Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-09-26

Cowan's speech, which gives bis
|ws of the proposed amendment to
Constitution. Read It:
SECTION FIRST.
rbe first section of the amendment
= |ot. by many, considered very ma
ial although it is easy to conceive
case in which it might work great
kcbicf by compelling the inhabi-
#ts of q State to suffer themselves
u be overrun by a totally different
Il of people, which for their own
fetv they might wish to expel-as
II Instance, if the people of Calitor-
should find it necessary to expel
Chinese. This provision would
Invent them from doing SO, as TO all
that race born in the United States.
A gain, State might find it neces-
" to abridge the privileges and i'm
&lnities of some Of its people for the
ke of equality, as has happened
ry often in history. Utah might
sh to abolish Polygamy when she
comes a State; yet if that should
declared by Congress one OF the
fivileges or immunities Of citizens OF
8e United States, her power over the
&biect would be gone and she could
M regulate this domestic institution
II hers at will, as is the admitted right
Ii all the States as the Constitution
6Dw stands.
4 Lastly, it win be claimed, under
his clause, that Congress viii have
Ne right to define and fix what are
Ne privileges and immunities Of citi-
Ins of the United States, and in that
Use they may include the right Of
&ffrage among the privileges, and
us force negro suffrage throughout
be Union by mere maiority-whict
&ould be fatal to the Republic.
SECTION SECOND.
n This second section is violation o
Be fundamental principles of the gov
Eminent of the United States, ant
calculated to change its character en-
&irely. When the Constitution wa
krmed, it was intended to confer up
bn the General Government only sucl
bowers as were necessary to enable !
10 govern in all matters of general IA
6erest to the whole, reserving thos
which the States might regulate TO
by their separate action.
The right to make war and pcac
establish post offices-make uni
5orm rules, for naturalization an
bankruptcy-regulate commerce wit
Foreign nations, and between tn
Etates-and settle difficulties betweel
States and the citizens of differen
$tates, being in the nature genera
1re instances Of these powers. Bu
Vic Constitution in no case gives tn
M Federal Government any authorlt
tD interfere in State affairs, where tn
State itself could regulate them, viii
but affecting any but its own peopl
Thus slavery was left with the State
because no matter what action Il
State took upon it, such action WI
moi felt beyond its own people, or ou
2side Of its own boundaries, and so, Z
NJ o thousand other things; especial
sthat of the right Of suffrage whi'
each State was left to regulate for
telf and which it could thus regula
without in any way affecting It's sist
states.
n Now, if this amendment is adopte
he right Of suffrage will be given ov
D the Federal Government-nOt
fectly it is true, but Indirectly, a
18th the same effect as though il wei
h declares that whenever any Sta
enies TO any of the male citizens
be United States, being q years
NC, the right to vote, that then I
<Dwer of that State, in the UniC
<hould be diminished in proportion
<he number of voters so exclud'
Ihat is, Pennsylvania has now 60
{'p0 adult males over 2l, and she /
~ members Of Congress, or one
very $4,000. But if we suppose Il
VIC has $4,000 male negroes OF
Nequired age, and to whom they "
xpt allow votes, then she will
obliged to accept one member of Ct
tress, less, or else change her c0ni
tution so as to allow the negroes
xote. That is the alternative prese
ed to Pennsylvania. Either let
: negroes Uote, or else lose a member
on3resS as the penalty-that is all
t. But it goes much farther in
Southern States. They would all J
heavily-some, indeed, would have
Five up one-half Of their members
Tiis House Of Representatives.
tne worst part Of it is, too, that
pperaticn of this section is not o
EQUAL in all the States, but is absolt
n unjust to some, in order thatoth
may profit by it, In all tho North
states which have few or no negro
hey run no risk, and cannot lose,
hey gain in power Just as the 9th
trc deprived Of it. This is the sec
rIf their anxiety for ife auccqge