
allow every person to vote for himself
or. if this be not permitted, those who are
denied the privilege shall be excluded
from the basis Of representation. Is there
anything unfair in that anything that
exact and Republican justice should not
demand: Remember, the question Of ne
gro suffrage IS not up. No one asks that
the negroes may vote-that is for each
State to decide for herself in her own
good time-but it is commended hat no
one shall vote for the ~negro-that is all.
Shall the late rebel masters vote for these
slaves, and thus send to Congress thirty
three representatives whose hands are red
with the blood of patriots TO make laws
for loyal men That is the question.
There are say 400, 900 people in California.
They have three representatives in Con-
gress. Shall the treason-mongers Of the
South have by virtue of their late slaves
eleren times the power in Congress that
California has Think Of it! And yet
such is the proposition Of those who OPP
pose the Congressional policy.
I'D. No person shall hold any Office
under the United States, or under any
State, who, having taken the oath of office
to support the Constitution Of the United
States, shall have engaged in rebellion or
given aid or comfort thereto 4; but Con-
gress, by a two-thirds vote, may remove
such disability"
That would keep DAVIS, Toombs, Wig
fall. Mason, and the like, out Of office for
some time-but we suppose the country
can stand it if they can-and who will say
tina, it is moi right Can a man who
breaks his solemn oath be trusteds Can
faith be placed on the words Of a perurer'
Is not this clause e~minently righteous?
18th. The validity Of the public debt Of
the United States, authorized BY law. shall
not be questioned. but neither the United
States nor any State shall assume or pay
any deb, incurred in aid of rebellion, or
for the loss or emancipation of any slave"
Is there one loyal man among US OPP
posed to the payment of the public debt,
or in favor of paying the rebel debt? Not
one.
18th. Congress shall have power to en-
force by appropriate legislation the above
provisions"
There is the whole contest. This is
wha, Congress proposes and the President
opposes. He opposes not one in particu-
lar, but all-the fourth as well as the first,
and the second as well as the third. 1t is
for this purpose that he made a political
tour the other day through the Middle
and Western States. He desired to intiu-
ence the coming elections, so as to cause
the Legislatures that meet this Winter to
reject those propositions. But doubtless
his tramp will prove to have been in vain.
These amendments will be adopted, and
then the South must. whether willing or
not, submit to the Constitution as it is, or
as the American people shall make it. 1t
is r the President offers no reason for
his opposition, save the declaration that
the South would be "degraded' by re-
turning to the Union under them! II
! may be that the rebels, were degraded
- 49,. ,rh;DDod into euhinnfinn