American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-09-05
q SEcr1oN 2. Representatives shall be


/ SECTION 2. Representatives shall be
arportioned among the several States ac-
ccrding to their respective numbers, count
ing the whole number of persons in each
State, excluding Indians not taxed but
whenever the right to vote at any cleo
tion for electors of President and Vice
President, or for United States Represen-
tatives in Congress, executive and judi
ciary officers, or the members of the Leg
islature thereof, is denied to any of the
male inhabitants of such State, being 81
years of age, and citizens of the United
States, or in any way abridged, except
for participation in rebellion or other
crime, the basis of representation therein
shall be reduced in the proportion which
the number of such male citizens shall
bear to the whole number of male citi
zens 81 years of age in that State"
1t will be seen that roters or roteS is
practically to be tho basis of representa-
ton, and if the late slave States give the
ballot to all, they can be represented in
Congress by the number of all but if
they tleny it to any part, ON account Of
color or race, they shall not be represented
by that part. This is no punishment,
but simple justice, growing out o. the
results of the war. We have seen no Sc
rious objection to this amendment. In
fact there cannot be any. But the eyes
of the people are attempted t. be shit by
the cry of Negro suffrage, while in fact
it is not question Of Negro suffrage at
all, but question of REBEL SUFFRAGE
There are other sections in this amend
ment proposed by Congress, all of them
important and rendered necessary by the
rebellion but at this time We desire
mainly to directyour attention to the above
one. Let it be made the issue in the com
ing election, and let its justice AMI ne
cessity be urged upon all occasions. All
the cry about keeping the late rebel
States out of the Union, and refusing
them admission to participate in the leg
islation of the country, is mere clap.
trap. We do not want to keep them
out of Congress day longer than the
security of ourselves and our children
demand. Whether they are qualified
to be again restored to our full confidence
and fellowship, let the recent massacre
in New Orleans answer-Gcncral Sher-
dan tells us it was murder of Union
men, rremeditatcd by the rebel city au-
thorities; yet Andrew johnson, who
ca ne to his high cfiice by the murder of
the patr ot and martyr Lincoln, approves
and sancti Jns this murder in New Or
leans. Which is right, General Shcri-
dan. the brave hero, or Andrew johnson,
the recreant President? BY our votes at
the corning election let us answer, We
have Governor to elect in Pennsylvania
this fall A vote for General deary, the
Union Republican candidate, will be
vote in favor of carrying out the primer
pies on which the war was fought and
won, AMI of now holding on aud securing
the just fruits and results OF that terri
BILE and bloody struggle, while vote
for his opponent, Hester Clymer, will re
an endorse nent OF man who bitterly
opposed the wsr throughout, and who re
fused to vOtG men or money to sustain 1t.
The issue is TOO plain to mistake the
result We need not appeal to you t. ad-
here to your former devotion to our great
principles. Let us again arouse to ac
tion Let us once more come out IN our
full strength. Let us rally around our
gallant standard bearer, General Gcary,
himself the hero of many well fought
battle fields; and let us show that we re-
main true to liberty and justice, and true
to the memory of the many brave and
lost ones who fell in defense of the coun-
try.
JOHN II. NrGLEY,
w. H. II. RIDDLE, Com