The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-06-14

of some value, yet if these prizes were of une-
quail values, the scheme of distribution would
still remain a lottery"
The Senate Amendment.
The constitutional amendment has passed the |
senate substantially as agreed upon in the sena-
torial caucus.
The first section declares all persons born or |
naturalzed in this country and subject to its jur
isdction to be citizens of the United States and
of the state wherein they reside, and forbids any
state to abridge the privileges or inmunites of
any citizen of the United States, or to deny to
any within its jurisdiction the equal protection
of its laws.
The second section bases representation on the
number of inhabitants but provides that it shall
be reduced if any state shall deny to any Of its
male citizens over 81 years of age, the privilege
of voting,in the proportion which the number of
male citizens shall bear to the whole number of
male citizens of such age in the state.
The third section prohibits all persons from
holding any Office, civil or military, under the
United States, or under any state, who. having
taken an OATH as an officer of the United States
or of state, to support the constitution of the
United States, have engaged in rebellion against
the same. s.@#
The fourth section declares the involability of
the national debt and iegality Of the conteder-
ate debt. ..
The second and third sections of chief i'm
portance. The southern states would of them
selves grant to the freedmen equal civil rights
within few years if left alone, and several OF
them have already done so. They have repudfat-
ed the confederate debt and have no thought that
they can evade the payment of the national debt.
What is the argument employed by the radi
Gals for changing the basis of representation is
it not that it is now unequal, and that the votes
of electors in the south count more than those IN
the north in the election of congressman? We
do not dispute the correctness of their position
in hut fha
the inequality and injustice of the present sys-
| TEN. Practically. it says to the south, you must
| permit the degraded negroes in your states tic
vote we will base your representation on yot'
| ers while in the north it shall be based on the
whole number of inhabitants. In effect, it pre-
scribes different rule to different sections OF
| the country IF it is right that representation
| should be based on voters, why not make the
rule applicable to the north as well as the south!
| In proportion to her number OF voters, Massa-
| chusetts has now representatives In congress
| to one from California and has moro than hall
as MANY more than several of the western states
To show clearly the demagogism, malevoence
| and hypocrisy actuating those who projected and
voted for the third section, it is but necessary to
/ refer to the provision that representation snail
| not be reduced on account of the distranchlse-
| ment of .'rebelz" Tennessee and Missouri have
| DISTINGUISHED more than half of their population
| who were voters under the laws in existence in
| those states in 1861. 1t is estimated that hve-
| sxths of the white male citizens OF tennessee
| over the age of q years are now denied the
privilege of voting, yet the remaining sixth
! under this section may elect the same number OF
| congressman to which the whole number OF white
| males over 81 years of age would be entitled
| If the radicals do not want the vote OF one man
in South Carolina to count as much as the votes
of two men in the Forth. why are they willing
| that the vote of one man in Tennessee shall
count as much as the votes of three or four men
| i'll the north
Ii is no answer to the above question to say
that the citizens of Tennessee have been disfran-
chised because of disloyalty, or to make distinc-
tons between disoyal white men and loyal ne
groes. The question of equalizin2 the basis OF
representation is not one of reward or punish
ment, and we give abolitionists, here and snow
! fair warning that they viii not be permitted to
make it such. Illinois, in proportion to LEI
number of voters, wants as many representatives
! in congress as Massachusetts,, or Tennessee, Oh
Missouri, or any other state. She does not gel
them under this third section. Her citizens are
| as loyal as the citizens of Massachusetts, or Ten
nessee, and are entitled to equal privileges witt
the citizens of those states. They cannot ge
them under this third section. Ii the basis o
represen tation is to be changed, why is not fai
rule which will bear impartially and equally Oh
all sections of the country presentedg
1t may be averred by the radicals that it thos
who engaged in the rebellion were not permitted
l. DISTINGUISHED or not, the south would be repre-
l. sented in congress This is true, and 1t onl
shows more plainly the Objectionable characte
of the section. 1t positively asserts the pi oprie
Is ty of basng representation on voters, because
4 provides penalty for the denial OF the prlviieg
,e of voting to any citizen and makes voters ID
. basis in case of such denial Having done th
= it provides that nine tenths of the males,
years of age, may be DISTINGUISHED and yet couI
= in the basis of representation. The authors
D, the section knew that to deny the south repr
=. sentation entirely would be iniquity whic
ii would be instantly condemned by the people, an
le they therefore concocted this absurdty, havir
IL in view the interests of the miscreants who al
le now charged with the governments of Tenness'
IS, and Missouri, and encouraging riot and murd
ia in those states.
ia The more diligently this section is studied Il
more infamous does it appear It is not niece
sary to discuss it fully until the house OF repr
| sentatives shall have determined what 1t VIII {
e with the amendment. Should it pass, we sha
endeavor to expose the atrocious character OF Il
NJ third and fourth sections We had hopes tn
the senate would adopt Mr. Sherman's propo
! ton to make voters the basis of representative
in all the states. This would be a fair rule, b
N the devils of fanaticism and malevolence aga
:. | possessed the republican members when the al
!. endment came up for final passage. Ii will
be accepted without great deal OF growing
the house, because, wicked as it is, it is not su
10 fciently detestable to meet the wishes of Steve
70 and his pupils. As it is siispensabe, howeye
D. that they shall speedily adopt some "plan," TIN
g. may conclude to take this one, though it's som
y what less venomous, tyrannous and indecent th'
ID that proposed by themselves Chicago Times.
in esFashion', In Chains.
re New York Correspondence Cincinnati Gazette.
:. The last eccentricity of fashion is putting 1