Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-28
WHAT TENNESSEE IS ASKED TO
RATIFY

convened, and that it ratify the Constr
tutional Amendment, il one of them. Ii
il singular that these men should wear
faces that cannot blush TO make such
proposition. They have no decent ex
cuse for asking the ratification OF an act
by State to which they denied The PRIV
lege of voting upon in Congress When
the Constitution provides that Congress
by a vote of two-thirds, may propose
amendments, it means Congress com
posed of all the States, and not part
of them. Surely, if Tennessee is a State
for the purpose of ratifying Constiiu-
tional Amendment, it is a State for the
purpose of proposing it. 1t was mol II
State for the last it is shameful to
maintain that it is State for the
first Congress, we are told, is to be the
Judge of the qualifications of its mem
hers Each State is entitled to send mem
bers Tennessee was not entitled to send
members. and is not, therefore, State.
1t is only a State that is entitled to an
elected Legislature If Tennessee is not
entitled to representation in Congress. 1t
is not entitled to Legislature, and an
attempt to ra,ify Constitutional amend
ment would be an act Of revolution Can
the men at Nashville comprehend this
logic? If not, they had better call in
the school-boys, or consult the highly in
telligent colored BARRIERS about Capitol
Hill.
Let us see what the so-called Legisla-
tire is to ratify, for ratify it will, if
quorum can be obtained The thing is
called Constitutional Amendment. 1t
is intended to operate on eleven States a.
conditions precedent to their right to rep
resentation in the Government They
are States If they ratify they are Proc
inces IL they do not But admitting the
power to ratify, what does the amend
ment mean2 What are its fundamental
provisions They are thus defined by
the Cincinnati Union
81 1t recognizes, and, indeed, esiab-
fishes the doctrine of secession. The
whole measure is grounded on the hy
pothesis that the Southern States did, by
their pretended secession, actually get
out of the Union as States and that
now although the rebellion is fully sup
pressed and the people Of the Southern
States not only submit to and sustain the
Constitution and laws Of the United
States, but get upon their knees, and in
deep humiliation change their social
organization and abolish negro slavery
in order 10 adapt themselves to Northern
opinions and respectfully ask for rep
resentaton in Congress, yet they are
told By the Congress of part Of the
States, You have forfeited your rights
q States and become DISTINGUISHED and
can only become entitled to q represen-
tation when you shall be resdmitted on
such terms as We may prescribe for your
admission This is Republication Of the
whole doctrine Of President LINCOLN
during the wan as to the fact and legal
possibility Of secession.
- Ii establishes the doctrine that a
Congress Of a part Of the States can not
only make laws for the entire country,
but ior the people Of States denied a
representation la other words, II IS
reputation not only OF the doctrine
that representation aud taxation must 20
together but also Of the whole doctrine
Of the inaliensble right Of selfgoyern-
ment, as announced in the Declaration
Of Independence
- LISA reputation Of the consti-
tuiional provision which gives a repre-
sentation ia Congress to each State in
the Union During the rebellion, while
the Southern States waived their right to
q representation in Congress, II was their
own fault, and they could not complain
But now, that the rebellion is suppressed,
and they submit to the Federal Govern
ment and ask a representation in Con
gress, it cannot be refused them without
admitting that, by secession they &C
taally got out Of the Union, and also
without repudiating the fundauenta
doctrines Of popular government
-. 1t goes beyOnd all this; The pro
posed amendments Of the Constitution
are made on the hypothesis, that Con
gress Of a part of the States can alte
the Constitution. aud frame new gov
eminent fundamentally for other State
in the Union, but denied a representa-
ton or voice in framing these proposes
amendments What would the sages o
the American Revolution have said L
such doctrine as this7
Is This measure proposes that th'
Congress of only part Of the States
refusing a representation to other State
in the Union, and duly electing an'
asking a representation, may frame
make, pass and propose amendment
70 the Consultation, actually changing
fundamentally, the form Of our Govern
--ent without even submitting tn