, 1866-04-12
mr.. Eakerss Proposed mendment Of
she CunntItukion.

The following Is the text Of the amend
ment Of the Constitution proposed by Hon
5ehu Baker, OF Illinois: d,
Joint resolution proposing an amendment to the
o..,, t9n:t s I. ti,n!ica q 'hs up,ted state:
t.s r. @ e. ss s aa sf 1SS:t 1sg e RgTs,
GsstKa9tfd two thlrds Of 6oih Houses coucu1Etng,
That the following article be proposed to the Leis
l,lufes ., ne several States = az amendment to
No person Who has voluntarily participated IN
ths civil military naval eervce of The late 70
salsd Sa Of Anss o. whe Ia.
ate sta'es Of America By giving Them I'D Or com.
tort. shn ever be eligible 70 thc Office Of President
o. Vice; President q ihs Uni,ed state: o. to Lbs
o. re United States: or to the of1ee Of Jalse,
fa's ,e ho o 9 Marshal
United States. or the Office Of Attorney General ol
the Emitted States, or he offcs Of Secretary Or head
9f Br.ean Of any Executive Department. Of The
other public 3Etnlster or Consul OF The Un1ted
Sthe:, o. 10 my MILITARY or naval office ln the Reg
ular Army OF IN the Nary Of the Uniled states,
anc the conGrtts thall have power to make all
laws. md each House thereof all rules, which may
he necessary aud proper 10 carry this article into
ELECT. -"--.'
Mr.. Baker supported lis resolution with
the following remarks:
Finally, the suggested amendment cxelud-
ing rebels forever from all the high Offices Of
honor or profit under the Government of the
United States. The value Of such an amend
mcnt would be great As have suggested,
It would furnish large, humane, and blood
less satisfaction to Justice. hare heard
much said about making treason odious. The
adoption of such an amendment would be
duing something to the purpose In that Ilirec-
ton. ! will say, sir, that will hiss no man
on in the scent OF blood. am not strong un
hanging. Neither am very strong on con-
ascatfon. though willing 10 do reasonable
thing IN that way. Hook rather to the up
p1icatfon Of great principles, of unquestion-
able Justice md humanity, giving 1afge salts
factions, operating upon large masses, remov-
fug torpid and brutal socIal DISTINCTIONS, aud
helping society on in It's troubled and ben1sbted
march to the realization Of those better things
which I devoutly believe God has In htore for
it. And ! cay emphatically; that IN my judg-
mcnt, such an amendment would be very
potent means of breaking down that torpid
and brutal social obstruction Of elaes rule and
nristocracy in the South, out Of which came
the rebellion, and which Is still the torncut-
ing evil of the Republic. Would you be hu-
name to the great mass Of the Southern peo-
pie, white and black! Wrench the scepter OF
power over this Government, at least, from
hands which have only ruled to curse and to
ruin. Is there not blood enough on those
hands to work forfeiture Of right to
the scepters Besides, sir, the loyal
people OF the country, North and South, want
prrn1au Mt, reliable security that their eyes
shall lever behold that lnsuferable spcctaclc,
some Robert E. Lee from Virginia, some Wade
hampton from South Carolina, some Jacob
Thompson from Mississippi, some Gideon J.
Pillow, or Fort Pillow Forest from Tennessee,
walking into the other end of the Capitol or
into this Hall to make laws for the people OF
the United States? That, air, ought to be made
IN impossible thing forever, and the
only way to do It Is to place the prohl-
hilton OF 1t in the Constitution, high
above the unstable security .ofa mere stat
ute which Is subject to be set aside ut
any moment. My strong impression IS, that
IT this Is not done before admitting these
communities to power again, It will not be
long before we shall sec the floors Of these
Legislative balls specklcd over with generals
elevated them to Office by leading on the ser
ried rebel column, under strange and de-
tested lag. to tho slaughter OF the patriot
sons Of the Republic! Sir, the very bones Of
these heroic slain would rise up from the
fields Of carnage WHERE they fell, and reproach
rs for the infamy Of 50 base wong to the
martyred dead { while their fathers, their
children would point the finger Of scorn, anG
cry tshamer' 7.shau,ev' with m emphasis
more blastingp than the curse Of the wetta
witch, because made puneent by the 1nstiee OF
God.
Look, sir, at the men who have already
been elected, rs It Is called, by most OF these
cnmmnni,iesi Look at the measage OF the
so-cal1cd Governor Perry, Of South Carolina,
arp7,iur that the statute alluded TO Is uncon-
stitutjonal and onsht to be repealed. md
onenjv coufessiug that the men returned by
that State could not, without fat perjury.
lake the onth We have all here taken Read,
for You may, from the Richmond W1l Of the
elst u1timo, that
sIn ep1se Of The late defeat Of the Democracy In
OHIO snd PennsJlssnis, the respect and confidence
Gf he southern IN that patty = 4 srfas
fnil we'll that II there WIS Democratic majority IN
Cong ess TIE Congregational test cath tooda b sse<f
esc1,,''
thus ushering upon these floors as Lawmakers
for loyal men, women, and children, the ring
lenders Of the late bloody and internal rebel
lion nl.a1nst country and against libeFty! And
that this opinion OF the Northern Democracy
en- the part Of the eY-rebefs Is correct. Is
proved By the fact that the representatives Of
that party upon this floor have already, At
tllls yefy session, voted nearly unanimously
to Law on the table resolution asserting the
biudipr force OF that statutel We want 8
constitutional barrier, sir, against this im-
pending Eruption Of rebel celebrities Into the
chief seats OF the Republic, which they have
been unable to subvert By stealth, tfand, and
perjury, or to overthrow by armed tosca IN
EA~4-n