The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-25
The Constitutional Amendments resi-
dent johnson.

The Constitutional Amendment -Presi-
dent johnson.
The message Of President JOHNSON to
Congress on the subject Of the amendment
to the Constitution proposed by more than
two-thirds Of that body is characteristic OF
the man and worthy the President OF the
nation. 1t required somewhat of resolu-
ton TO speak in the frank manner OF that
parer-to tell the predominating, w'iiiui'
and overbearing party in Congress ''a'
they were doing that which COULD NOT ~
APPROVED pY THE SPIRIT OR THE LETTER OF
TVs Constitution. AND WHICH WAS MOI
CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDER, HARMONY, AND
rxroS OF TIN RErrBLrc. This - iho'e''
exactly what they are doing. Ihey pass
nro,oscd amendment to the Constitution
while eleven States are unrepresentcd in
tho Congress and hurry il of to the state
legislatures for immediate adoption. 1t is
moi deemed proper to wait for the election
Of new legislatures in order that the public
sentiment might be ascertained by votes
of the people, as it were, upon the amend
ment itself; but the present legislatures,
whose political views arc known, are to be
convened and to pass at once upon mea-
sure Of the most eminent Importance, al
fecting vitality the whole Union, and cspc-
cially the tleren ,mrepreSented states.
Immediately the amendment was passed
Governor CURTIN, of Pennsylvania, that
Radical. dyed black in the wool, officially
and most ofciously and impcrtinently adj
dresses the northern Governors, appealing
IN them to convene their legislatures to
AFT upon this amendment at once. Cover
po. R,ILocK. of Massachusetts, is ambi-
films that his State shall bear off the honor
If being first to strike this next blow al
the South. The Conaectict Legislature is
in session. and of course will be moved on
the subject. The great State of Mem York
is iudus,riously piled from Washington :;
Int Governor FESToN is said to await the
views of his leading friends. Cox, of
Olio-nay, the Governors of all OF the
northern and western States are called
upon urgently-but most urgently of all
those thoroughly radical-to meet at once
and fix the matter by adopting the amend
ment. BRowSLow, of Tennessee, the eager
tool of oppression and tyranny, is perhaps
first to call the legislature to adopt :"
the amendment.
II is thus that a matter so important as
-sn amendment to the sacred Constitution,
framed by the greatest and best men that
ever lived in this country, is to be disposed
of An amendment adopted by less than
two-,hirds of Congress, and whose legality
is questionable, even if adopted by two
thirds of the States, is TO be hurried
through the country with the speed and
haste of the summoning of one of the clans
of Scotland to arms, in olden times. The
fiery cross is borne from State to State,
and the Governors ordered to call the ic-
gislatures TO act at once.
The very haste of this action is prtn'd
fdcie proof of its irregularlty and Its DIS
honest intention. 1t is unprecedented. 50
grave a matter has never been acted upon
in this manner. Well may Mr.. Johnson
speak of it as inconsistent with the Con-
stitution: an instrument distinguished for
the deliberation, dignity, fairness, and pub
lcty of its provisions, forms and require
ments. There is no sentence in 1t that
would not damn any stratagcm to defraud
the public judgment and stitle the public
voice. Throughout it directs that there
shall be full representation Ill the public
councils of all the States, and that every
thing shall be done in order. And yet
here is fraction of Congress proposing
radical amendments Of that instrument
inself, and endeavoring thereupon to rush
it through the legislatures Of the northern
States, in order to avoid the expression of
the public opinion in new elections even
in these States.
Never did there exist in this country
party 81 unScrupuouse-so mad. They are
ever engaged in work which, from its ma
ture, they cannot complete. They neither
rivet nor seal upon their deeds because
that is impossible. They cannot "tram-
mel up the consequences Of their wrong
ful measures. They respect not the Con-
stitution nor the rights of the people under
it. Everything they do is stamped with
illegality; or unconstitutionality or out
rageous wrong, which will be most ASST
redly redrcSsed. The very salvation of
the nation depends upon this.
An Important Case Under the Civil
Rights Act
The character of this bill, as it is I'M
derstood by the negroes themselves and
the extreme Radicals, is well illustrated
by case which has recently occurred in
West Virginia. We learn from the Clarks-
burg Conservative that in April last negro
applied TO the recorder of Gilmer county
for a license to marry white woman,
which was refused. Learning that he is
made the equal of the white race by the
Civil Rights bill, the negro lately com
menced legal proceedings against the re-
corder for refusing him the license 10y send
N -