The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-01
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY /, 1866.
The Passage of the Constitutional Amend-

THE action of the House of Representatives,
yesterday, IL adopting the constitutional
Amendment by a. nearly three-fourths vote,
is nothing more than the fulGlment Of for
gone conclusion, the official declaration of the
sentiments of that body, expressed months
since, by their appointment of the Joint Com.
mittee on Reconstruction. But that it was
anticipated does not diminish the satisfaction
with which we hail the result 1t was a
glorious triumph in favor of Northern and
Southern suffrage-equslity, ratification o
the destruction of that wall of caste which
has enabled the planter to WELD an influence
as far superior to that of the Northern mocha
mic as is that exercised by the Bhuddst der
vises over the ignorant worshippers of Jug
gernaut. 1t is an official announcement that
the day has arrived when one vote in one
State is equal and not more powerful than
one vote in another. It is the utterance of the
fat that the time is past when human beings
not allowed to vote are to be entitled to repre-
sentation2 that property, in fact, shall be
treated as population, yet at the same time
viewed as cattle by those who WELD the poll
tical thunderbolts forged by those whom
contemn.
The effect of the Constitutional Amend
nent, should it be ratified by the requisite
number of States, will be to increase the
power OF the North, or rather to decrease the
power Of the South, in the popular branch OF
our National Legislature. This, good will be
accomplished, not by any elevation of the
rights of the residents Of the free States, but
by the reduction to an equality Of those who
have heretofore been upheld by an unjust and
UBIQUITOUS system of apportionment. The ratio
of representation will hereafter be made to
rest on the number OF qualified voters, and
not on the size OF the resident population.
Some three weeks since we advocated the
amendment although it was then as a motion
Of General SCHENCK. In an article on the
subject we quoted some figures, which will
probably explain the result of the amendment,
asswell as any words we could use:-
Formerly it would have taken 200 900 blacks
to secure one representative, while now l27 600
are entitled to one, although not one vote can
be cast by the whole number VINO are reDr1-
sented According TO the census of 1860 the
Southern States were entitled to etghty-four
members of CONGRESS-. These eighty four men,
bers Represented about eight million whites
two million rour hundred thousand slaves. Now
!, the white population would have been entitled
to siXty-seVen members, the remaining seven
teen being secured under The constitutional law.
AT the present time, in place OF 100000 blacks
being counted. there will be 1000, 900 who will
be represented by thirty members in the lower
House, or they will thus gam thirteen more
members. In fact, the North, in flush of
gratitude, has forced upon the South thirteen
more members of Congress, as a reward of their
Rebellion. The fruit of their treason is this
acquisition of power, and, should they be read
miited, we would have nlneLy-seven Southern to
one hundred and forty two Northern representa-
tives, or population numbering but 100000
whites has nearly as much power as one in
Guiding %, 100000"
Should the amendment be adopted, thi
gross injustice would be at once remedied
and only by the extension of the right of suf,
trage to the black would the additional repre-
sentation be secured. OF the prospects of it's
ratification we must speak most favorably
Thst it will pass the Senate cannot be
doubted, because the assent given by the
Senate portion Of the Reconstruction Com
mittee will undoubtedly secure the concur
renee of that body. In recent conversation
the President signiaed his favorable consdera-
ton of the scheme, and its submission to toe
Legislatures of the various States will be the
result That it will be opposed by all the
South is not an open question. 1t is an act
to increase Northern influence, to do away
with Southern superiority, and it would
be an act of the widest folly tor any
Northern State to refuse to remedy an
injustice which has been practised for nearly
century. There are but twelve Southern
States proper, of which Kentucky and Tennes
see will probably ratify. The vote would
thus stand-Ayes, 27; nays, 10. The force Of
advancement would soon secure the assent Of
one more, and the amendment would become
part and portion of the supreme law of the
land.
Having thus given our warm support to the
representation amendment we here favor the
last infringement on our Magma Charter, to
to which we will yield advocacy. 1t is, indeed
too true, as President JOHNSON says, that
''the motions to innoVate the Constitution are
becoming as numerous as resolutions at
town meeting" At the time of the adoption
of the instrument every possible interes
which might then exist was examined, anC
provided for But, that the trainers did no
consider the work immaculate was shown by
the provisions they made Tor its fltur,
amendment. The world has moved on in the
eight decades since that document was framed
New issues have arisen, and have been pro
vided for. As these new issues arise we vii
in the future advocate such infringements a