The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-11-04

State ono of their own caste. and send
Senators and Representatives to Con-
| Sress The Same state of affairs, deplor-
able as it would be, must likewise take
place in Mississippi And in ali of the
Southern States there would DO many
| Counties in q similar condition-necroes
elected to the Legislature, and filling all
| County Offices.
TO suppose that any Southern State
would voluntarily adopt such provision
IN the National Constitution, is to>presume
that she ls lnsensible to her own honor,
and reckless of her own safety. 1t may be
sad that Tennessee has already done so;
never was there greater mistake. If the
| constitutional amendment had. been sub
mlttcd to the people of Tennessee, it would
nave been rejected by nine-tenths of them.
1t was adopted only by minority of her
Legislature, unfairly and corruptly elected,
and thoroughly debased and degraded by
Northern influence. In all communities.
who ekpowor and notoriety by sacrificing
/ honor and the interests of their country.
| Unfortunately for Tennessee, the scum
and dregs of society have been thrown ND
by the horrible civil war through which she
| has passed. Men have got into power in
that State, accidentally and fraudulentlv.
who are disgrace to human nature, and
| who Will ever remain infamous i'll history
| The Same thing cannot again occur in anv
| other Southern State.
hho eHllo ScCtlOu OF luC proposed con-
| stltutlonal amendment is more revolving
| to an honorable mind than either of the
| others. 1t is, in the true sense of the
word, bill OF attaindcr and er post fdcto
| law, so repuSnant to tho sentiments and
feelings of the trainers Of the Federal Con-
| sttution that they declared no such law
should ever be passed. 1t Furnishes for
| past offences, by ono fell swoop, tens of
thousands Of honorable men. Tho con-
coptlon of such q bill was mover before,
probably, thought of by an Englishman,
or the descendant of an Enslshman. 1t
certainly was not attempted by the English
Parliament in the darkest and bloodiest
days of English tyranny The only Incl
| dent IN history analogous to it, is tho wish
of Nero, that all men had but one neck so
that he could cut them of at ono blow
1t proposes to ostracse and disgrace for
ever, not only all the leading men of tho
South, but all, however humble they NAV
| be, who have ever filled anv civil Office in
any of the Southern States This section
declares that no one who has taken an oath
to support the Constitution of the United
| states ana was afterwards aiding and abct-
ting in the war, shall hereafter hold anv
office under the State or United States.
The Governors of the States, the Judges.
members of tho Legislature, magistrates.
constables, State and District officers, arc
aIi' forever, excluded by this provision.
10 suppose that any Southern man weuld
voluntarily adopt such provision is in
| deed placing L very low estimate on South-
crn character. The soldier who sallantlv
fought under the lead of his general, and
who would have sacrificed his own life, at
any time, for the protection of his com
mander, is required to dishonor and dis
grace him in peace. The son is rcuui "a
to vote the infamy of his father. The pco-
pie are asked to repudiatc and disgrace
those whom they have, through life honor
ed and gloried in honoring Every South
is IA, ri
councils, her Legislature, and from all
public offices, her wisest best and most
experienced public servants. Was ever
such proposition before submitted to an
intelligent, vlrtuous and christian people:
How any honorable man, who reflects on
this section of the proposed amendment
and sees Its bearing and consequences
can expect or counsel its adoption is. to
my mind, lncomprehonsiblc. That any
Southern man should vote for it or favor
Its adoption Is q confession of his own dis
honor and lnfamy. Such man would will
lnSly betray his country, hisi,own house
hold and his God.
II the southern States were so lost to all
shame as to adopt this section, it is possi-
bic that young men might be found 10 fiji
all the State offices; but thcv could rot
represent their State in Congress or hold
| any Office under the United States. on ac
count of their having aided and abctted in
the war; The States would still be unrep-
lcScltco III congress as long as the test
oath is continued.
The Constitution of the United States
provides that amendments may be pro-
posed by vote of two-thirdS of both
houses of Congress, and when adopted by
three,fourths of tho State legislatures,
shall become part of the Federal Consti-
tuition. This clause of the Constitution
evidently contemplated q full Congress
when such amendments should be pro-
| posed. 1t was supposed that all Of the
States would bo represented III Congress-
This was the security against iniutlicious
| amendments. But the proposed amend
ment was adopted whilst ten States were
excluded from all representation IN Con-
Srcss. 1t never could have been proposed
to the State Legislatures by full Con-
Sress, and consequently should not now be
regarded by them constitutionallv sub
mitted to the Legislatures for adoption.
1t should be, and will be, rejected rinani-
mousy by ten or eleven of the Southern
States, and never can become part of tho
Federal Constitution.
What will be the consequence of tI,is re-
lection, Is wholly immaterial to the South
ern States. You say that worse terms will
be enforced on US. This may be so: but
we shall have the consolation of knowing
that we did not voluntarily adopt them
and that amidst all the tyranny and op-
preston which may be heaped on us. we
have maintained our honor unsullied, and
never can lose our self-respect.
The Southern States may be kept out of
| Congress. Who cares for that? We have
been out for the last twelve months, and
during all that timo have been impl oving
our condition, and rapidly restoring the
nrn "a