The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-02-02
constitutional Amendment.

The movements of President john
son with reference to his policy upon
nnv amendment of the Constitution
are watched with much attention and
interest His conversations with dis
tnguished Senators and Representa-
tives are at once made known to the
public through the associated press
and otherwise as foreshadowing his
policy. He is inclined to conserya-
tism in his recommendations to Con-
gress. This of course displeases those
who are inclined to the extreme verge
of ultraism upon every subject they
favor or oppose. 1t is well known
that the constitution now stands IN
the way Of many radical reforms
which certain enthusiasts are induced
to favor, and they so to thePresident
He is snid to have had the following
conversation during the past week
with distinguished senator:
'The President said he doubted the
propriety at this time of making any
further amendments to the Consttu-
ton One great am endment had all
ready been made by which slavery
had forever been abolished within the
limits of the United States, and ma
tional guarantee thus given that the
institution should never again exist IL
the land. Propositions to amend tho
Constitution were becoming as nu
merous as resolutions at town-meeting'
called to consider the most ordinar,
questions connected with the admin
istration Of local affairs All this, il
his opinion, had tendency to dimin
ish the dignity and prestige attached
to the Constitution of the country, anC
to lessen the respect and confidence
of the people in their great charter o
freedom, If, however, amendment
are to be made to the Constitution
changing the basis of representation
and taxation-and he did not deer
them at all necessary at the presen
ilDlc llt hutN VI NUM- btbltl tllhu
simple proposition embraced in fe'
lines, making in each State the nun
Der of qualified voters the basis of rel
resentation, and the value of propert
the basis of direct taxation. Such
proposition could be embraced
the following terms:- Represents
tives shall be apportioned among I'll
several States which may be include
within this Union according to IL
number of qualified voters in eac
State. Direct taxes shall be appo
toned among the several States whit
may be included within this Unto
according to the value of all taxab
property in each State. An amen
ment of this kind would, in his OPT
ion, place the basis Of representa-
and direct taxation upon correct pri
ciples. The qualified voters were,
the most part, men who were subj,
TO draft and enlistment when it VI
necessary to repel invasion, supprt
rebellion and quen domestic violen
and instruction. They risk tn
lives, shed their blood and peril tn
all to uphold the government and 81
protection, security and value to pre-
erty. 1t seemed but just that prop
ty should compensate for the benet
thus conferred by defraying the
penses incident to its protection q
enjoyment. Such an amendment,
President also suggested, would
move from Congress all issues in
erence to the political equality of
race. 1t would leave the States to
termine absolutely the qualifcati
of their own voters with regard
color, and thus the number of rel
sentatives to which they would be
titled in Congress would depend VI
the number upon which they c
fered the right of suffrage.
The President, in this connect
expressed his opinion that the ag
ton OF the negro franchise quest
in the District of Columbia at
time was the mere entering wedg,
the agitation of the question throu
out the States. and was ill-timed,
called for. and calculated to do q
harm. He believed that it would
gender eninity, contention and ST
between them which would result
great injury to both, and The Ger
determination of the negro populat
Precedence. he thought, should
given to more important matters,
islation upon which was essential
the restoration of the Union,
pence of the country and the prosI