The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-09-28

posits his vote against them whether he is
not by so voting, doing his country an
Injury, aud Withholding the countenance
of his approval from a most maguanimous
and generous measure necessary for the
security Of the public tranquility. We
count that space well occupied which we
have filed with repeated analyses f this
great measure, II all of them together shall
lead some doubtful persoR to examine for
himself the text Of the amendment proposed
by Congress, and decide the question for
himself, upon its merits.
These propositions are, then, briefly
/. That all persons" born or natural
lied in the United States and owing allegi.
anoe thereto, shall be treated by the laws
of all the States as citizens of the United
States, and shall have equal protection of
the law. Let no one be led into the ab-
surdity OF supposing, as some of the more
unscrupllous of the Democratic leaders
would have us think. that this amendment
Golfers the elective franchise upon the ne.
gro. Women are citizens, as we'll as men :
and it would be no moro absurd to clain
thlt this amendment confers this franchise
upon them. Indeed, what it docs in one
case, il must do in the other, and must do
| in every State of the Union--for in this
new era of the legislative history of the
country, all the States are treated alike. 1t
does not touch the elective franchise. 1t
simply secures the right of every citizen to
| life, liberty and property. The elective
franchise is left for the State Constitutions
to give or withhold. at the pleasure of the
people of the States. If the people choose to
enact in their Fundamental law that all CITI-
zKNs shall vote, their white and black male
and female of the proper age, may vote; II
they choose to limit the franchise to all
MALE citizens they may do that; and if they
prefer to further limit it las in Ohio by our
present Constitution TO all WHITE male ELI.
gems, then neither colored men nor women
of any sort may vote. If they choose even
to enlarge the franchise to the extent OF
admitting non .uaturalized residents, who
are not citizens, to the elective franchise,
they may do that, as they have done in In
diana, and We believe i'll one other State.
In short, citizenship has nothing whatever
to do with the elective franchise. unless it
is given something to do with it by the
language of the State Constitution.
| 2. Regulates representation TO suit the
altered circumstances of the Southern popu
lation, SO as to equdlise the representation
of the voting population, North and South.
Absolutely, the entire object and effect of
this proposition is, to make the UOts of a
tchite man in The NOrth, for the first time in
the history of the government erdctiy equal
TO the uote of tchits man in the SOmI,
| The most adroit Misrepresentation in vain
may strive to give it any other interpreta-
ton or legal effect. 1t il sufficient answer
to al caviling upon this poiut, that this
amendment, if adopted, will apply in the
same manner, to the same exten', aud III
exactly the same force and under the same
terms, to every State in the Union. The
time is past when any State in the Union may
claim special privileges or exemption upon
the ground of the superiority growing out
of the Divine Institution" Hereafter the
legislation of the country is to bear equally
upon South Carolina aud Massachusetts
tho "mudsill" of Ohio is to have an equal
vote with the gentlemanly person at the
South who has been used to eat his bread
in the sweat of other mems faces.
3. No person aobO has been gufny of com
naihing actual perjury an his treason BY BE
TRAYING THE GOVERNMENT WHILE ACTUALLY
IN IT'S SERVICE AND SWORN To OBEY ITS LAWS
AND CONSTITUTION, shall be dlloW d to hold
any office. THIS DISABILITY NAY BE REMOVED
at any time by a tDo,hirds UOte of each
House Of Congress. AS its sole punish
ment for all the bloodshed of the war, as
!
| leaders of the rebellion, as its sole terms of
conquest this bloody, Jacobinical, Radical
| Congress asks what Simply that per-
Sons who betrayed the government while
actually in its service ard bound by sol
emu oath to fidelity, shall not again be
trusted to hold office-untiI they shall have
permission to do so by a two thirds vote of
Congress! That is ALL Not one word about
indemnity for the past Noteone word of
punishment even leading lebels. Every
| rebel, from the greatest to the least-from
| the highest to the lowest-taken back into
the household of the Nation and restored
to all their former rights, possessions and
| privileges, without even requiring OF them
confession Of sorrow for their misdeeds,
save and except this one class of perjured
traitors We may well challenge the
| world for an exhibition of generosity and
magnaninlity equal to this.
| A. The validity of the public debt Of the
United States is established, irreversibly /;
and the debt incurred in the attempt to
overthrow the government is forever re.
pudiated. The rebels, South, aud their
friends North, profess to be in favor of
this proposition Why do they refuse to
put it iu irreversible aud practical form, by
inserting it in the Constitution Are we
to be driven to suspect their honesty and
truthfulness, by their exceeding anxiety to
leave it an open question for the future
We prefer not to trust anything to the
chapter of accidents, or the honesty of
former traitors, North or South.
5. Is the ordinary provision, unneces-
sary it seems to US, giving power to Con-
gress to secure the enforcement of the
amendment by appropriate legislation. This
power Congress already has, under the
Constitution, not impliedly, but by express
enumeration.
Now, what possible objection can be
urged by any patriotic citizen of the United
States, faithful to the principles upon which
our government is founded, to any part OF
this most necessary and just measure? !?
Candid reader examine thoroughly, before
you decide to vote it up, by returning any
of our noble Union Congressman or vote
it down, by sending back TO their places
friends of Andrew Johnson or his policy"
A 'REB," who had long languished on
the sweets of a forced idleness, so Sc
quent upon his occupation having termina-
ted with Lees surrender, began to look
about him for something to be, to do, or TO
suffer. Thinking himself sufficiently re-.
constructed, he applied for work at one
of the departments, presided over by
Federal officer.
slave you been in the rebel service r.
he was asked.
"Yes, sir" was the reply.
ain anv hattlea 2n