The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-07-13
The Constitutional Amendment.

perhend coalitionists who can stand
up mantulIy and say that the leading
feature Of the constitutional amend
ment-that, we mean, by which rep
rc%sentation in Congress and in the
Electoral Colleges is to be based on
the voting population wrong in it.
self. The principle is SO maniiestIy
just that the whites Of the South have
no right to double their representa-
ton by counting their apportionment
a despised class, whose right to vote
is denied, and whose interests are not
cared for, that it becomes necessary
to adopt some other expedient for
evading the issue, A great clamor is
made about the sacredness ofthe Con-
stitution, and q howl is raised at the
sacrilegious thought of changing the
Constitution which has been handed
down to US from Washington. and
Franklin, These hypocrites forgot
hat thirteen amendments have Ill
ready been added to the Constitution
since it was framed and adopted, and
that the last which was proposed by
Congress and ratified during the civil
war, would have been joyfully accepted
by Washington and Franklin and by
four-ilthS OF the convention Of 1881.
They well know that it was the mar
row seItishuess Of South Carolina and
GeOrgia-the States which did least
for the national cause, but whose ad-
hesion was still deemed essential to
the maintenance Of Independence
that any countenance or implication
in favor Of slavery was PERMITTED to
find q place in the Constitution, and
that the trainers of that immortal in
strument lamented their inability to
abolish the institution. They did not
pretend that the Constitution was
perfect, and readily acqniesced in the
several amendments which were made
in 1889, 1874, and 1903 and il the
amendment abolishing slavery could
have been added in their lIfetimes
there's not one ofthe great men whose
names are destined to live forever as
the apostles of freedom, civil and re-
liglous, who would have regarded it
as the most important and most sa-
cred clause in the Constitution, be-
cause it is the guarantee Of perpetual
liberty and equality before the law.
Away, then, with the hypocrisy
which would set up the plea that the
Constitution is too sacred and too
perfect to be amended. Such pre-
fences invariably proceed from men
who have no faith in republican in
stitutions or in the right aud capae-
ity of the people TO govern them
selves.
Another evasive method Of meet
ing tho argument in favor OF the
constitutional amenement is to raise
II cIamor about the rights of the
States TO immediate representation
in Congress There is no time, and
this is not the time, it is said, to
amend the Constitution. Let the
eleven seeded States have their right
OF representation Immediately, aud
then the Constitution can be amended,
say these rebel sympathizers. But
the fact is well understood that the
rebel States, II Immediately admitted,
would not agree ~ the proposed
change OF the basis of representation
while they cannot deny its justice,
They constitute more than u fourth
Of the States, to say nothing Of KeL-
lucky, which is IN full sympathy with
them and once being admitted, they
will never consent to have their
strength in Congress curtialed. The
loyal country is therefore iutiied since
the rebels forfeited "a right to represen.
tation in Congress, in keepihgth them out
until the Constitution can be so chang
ed as to strip them Of the privilege OF
representing u population which they
d~isfranchise. There is not another
Government in the world which would
ever again allow rebels to participate
in the control o. public atfairs-at any
rate, not Until after the lapse of many
years, and then with severe %restic-
tons and limitations. Yet the new
Comprehend and rebel coalition do.
mand the latter shall BIO Immediately
restored to more than their former
power. For whereas they formerly
by q compromise which was relnc-
family assented to by the North, were
permitted TO represent three. fifths of
their slaves, they now, after having
forfeited that and all other rights ana
privileges, demand immediate restord
lion, with the rightto represent all the
negroes. 1t is the great object of the
new coalition, which is to meet in con-
vention in Philadelphia in August, to
secure the most unjust privilege to
their Southern allies. Whatever dis.
guises and false pretences they may
use, this is the real object, for they
know that the new party they are
about to form has no strength outside
OF the rebel States and Kentucky,
which would have been rs mu,h rebel