Maryland free press., 1866-08-23


n "a II M
81 r. 81 e
q ...s..s..y.z.e. sszs..s..z..E<
the ius5 Frent States was ,hIoxedA til. he La
tn sun.z IN tl,,. ,,,,s,;,ut;a - a. 1t -, Is. "
and. ms necessary eaps.ou.ncs ~ ,,..,, ..,.Ii
.wssiy tiI,st slssftS
the Union. :. =
But this was only an obstacle 10 the endowment
Of die ri,ht nind n, the dsr,,ra. ~
did not annul the ;o6esnEr ,,sosrt9 sIs.s .ikst
aud it ceased 10 exist when liz ,,.,,rn,son IL
.nstF .fzx.,ss III
The States Had uYail, r,-.,,n.i. iSo;s aI,ah.s 10
the toustituion !: nj lawx s,f Tic I,n;,,-, ss,asi :
L. Serond~Bat /, Is asserted. Ii, .,n,s,rt Of tbe
auttorty eiaiued by The Congress now in,I mas
session of jiower that IL flaws idire.,lv fr,m fb,
Laws Of war: that il is un0ns- the r;:,ds ,,bi.i
victorious war always conitrs uJuu In. cum autr-
ors andd which the couuurrer H,t sr,;rr;.E or
waive, ia his own discretion. dc his We yenIv
that The laws in question relate co e,y. a.
IL. rights the, eouier are 10 yarssar
cd bela ecu aleu- an iiidsrendeut nations. ae1d
can have NO place or Errf in 4 hin IN, ,v,,,
wagediby y royerinvn,. tus,,nure,s nm insus,.c-
tim of its pSu teoiL. ui,o bts o,, s,il s,.aius
its AUTHORITY ~, III we hah, CARRIED nj, s,I,ssvs,
war against any we n,i,,ht ,I,s,,
haye acquired POSSESSION i,,rs,i fi,u' thei,
soif with The right To- ruf r e nur Laws u6,, their
people and to iinpose up N them such l,twss nIl
snch obligations Ms, Mcknight choose iyut sye
hal befury the war complete iri.uictibu ustr tbr
soil of that Southern laies; limited only he our
own constitution. Our lilus yere.the only, ra.
ivp,tl laws in force upon il; the nj q,
the gaitsd. States was the: oni,a go;YeYn,n n,
through which those.ts,atesahd titeif people HAD
relations wi b fyrrig Ia ions. and ti,s tt,s MA.
the only tsg byiwlichstl,sy RerB' rteoghiaei OF
known anywbere2o the lice of 1.-THE GARTH In
all these respects and in all other resue,r n yoJy
ing nationat in ercst and riptits our possession
was perfect and coIpplccIn IL did NOT need to N,
acqpircds but only TO, be maintained mud Veto
rious war against tIre rebellion, could do no,Ii,s
morssthsn maintain it--cuuid only vindicate and
re-eStablsh he disputed supremacy of the tonsti
tquoh,,2 y Gould neither enlarge nor diminish
ON tlie goyernmcnf by which IL was nchieyeti l.
Sueh an enlargement OF abridgmeiit vf ctiisri,u-
liosal power can be- effected o ify ly the amend
heht oi the constitutions isef and such amend
ment can w made ou y in the modes which the
constitution itself Preseribes. The claim that the
suppression Of an ipsurreclion against tile gov
erhneht gives additional authority aud power 70
that government, especially that il enl,,rpcs The
Jurisdiction of Congress and gives that body the
rieht 10 exclude States from rcprescntatitn in the
councils, without which the nation itself can
nave no authority and no existence, 1t seems 10
US Is at variance alike with the principles OF Tie
constitution and with the public safety.
Ihird'-But 1t isaileged That in certain partic-
uifS the constitution Of the United States fails TO
secure that absolute justice and impartial eouali
" WhiSh ,he principles" OF our government re-
qnire'" Ihat 1t WAS IN these respects the result
OF compromise and concessions, 10 which how
ever necessary When the constitution was formed
we are no longer compelled To submit and that
now, having the Power through successful war,
aha Jisp warrant Tor lis exercise, In the hostile
cohaact Oh The insnrgcnt section the actual gov
e7nmenl OF the unatd States may impose lis own
conditions and make the constitution conform h,
an It's PROVISIONS 10 ilsown ideas of equality and
me rights VI man. '''''
Congress at its last session, proposed amend
meh's 10 Tue constitution, enlp;ging in some very
important ,articplsrs thF authority or the pencr.
Ill government over that oftlic several Static and
reducing ny indirect disranchst nicnt the rtpre.
sentative power OF the States in which slat ery
i'rhcIiy existed. And 1t is claimed that these
amendments niay be made alid Us parts of the
Original constitution without the concurrence of
e States 10 NC ineSt SERIOUSLY ntitctsi by them
g. may pe imposed rT Oh those States by three
'i,attas ~ ane rein'In ne States IA conditions Of
iaeir teaumission 10 representation in Congress
and IN the electoral college ,'rHa
Is inc nnqncstionable right Of the people Of
the United States to. make such changes in the
constitution as they, nponidue delibcration, NAV
deem exredicnt. But we Insist that they shall be
MADE ~ lne mode which the constitution itself
points OUT, IN conformity with the letter and the
spirit oI tiiai Instrument, and With the princi-
pies Oh seii-so'efnmehtand eqnal ri 5hts viii h
neaai the OASIS OF our republican, institutions -
We uehy .ne right Of Congress to make these
changes In the fundamental law Without the con-
carrence OF three-tourths of all the States, ncl-
aing especially those to be most seriously affected
oy 'heh, or 10 impose them upon States for peo-
pic, rs conditions Of representation or of admis-
SION 20 any the rights, duties or obligations
winch belong, under The constitution, to all the
ga es aii :. .r
4, ana WIN sun greater emphasis do VIC deny
the right OF any portion Of the States excluding
the ret oi inc es from any share in tn ir
COUNT us or 10 propose or sanction changes in the
eonsti auoa which are TO effect permanently po-
hiical relations and 'ontro or coerce the iegiti-
mate action OF the several members Of the COM
mon oniot Such an exercise of power is sim
ply usnrpa;ion--just as understandable when
exercised ~ Northern States as it would he IL ex-
ereised ny Southern land not TO be fortified or
Railated ny anything in the past history either of