Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-03-06
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

March L, loOO
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
| Mr.. EDITOR The last amendment to the
Constitution reported to the House from the
Reconstruction Committee on Monday, is as fol
lows That Congress shall have power TO
make all laws which shan be necessary ana
proper 10 secure 10 the citiZD OF each State all
privileges and immunIties Of citizens ia the
several States, and 10 all persons in the several
States equal protection the rights OF lie,
liberty and property Every who was at
all conyersant with the state OF affairs IN many
parts of the UniOn-espeeially the South-oefore
the war. Is prepared to give MS hearty assent TO
this measure. IL Is time that the invidious dis
tinctions between citizens OF the different States,
ia any quartec ceased, that any one should be
allowed TO 90 where ne p!eases, 10 a. he pleases,
and say what he pleases without tear OF illegal
moleetation Ii was for the attainment OF this
object that Mr.. Bingham, Of the ablest
lawyers in the House, introduced this amend
ment He saw plainly the1 unless protection
was furnished by inserting such clause IN the
Constitution, no guaranty could be had that
protection would be gwen. On the contrary,
Judging from the past actioBsoi Southern States,
and the unreliable course Of Southern pohti-
clans, 1t was strongly TO tie presumed that some
legislation o. the subject was absolutely neces-
sary Although this seems to b. matter 50
desirable and 50 commonly accepted as necessary,
still there are found many who oppose 1t most
strenuously some because, 1orsooth, they have
50 surprising q love ior the letter of the Con-
stiiutIon a. II now is-or rather tcas. before the
mia her nd
would not see one line. word or letter expungcd
or added to better carry cut its SPIRIT some,
because they 90 not wish 10 as anything with
out the consent of thelr Southern 5reHhreH;
Others because they desire only 10 oppose any
legislation which may result II GOOD, and 10 en-
barrass the government in every way within
their power; a very few undoubtedly 5hlnk they
are doing right IL tlus trying ID prevent any
advance IN civilization.
NIX. wooDBRIDGE's SPEECH.
Many hne speeches have ee-a br asht ou5 by
this as by the other Amendments Among
those who have SPOKEN is Nj Woodbridge. VINO
strongly favored the bill, and ho seems to desire
to atone ior tine democratic votes he cl-- in the
early part IF the session In ,ae colrs. c: bis
remarks he said
=. Governments may BE- established and then
destroyed, but never. so ong ~ t1e earth rolls,
VIII the footprints u tli- Congress- made upon
solid rock, be wiped from history There never
had been day when there should be the exer-
else OF more clrd0T, dsilbera ION foresight AMI
wisdom than now. ILe ,hip IT state. after
weatherlng severe storms needs zIgh1 repairs
The PLANK Of slavery has been replaced by the
plank If freedom, aud hence the importance of
the constitutional amendment.
de believed the President 70 be honest, faith
ful, and pacrl TIC. ami trusted that the present
dstord between him ana Congress NAV te qsie1-
al. and that they may blfn act together t5 pre-
serve the great party Of freedom. on which de-
ponds not only the existence ii mis- Government.
hut the ady4ncem- Oi Tres prIacip!e> through
out the worii. A. the President saw thor. are
c5nstItu tlonai dlfhtu ties iu the wav. he tNr.
Noodbndge) suggested u ghe people that fnev
be removed ty aueudiCz ihs Instrument It--lt.
To pending amend .enI WuuI4 have -eu-
dency e. keep Jhe states within their orbits Ii
would not destroy southern rights 1t there are
such things nor would It destroy any severe gnty.
Inc amendment Is necessary, ana the people
viii not d their whole iuty unless they adopt
The further consideration 1t the question VS.
then postponed TIL the second Tuesday IN Aprt
TRADE Win CANADA.
Ca Tuesday NJ. Morrill,. ir5m the Committee
Of Ways and Means, reported in relation 20 The
Reciprocity Treaty. oil 70 regulate commerce
with the British provinces, the consideration o
which was postponed tIl tomorrow.
McrHERsoN's HISTORY ~ TIE REBELLIoN.
All those who possess, d every one should.
the = Political History OF the Rebellion, lately
edited by Hon. Edward Mcpherson. the able
Clerk OF the House of Representatives, Will be
pleased to hear that he Is now engaged in pre-
parlng for the Fall campaign a political hand
book OF The period elapsed since the death OF
President Lincoln-to which point his book ex-
tended. He Is also engaged IN collecting mate
riais Tor general History OF the War, TO be ar
ranged on the same plal. The value of his
services as a compiler Is ines1mable tor no one
can understand the difficulty attending the cor
rect and impartial writing of a history appeal
ing so strongly to ones feelings. IL is for cor
rectness and imparuahty especially that his
book Is noted ami this causes 1t TO be used as
authority universally. His collection Of materials
Is already curiosity. Tie has about seven thou
sand pamphlets relating 60 the WAT, carefully
classified and arranged. OF these about eleven
hundred are sermons, nearly four hundred Of
which arc eulogles on Mr.. Lincoln. To these
he Is constantly adding, for he obtains every
pamphlet he can pertaining in any way to the
subject, and people, recognizing rhe value OF his
labors, forward to him valuable documents from
ali parts Of the Union
THE POLITICAL WAR AT WASHINGTON
The tumult so lately raging here has been
stiiled. The terrible ehasm opened between the
President and Congress by reason OF ais allowing
his ungovernable temper 70 50 far carry him
away to make abusive and contemplate
harangue before crowd OF rebels, is now being
closed up. The President saw where he was
drifting. Congress did not aggravate the mat
ter by returning the attack, and from present
appearances reconciliation viii be effected and
the President return to his old allegiance. Sail
after such an inexcusahle exhibition, he will be
regarded with suspicion, and Congress will
always stand by ready to catch him If he falls
again 1t Is to be earnestly hoped that he does
intend to complete his record here as well as he