The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-10-31

the State wherein they reside" 1t then
proceeds 10 prohibit the States from making
or enforcing any law which shall abridge
the privileges or immunities oi citizens.
Il does not say what are privileges and i'm
munities that is left for the next Congress
to provide in virtue of the last section,
which declares that !" Congress shall have
power to enforce, by appropriate leg'sla-
tion, the provisions Of the article" We
may find Congress confering privileges
aud immunilies" on one class to the exclu-
sion Of another class; or We may find Con-
gress sssuming absolute control over all the
people Of State and their domestic con-
Germs, and this virtually abolishes the State.
Perhaps any State that has SO little self
respect as 10 adopt the amendment, de-
serves no better fate.
The second section, il nv construction
Of il be right. would probably exclude one
State from Representation 10 Congress. as
I suppose the number OF male negroes over
twenty .oLe 10 nearly equal the number Of
white males. Its. therefore. mere effort
20 force negro suffrage upon Us, whether
We are willing or not. Either do this or
you shall have no representation. Ii IL
presumed that our intelligent people would
not hesitate long in making their choice.
The third section provides that no per-
son shall hold any Office who may have
heretofore taken an oath TO support the
Constitution of the United States, and
Who Afterwards engaged in the rebellion.
or Who gave aid and comfort 10 those who
did engage 10 il. This is a sweeping &C,
Of dlslranchisement, which would embrace,
perhaps. a majority OF our citizens; for
there are probably few who have rot, in
some way or other, taken an oath TO support
the Constitution.
Even those who opposed secession. and
engaged in the war only under compulsion.
would be embraced BY this provision, as
we'll as the man who had given 10 hun
cry soldier a meals yictuals or piece Of
bread aud also all those who. in charity,
had given an article Of clothing TO a suffer
ing friend or relative IN the army. Such
a provision wnuld be so contrary TO the
thrury uf our Government. and SO oppres.
si,e towards very large class of he popu-
latinn II the Southern States. that IL cannot
be supposed that those who proposed il
could have entertained hope that il would
be accepted. They ought 10 have known.
too. that such a provision vas calculated
10 enJanger the.rxistence u the Govern
ment, as revolutions nav always be eI.
peeted. sooner or later, from acts which
DISTINGUISHED the eniranchised class. If
the people cannot exclude unworthy or
undesersing men fron office by the insiru.
mentality oi the ballot. boz, then they are
unit Tor self government. and the sooner
they abandon the experiment the better.
need say nothing Of the fourth section.
but the fifth isthe Trojan horse sbounding 10
mi.ehieE II provides that" Congress shall
have power TO enforce. By appropriate leg.
i.lation, the provision OF this article"
which NAV be construed 10 authorize Con.
grcss TO do whatever II may desire 10 do.
Under this same pro, ision. attached 10 the
emancipation amendment, you have Civil
Rights bill and the freedmen's Bureau bill.
Ii was construed in The senate, just a. |
adnonishrd man, members 81 the Legis.
lature IL would be. 10 authorize these ndious
measures. We should profit b, the expe-
tience IL has furnished Us.
might have greatly extended nv argu.
ment Ia supper, Of the many objections TO
this amendment. but have deemed IL sufli.
eicnt very briefly 10 express my own opin.
ions. and TO leave the subject for the rrilec.
tion Of all who may feel an interest in IL.
! will only add, that should this amend.
ment become part Of the Constitution, we
shall have very different Government IRON
that which we inherited from our ances.
tors. Very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
w. l.. SHARKEY.