Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-03-21


f are found is 10 be subjected 10 a co1slitu-
tional pressure in favor Of indiscriminatiag
suffrage 10 all races and colors of mankind
found within its borders. If il refuse or
neglect 10 establish uch indiscriminating
suffrage, il il 10 pay the penalty in a loss of
power in the Federal government. And it is
10 be observed that even where the disfran.
chisemen; is but partial, the whole race, ,and
lot merely the part dsiranchised, is TO be
deducted from The population of the State
in assigning it Representatives.
Now, one OF TWO things must happen in
State in case this amendment be adopted
Negro or Asialic suffrage must be accepted,
or the State will be stripped of a portion of
the powes which she now holds under the
Constitution This is, therefore, a penal
amendment. While il assumes 10 leave the
State free TO regulate suffrage for itself, il
imposes penalty upon it il il decide in
particular way No matter how strong, or
even imperative, may be the reasons against
lowering the standard of ufirase in State
to the capacity OF the negro or Chnamau,
the State mus: do il or be stripped Of the
! Constitutional right 10 foil representation
which she now holds. II is virtually de-
csion by Congress that TO withhold negro
suffrage to any extent or for any cause is
criminal and Justly obnoxious TO punish
meni, and that that punishment shall be i'm
posed by ,hree fourlhs of The States upon
The remainder DO means OF a constitutional
amendmendment.
Again, the amendment makes no change
in The apporionment OF direct taxes among
the States They are 10 be apporlioned ac-
cording to the whole population. There is
TO be no abaiement,in proportion to the dis
franchisement Of the State in her represen-
laiion, although under the Constitution IS il
stands and always has stood, taxation and
re representation are put upon the sans basis.
While the rule for the latter ID chang ed, the
rule for the former is 10 remain unaltered.
But it must be manifest that if either is 10
changed it should be the rule Of taxation
The growth of the country, asgregaing
wealth in particular districts and Siaies, 10 a
greater extent than in others, has made the
constitutional rule OF taxation unequal and
objectionable An old State, and especially
a manufacturing State, is more able 10 pay
taxes than new Stale, or an agricultural
one, and the distribution of taxation accord /
ing TO numbers will press much more heav-
ily upon the latter than upon the iormer.-
An smendmen. of the rule, therefore, which |
would impose taxes among the States ac>
cording to the taxable property in each, in |
stead o. according 10 the number OF inhao- |
iian,s, might stand abundantly justified up /
on prounts OF iustice and convenience -
but no such change is proposed by this
amendment Whatever Inconvenience or
hardship arises from The present rule, is dis
regarded, and it is wholly untouched, while /
the rule OF representative appOrtionmenl,
which involves neither Inconvenience nor /
hardship, but proceeds, upon a just princi-
pie of equality, is TO be amended in man
nei most odious and Objectionable.
This amendment is supported IN part up ,
on the ground that by emancipation two |
fifihs OF the slave population are, under The /
operation of the existing Constitution added
10 The re preventative basis in the Southern
States, that therefore an amendment IS rec'
essary 10 prevent positive increase OF
southern power.
This argument may be repelled upon sew
eral grounds, which proceed 10 state
/. The rule for counting the whole PoPu-
Ialion was originally intended 10 be restrain
ed onls SO long as slavery should exist. 1t
was intended by the fathers that whenever !
emancipation took place in State, the
emanciPated population should pass into
the representative basis. Therefore, in /
amending The Constitution as proposed, we
defeat their intention and oYerfule their
Judgment upon this subject, Have we
mol been Iold a thousand times that The
fathers expected slavery TO cease in the
country, aud took that expectation into ac-
connl in framing the fundamental law J.
They did not even admit the term Slaves"
or slavery into the Constitution. but de-
scribed slaves, in the clause we. ara consid-
ering as ''oiher persons, alter naming Tree
men, and in the fugitive slave clause as
persons he'd 20 service and labor. They
oaye Congress authority 10 prohibit The
slave trade after 1903, under the words
"prohibiling migration or immigration oil
persons" and il was well known TO them
that the States had then already begun TO
emancipaie their slaves. The Pennsylva-
MIA statue OF emancipation had been passed
few years before, and other States
had taken, or were about TO take, steps
in tie same direction. Unq queslionaby, /
therefore, they contemplated that the three /
fihhs clause would expend itself in the |
course of lime, and that the whole popula- (
ton of the States wonld fall within the rule /