The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1866-08-17

I y
itself the extent of its political pow
er.
In his published interview with
Senator Dixon, of Conn, the Presi-
dent, while doubling the propriety at
this time of making further amend.
ments to the Constitution, says if,
however, amendments are to be made
regarding the basis of representation,
DC, he knew of none better than max
ing in each State the number of quail
lied voters the basis of representa-.
ton, which, he says in the same con
versation, would remove from Con-
grcss all issues in reference to the
political equality of the races. 1t
would leave the States to determine
absolutely the qualifications of their
own voters with regard TO color, and
thus the number of representatives
to which they would be entitled in
Congress would depend upon the
number upon whom they conferred
the right of suffIagc.
| no more conclusive argument can
he framed in favor OF this section of
the amendment. 1t my well be
adopted in answer to the Presidents
doubt of the justncss and necessity
OF the amendment.
by the third section, prominent
leaders of the rebellion, who had in
an official capacity, sworn to support
the Constitution of the United States,
are excluded from offices of public
trust, civil or military, under the
United States, or under any State,
until their disability shall he remov-
cd by q vote of two-thirds OF each
House of Congress. You need not
he reminded that the uniform tenor
of all the public declarations of the
President on the subject during tho
war and after his accession to the
Presidency, were in harmony with
this provision. Had he expressed an
opposite sentiment he would not have
been Of the Union party. In his re-
marks To prominent citizens OF Indi.
; ANA, who waited on him few days
after his entrance into Office he said:
at is not promulging anything |
have not heretofore sal To say that
treason must he made odious, that
traitors must be punished. They
must not oIly y he punished, but their
social power must be destroyed. Ii
not they will still maintain an aris-
tocracy, and may again he numerous
and powerful; for, in the words Of
former Senator Of the United States,
"whcn traitors become numerous
, enough, trcason becomes respecta-
Bile What punishment less than
r. death or exile can he more effective
/! to destroy the general power of trai-
tors, or to prevent their maintaining
tlc asccndency'so patrioticaley depict.
ed by the President, than their cXclu-
sion from public offices through which
/, they inisled the people, betrayed the
. Government, and brought on the re-
, bcllion? TIE public sarety-thc pre-
venting the recurrence of rebellion
demands the present, if not the per
mancnt, exclusion from Office of the
, leading traitors. The loyal scnti-
I ment Of the country heartily approves
4 their exclusion.
!, On no subject connected with the
n organization OF the local governments
Il in the insurgent States have the Pres
idcnt, his Cabinet and all loyal peo-
pie been more uniformly persistent
than the justness Of and necessity for
| the reputation of the rebel debt, of
, whatever form, Confederate and
r state It's recognition in any way
t would he to that extent n justification
/ If the rebellion, and condemnation
r of the Government for suppressing
, it by force of arms. Again and again
! the President urged such repudia-
} tion upon the Conventions and Legis-
? latures OF tie South In his reply to
Gov. Johnson, Of Georgia, who call
g the war debt, he sald; "The people
f Of Georgia should not hesitate one
2 single moment in repudiating every
single dollar OF the debt created for
II the purpose of aiding the rebellion
against the Government of the United
IS States
; "It will not do to levy and collect
|. taxes from State and people that
II are loyal and in the Union, to pay q
/ debt that was created To aid in an eff
i fort TO take them out, and thereby
$ subvert the Constitution of the Uni
c ted States. Those who invested
e their capital in TIE creation of this
G debt must meet their fate and take it
}. AS one OF the inevitable results of the
G rebellion," etc.
IT, The Union members OF Congress
l. heartily responded to these just and
@ patriotic sentiments and for the GER
IT tain and permanent protection of the
IS Government, and the loyal people of
+, tie nation against these claims found
:, ed in rebellion and crime, incorpora-
:. ted in the amendment the fourth
and last substantive section, which,
q alter providing for the validity of
is the public debt Of the United States,
II authorized By law, including debts
It incurred for services in suppressing
IT insurrcction and rebellion, declares
;, that neither the United States, nor
ie any State, shall assume, or pay any
Ie debt obiigatc or incurred in aid OF III
a surrcction or rebellion against the
lt Cuited States, or any claim for the
N loss or emancipation Of any slave;
but all such debts, obligations and
~ claims shall b1 held illegal and void
Such IS the constitutional amend