The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-18

repudiate them No! it would be the act
| of an unnatural mother. She can never con-
sent to it-Neoc!.
It is said however, that Congress can ca
sily remove the disability which this section
imposes: but is it likely that Congress VIII
do so If they be so readily removed, why
impose them at all =? And it should not lie
forgotten that Congress could, through TINS
dispensing power, manage to I'LL tue State
Offices of every grade, almost entirely accor-
ding to its own choice and dlctatlon, by re-
lieving from disabilities only such as might
serve lis purposes; and thus the freedom OF
elections would be virtually destroyed, and
the State governments might become the
willin. and subservicnt tools Of grasping
ambition and usurping tyranny.
All that need be said of the fourth section
of the proposed Amendment is, that 1t IS
useless. The Federal debt is already sufh-
cicntlv secured by the honest intention OF the
people to pay it. And noticeable fact is,
with what cicerfulness the people of this
Commonwealth, taxed without representa-
ton and depressed and impoverished by the
war, pay their Internal Revenue taxes by
seeking to bind the people of the whole
country further to the payment OF the pub
lie debt. by means of IL Constitutional pro-
vision, the government betrays lack of con
filence. not perhaps more In the people OF
the South than in those of the North.
The Confederate debt is equally certain to
remain unpaid. Indeed, most Of 1t can new
er fall due by the terms on which 1t was
contracted, and the impoverishment OF the
whole South and the Acts OF population
which have already been passed, will doubt
less secure the non-paymcnt OF the remain
der
The refusal to pay for our slaves enamel
patcd, is doubtless !. great I'M Justice, cspeci
ally to those citizens who did not favor Sc
ceSsion but the Committee entertain the
opinion that the people have never hoped,
seriously, for its reparation.
In the final section. power is given TO Con
gress - to enforce by appropriate legislation,
all the provisions Of this Article How wide
a door is hereby opened for the interference
of Congress. with subjects hitherto regarded
beyond its range, 1t is impossible adequate
IL to perceive, until cxpcrincc shall have test
en- the matter AS the Committee have al
ready submitted, of the most serious
evils to be apprehended from this Amend
ment consists in the vast addition it makes,
lii many ways. TO the powers of the gen
eral Government.
No enlightened patriot. who was studied
carefully our system OF government, and has
realized how much ofits eXceifency lies in
the due divisions OF its powers, between the
Federal and State authorities. can have failed
to witness. with the profountlest alarm,
dation which has in late years been devel-
oped. The exercises OF the mighty energies,
and the assumption of new and unsual pre-
negatives. required to prosecute successfully,
the recent war. in the nature OF things gave
TO the General Government an over-shadnw-
ing Influence and prestige beyond what it
had ever before possessed. And this result
was increased by the overwhelming defeat
of those States which had always stood forth
,,pcIrIio. :! of i,n
Every one must perceive. therefore. that
even without new Constitutional grants Of !
authority, the Federal Government is no !
longer what it once was. hut that it has OK /.
banded into Il mighty giant. threatening to /,
swallow up the States. and to concentrate all +
power and dignity in itself. In the interest !
OF liberty. ii appears to the Committee. that /
this cenIraliZaton tendency. instead Of being |
tosttred, needs to be checked. The Ameri- !
can people ought not, hy new grants of .
power, seem to authorize the continual excr-
else OF extraordinary prcrogatiTcs. undreamcd !
OF III the purer and happier days of the Re
public. The Constitution, :ls it stands. was
good enough for our fathers: il administered
in its true spirit it will also be good enough
for ourselves and orr posteritv.
But suppose North Carolina were TO ac-
cept the Amendment. thus yielding up her
honest convictions Of duty and of principle.
il her most anxious desire for the restoration
of her former relations with the General
and the admission Other Rep
rcsentatives in Congress. what guarantee,
nay, even what hope Is there HAT such ritiii-
cation would thus restore her? So far from
if, the unmiStakahie record OF the last Con-
Grcss as well as ali the Indications since ex-
hibitcd, Of tone and temper. are. that this
humiliation and surrender of right and
principle, would not in the opinion of the
Committee, be likely TO facilitate restoration
much less affect it.
The committee having at some length gone
into ANALYSIS of the different sections of
the proposed Article of Amendment, ought
perhaps in closing. to say word in regard
10 tue intimations sometimes thrown out
hat if the Southern States refuse to Iatifv
he pending Amendment, harder terms and
!eepcr humiliation will be imposed upon
hem. These are deemed only rs the !intcm-
,erate declarations of heated Individual par
iZans. No responsible body of our country
ncn, has dishonorcd itself or US, bv making
UGH threats It would, indeed. be mock
ry to submit question so grave and impor-
ant to this Commonwealth, and then place
Ter under durcss to compel her to votcin the
Affirmative. No humiliation could be deep
+, no degradation more profound, than that
which she would impose upon herself by
'ielding to intimidation, and ratifying under
ne influence OF DaSe lear, measure Wilicn |
he disapprovcd The committee are sure,
hat this honorable Legislature, will not do
n act so inconsistent with its own dignity,
nd the dignity of the State. A question of f
UGH vital concern to the entire Union and to
he cause ofliberty itself, will surely be calm
Y and seriously considered, with the impair
iality and wisdom that should characterize s
he conduct ofstatcsmen, and with the manly '
OF freemen and it is therefore Z
onfidently believed, that the action this
ody shall take upon this grave question, (
7il be worthy of the great State of North
'arolina.
For the reasons submitted in this report,
he Committee respectfully recommend the V
doption Oft the following Resolution,-to-wit t
ReoIred That the General Assembly of the
tate Of North Carolina, do not ratify the
amendment proposed rs the fourteenth Ar
icle of the Constitution of the United |
tates.
j. NJ. LEACH, Chairman. :
HENRY T. CLARKE.
II. NJ WAUGH,
JOS. J. DAVIS,
THOS. S. KEENAN,.