Smyrna times., 1866-01-31
President Johnson's Views on Consti
tutional Amendments.

WASHINGTON, JAN. 2&.--Thc following is
the substance of conversation which took
place to-day between the President and Sena-
tor Dixon, Of Connecticut
The President said that he doubted the pro-
priety at this time of making any further
amendments to the Constitution One great
amendment had already been made by which
slavery had forever been abolished within the
limits of the United States, and a national
guarantee thus given that that institution
should never again exist in the land. PROPOSE
tiOns to amend the Constitution were becoming
as numerous as preambles and resolutions At
town meetings called to consider the most ordi-
nary questions connected with the administra-
tions Of local affairs. All this, in his opinion
had a tendency to diminish the dignity and
prestige attached to the Constitution of the
country, and to lessen the respect and conf
dencc of the people in their great charter of
freedom
If, however, amendments are to be made to
the Constitution, changing the basis Of repre-
sentaton and taxation, land he did not deem
them at all necessary at the present time, he
knew of none better than a simple proposition
embraced in few lnes-making in each State
the number of qualified voters the basis of rep
resentatlon, and til value OF property the basis
Of direct taxation. Such a proposition could
be embraced in the following terms:
Representatives shall be apportioned among
the several States which may be included in
the Union according to the number Of qualified
voters in each State
Direct taxes shall be apportionsd among
the several States which may be included with
in the Union, according to the value Of all tax
able property in each State.
An amendment of this kind would, in hi,
opinion place the basis of representation and
| tay
qualified voters were for the most part mer
who were subject to draft and enlistment wher
it was necessary to repel invasion, suppress re
bellion, and quell domestic violence and insur
rcctIon.
They risk their lives, shed their blood, anG
peril their all to uphold the Government anc
| give protection, security and value to property
1t seemed but just that property should com
pensatc for the benefits thus conferred, by de
traying the expenses incident to its protection
and enjoyment Such amendment, the Presi
dent also suggested, would remove from Con
| greSS all issues in reference to the politica
equality of the races. 1t would leave the State
to determine absolutely the qualifications O
their own voters with regard to color. and thu
the number OF Representatives to which the,
would be entitled in Congress would depenC
upon. the number upon which they conferred
the right Of suffrage.
The President, in this connection, expresse,
the opinion that the agitation of the negr,
franchise question in the District of Columbi
at this time was the mere entering wedge to III,
agitation of the question throughout the States
and was i-timed, uncalled for, and calculated
to do great harm.
He believed that il would engender enmity
contention and strife between the two RACES
and lead to a war between them, which woul,
result in great injury to both, and the certsiI
determination of the negro population. Pre-
cedence, he thought, should be given to NOR
important and argent matters, legislation uno
which was essential for the restoration of IN
Union, the peace of the country, and the pros
perity of the people.
! Barnum's book has not met with sucoes, i.
the hands of the English critics The S,s,,,
omrndtrevlewer says -" Barnum's now hooL
The Humbugs of the World has disanno;r,
ed us 1t is a dull affair altogether with :,
immense deal OF bOokmaking abont i -" !"
second hand, threadbare information ro,roa. an
ing Eve; the tempting serpent the Delnb;
oracle medi~val pretenders to illum;no,inmn'
Count Clgliostro; and various other nerSon
ana matters about which we care notb;po "'.,
know quite as much, il not a great daai S,o"n an
than Barnum himself We doubt if bn ba,
any hand in the composition AZ ali and s's v ns'
MS latest humbug in putting his name mar ~ %
SSouIp''ae'on SouIp u Vamped up BY some 70 ncrcenSr,