The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-08-02

no State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or i'm
munities of citizens ofthe United States"
that it is pretended 70 extract negro suf-
frage Now if the right of suffrage is
privilege or immunity belonging to citi-
zen Of the United States as such, then
these gentlemen are right, but if on the
other hand, the right of suffrage is con-
ferred, regulated, bestowed or withheld.
I by the several States, then it is not
| privilege or immunity of citizens of the
| United States such, and there is no
logic or truth in their position. Nor is
the right of suffrage or immunity or pri-
vilege belonging to the citizens of a State
as such, but is conferred upon such citi
zens OF the State as the Constitution and
laws thereof prescribe. Women and
children are citizens of the State, but
| have not the right of suffrage If the
right of suffrage is privilege or immun-
ity to citizens of the United States as
such, then it has always been so, for the
amendment only defines who shall be
citizens of the United States. bat does
not confer new privileges or immunities,
and in that case, would ALWAYS have been
under the control of Congress and not of
the States.
That the right of suffrage is conferred
and regulated by the States exclusively,
is proposition too well understood to
be argued here, and springs directly
from provisions in the Constitution of
the United States. Citizens of the Uni
ted States, such, have privileges
and immunties which are very clearly
described by Judge Perkins in the com.
munication referred to, as follows:
The rights and immunities Of a citizen
of the United States are to enjoy civil
rights, and to 90 into one and all the
States, and there acquire that citizenship
and enjoy such political rights, in ad
dition to civil, as the State may confer on
its citizens, and the proposed Constitu-
tional amendment meets these two obli-
cations.
If the first section of the amendment
confers the right of suffrage upon negroes
it wholly defeats the operation of the
equalize the representation, and proceeds
directly upon the hypothesis that suf-
frage is regulated by the several States
and makes the basis of representation
depend upon the action had by the States
on that subject
The third section reads as follows
That no person shall be a Senator or
Representative in Congress, or Elector
of President and Vice President, or hold
any office. civil military, under the
United States, or under any State, who.
having previously taken an oath as a
member of any State Legislature, to sup
port the Constitution OF the United States
shall have engaged iii insurrection and
rebellion against the same or given aid
or comfort to the enemies thereof But
Congress may, by a vote Of two thirds
of each House, remove such disability.
The justice of this section appeals to
the heart of every loyal man as a sclf-ev-
ident proposition.
1t renders ineligible to any office un
der the United States, or any State, those
prominent and leading rebels, who, hav-
ing once held important offices, in which !
they took an oath to support the Consti
tuition of the United States, afterward
committed pejury by engaging in the re
bellon.
1t provids that the offices shall not
hereafter be held by perjured rebels, and
proceeds doubtless upon the opinion |
that it is bad enough to permit rebels to |
hold office, but that when they have ad- !
ded to their treason the violation Of their
oatbs, it would be more than the coun- /.
try could endure Having taken the |
oath and broken it, having involved the ,
country in the horrors of civil war,
truth, justice and common sense alike
demand that they should not again be
trusted
The fourth section OF the amendment
is in these words:
The validity of the public debt of the
United States authorized by law, includ- i
ing debts incurred for payment of PEN
sions and bounties for services in sup
pressing insurrectlon and rebellion, shall
not be questioned But neither the Uni
ted States, nor any State, shall assume
or pay any debt or obligation incurred /
in aid Of insurrection or rebellion against
the United States or any claim for the
loss or emancipation OF any slave, but all
such debts, obligations and claims shall (
be held illegal and void.
The first clause declares, ssthat the va
lidity or binding obligation of the public
debt, including debts incurred for pay
ment of pen sions and bounties for SER
vices in suppressing the rebellion, shall
not be questioned"
The second clause prohibits the as i
sumption or payment BY the United t
States or any other State Of any part of i
the rebel war debt, or any claim for the
loss or emancipation Of slaves. Is there
any man credulous enough to believe
that the party which is to be formed in /