Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-03-02
The President on Coustitutional
Amendments.

The Washington correspondent OF the
Associated Press says the following is the
substance OF a conversation which took
place recently between the President and
distinguished Senator whose name is not
given:
Tho President said he doubted the
~propriety at this time OF making any fur
Their amendments TO the Constitution. One
grea, amendment had already been made
BY which slavery had forever been abol-
ished within the limits Of the United
States. and a national guaranty thus given
tina, the institution should never again
exist in the land. Propositions to amend
the Constitution were becoming numerous
as resolutions at town meetings, called to
consider the most ordinary questions con-
nected with the administration Of local
affairs. All this, in his opinion, had a
tendency 70 diminish the dignity and
prestige attached TO the Constitution Of
the country, and to lessen the respect and
confidence Of :he people in their great
charter Of freedom.
II, however, amendments are TO be made
to the Constitution changing the basis of
representation and taxation, and he did
not deem them at all necessary at the
present time. he knew Of nom better than
a simple proposition embraced in a few
lines, making in each State the number OF
qualified voters the basis Of representa-
tion, and the value Of property the basis
Of direct taxation. Such a proposition
could be embraced in the following terms:
Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be
included within this Union, according 20
the number Of qualified voters in each
State. Direct taxes shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be
included within this Union according to
the value Of all taxable property in each
State. An amendment of this kind would,
in his opinion, place the basis of repre-
sentation and direct taxation upon cor
rect principles.
The qualified voters were, for the most
part, men who were subject to draft, and
enlistment when it was necessary to repel
invasion, suppress rebellion and quell do
mes,ic violence and instruction. They
risk their lives, shed their blood and peril
their all to uphold their government, and
give protection. security and value to pro-
perty, It seemed but just that property
should compensate for the benefits thus
conferred by defraying the expenses Incl
den, 70 its protection and enjoyment.
Such an amendment the President also
suggested, would remove from Congress
all issues in reference to the political
equality Of the races. It would leave the
States to determine absolutely the qualih-
cations Of their W voters with regard to
color, and thus the number Of Representa-
eVes TO which they would be entitled in
Songrsss would depend upon the number
upon which they conferred the right Of
ihe President, in this connection, ex-
pressed the opinion that the agitation of
the negro franchise question in the Dis.
trict OF Columbia At this time was the mere
entering wedge to the agitation Of the
question throughout the States, and was
ill-timed. uncallcd for, and calculated 70
do great harm. He believed Ina, /, wo,iS
engender enmity, contention and s,r;fe
between them, which would resul, IN
great injury to both, aud the certain ex.
termination Of the negro population. Pre-
cedenee, he thought, should be given to
more important and urgent matters, legis-
lation upon which was essential to the
restoration Of the Union, the peace Of the
country, and the prosperity Of the people.