Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-10-19
The Abbeville Press.

;ysfasSrSS 81 deSompaSi "a i1f By tRsh&as y The psi, )
III ka q rho,a fAsy ars ID 6s ehdr5sG -
4aE SSoYI|0iSSFDI ooiNsfIfufioNAB AMEND
Tho prspossd Atnerdment which passed the
fate Rsdsoai Congress by . two. .tbirds vote,
and " vhieh must be ra.ifi ed by tbree-foarshs Of
tbe Estates befursit can bseon'o n part Of the
Constitution. has already bsen ratified by Yer
mont copnssticat RhSas Island. New Jersey
Tenneses and Oregon, Such q fesuit might
have been W expected ID Tennessee, which is now
controlled by Radical clique; but Texas and
Kentucky, have fejs soled tha Ameadmept and
their example we are sure will be followed by
every Southern State =.
The objections to, tIe measure are, ss we'll to
the mode Of it's passage, and submission to the
States for ratification, as TO i1,e proscriPtive
character Of the measure itselft striking as it
aoes deadly blow at the rights of the 8, ates,
even in its most unolj ljeetionable provisions,
whilst in others i. deprises tile citizen of his
moss cherished privileges. : :.-*
=; Tie Amendment iwas. passed by two-thirds
of q Body which assumed 20 be the Congress,
yet from which nearly, one third Of the States
was excluded from representation in both Hou
ses, States too, which were above all Others
interested In hequestions at iesue. Can such
a body be regarded a Congress In the view of
tho Constitution II not, its action. whether
in the passage Of Constitutional Amendments
or otherwise, is nugatery. Again, the pro.
posed Amendment was not submitted 10
the President for his approval, and except
through him could not be submitted to the
k~k~c Il.
=! Other and more vital objections arc groun-
dsd upon the provisions Of the Amendment
itself: 81. -. .-....
The ,frst section, confsrs, the rights Of cit
izstship upon al nats7e.born or naturnl,zed
citizens, and restraints the States from abridg-
ing their rights and immunities, whilst the
last section bestows upon Congress tho power
70, eaiorcs BY appropriate Liquidation the PRO.
visions Of. this artiele"-a dangerous and un.
defined power, which 10 fubrersive of all State
rights. ~: 49,
g. The second seetien which makes the South
-etn voting population the basis of representa-
'tiop; Is intended TO force negro suffrage upon
.us, Or weaksn>the strength Of our representa-
tion. .".% ~. - -
-. The third section ,deprives of the right to
hold Office all who having taken an oath 10
airport the Constitution, afterwards gave aid
10 the so.csilsd rabellion.=a sweeping act Of
disfranehisement. under which the right of rep
.fesentation would be a,mere nockery.
Such are. the main provisions of tho pro-
posed Amendment, which tLe New York Her:
as and qs"'t' are now Urging upon The aoeep.
tance Of the South as the only mode of restor.
ing the Union. Better remain forever uurep.
), resented than aseept terms 30 humiliating.-
But sysa did ve aeeep, Il could avail us
nothing In recurring our admission into the
Union. The Radical Iesderi. .stsvens Sumter,
Bauhs Wade and ethers4-ths .1,issns, tho
Asd1peadsstt; t; and other Radical presses insist
upon impartial outrage as a condition prece-
'ashE Thi2 ss tIer bltIinsstu tst it& ,tA&no,hi6e less
win satisfy them. II We are to be enslaved. let
g. as Least hosa" in2.Sorging -our own fet-
ttsssesi ,&as! saas;....sttsYl ssG;. ~.