Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-07

4ONHIIIIIE0A FAIEHIV4-
From the number and variety of the
propositions for amending the Constitution
Of the United States, presented every day
during the session ofthe present Congress, a
stranger would conclude that the American
! people had been living, for three quarters
Of century, under the most defective or
ganio law that ever existed among men.
Since the suppression of the rebellion, the
most able and philosophic statesmen have
risen TO declare "the best government the
world ever saw" a mere conglomeration Of
conceits,. that needs must be brushed away,
and its constitution 50 utterly deficient in its
adaptation to the purposes it was designed
to accomplish, that it must be made over
again. The propositions to amend aresomany
and so varied, 80 revolutionary in effect, and
80 destructive of the principles which I'M
deriie the old instrument, that, If they should
all be adopted, the people of the United
States would have TO prepare to move from
an old into an entirely new structure. They
must get ready to enjoy more magnifcence
and splendor in the governmental home
stead. They must abandon the solid granite
and marble structure erected by their ances-
tors, and embrace the splendid and transient
beauties of the modern Radical architect.
There are certain recollections of liberty and
justice and equality which cluster around
the old one that are distasteful and in view
of late family quarrel, it is impossible that
it shall ever again witness the joyful re-
unions Of other days. II must be torn down
and cast away, and all its precious memories
be buried in oblivion-and the children of its
roof no longer live together in unity They
fell out and fought each other, scratching
and biting terribly; and the vanquished
must, therefore, never again find favor in the
eyes, or kindness in the hearts of the victors.
They must have no further rights in the in
heritance OF common fatherhood, but be
and remain castaways, to be trodden rpon,
and spurned, and kicked from pillar to post
for all time 10 come.
Besides, their places shall be filled by an
other more elevated and congenial race of
people, whose faculties for conducting affairs
Of government excel all Others, and the odor
from the sweat of whose brow is ravishingly
pleasant. In creating and fashioning the
world, its Great Maker had in view the per-
fectibility Of man, through the means given
for his disposal and use. He was made to
improve himself, and to improve upon ma
ture. To Adam was given no mules; but
how could the world have obtained its cotton
supplies without them? To the human race
were given no mulattoes but how could the
Radical notion of hnman perfection be
reached by any other means? After a little
while, in the due course of our wholesome
improvement, we shall have our President
Sambo, our Senator Cuffey, our Chief Justice
Pompey, etc, etc, downwards; and, after
wards, we shall be transported by the com
plete glories of the Millenial Jubelol
If it we're not SO serious subject, and so
earnestly pressed, we should take it as one
of those tendencies of the American mind to
develop the farcical, and call it an eminently
successful burlesque.
But why such an Unsuitable desire 10 amend
the Constitution? Were those truly great
men who framed the Government, which it
would fill this column to name, such fools as
10 transmit to their children a constitution
which was not worth the paper upon which
it was written? Was it true that up to the
initiation of the late stupendous war,
the Constitution and Government of the
United States were the best in existence and
Immediately after the war, it became the
worst that ever disgraced the Republican
annals of mankind? If not so, it truly
promises to become so.
And why ? Not because the Southern
States are or have been opposed to the Con-
.stitution. In the inception of the war, they
adopted, without objection or argument, for
their own government the constitution of the
Union in substance and effect and during the
continuance of that war, their reverence for
and attachment to that instrument were so
strong that there was never, anywhere
among them, single proposition or effort
made to amend or change it. Is it possible
that for the simple reason that it was and is
acceptable to the South, it..should now be
changed? If SO, the principles and high
objects of government are at an end, and the
purpose and aim Of that which must here
after exist will be ruled and conducted with
the single aim and desire of monopoly to the
strong and oppression to the weak