The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-10-03
The Constitutional Amendment

as the Constitutional Amendment,
adopted at the last session OF the runp
. Congress. viii; undoubtedly be the cond
tion:of the admission Of the Southern
States; and rs the New York Heroh
and some other semi conservative and
semi congressional papers, earnestly urge
tho ratification Of this amendment on the
Legislatures and people Of the South, we
take from an article in the Herald its ex.
PLANTATION and comments on It's yarious
sections. Will the. South .wslow such
dose
The frat section Of this amen dment
declares the equality in their civil rights
Of sll persons nf ali colors, born or uatu.
rsliSed in the United States and .uhi.c,
to their jurisd'c',on. 1t strikes us ,ha, as
the institution Of African slavery and all
Its collateral securities have been wiped
out OF the Constitution bv The amendment
aholishing slavery, this new Amendment
IN It's hrst section, is only re affirmation
OF the instrument AS il now stands for
in taking ou, slavery no distinction in re-,
lation to the African race remain. in the
Constitution -nVue whatever. The sec.
ond section Of the new amendment pro
v'des that suffrage aud representation
shall GO together. and that sq Tho respec,
tive Sta es shall ~bridge the outrage TO
males OF twenty one Years in reference TO
the elections OF Federal and STATE offic.rs
the enumeration Of their people for rep
'esen'a'ion in Congress shall be cores.
pondingl lv reduced This ia n pretty se-
we're 'sst, ss we have shown, to Sonth
Carolina hur, on the other hand, il she
can exclude her four hundred thousand
backs from snffrage, and give to her
thrss hundred thousand whites a teprs
senta'ion in Congress Of seven hundred
thousand people. it will bs pleaded ,bs,
seoen white men in New York or snv
other Northern State are reduced To the
level ia Congress Of ihr.s white men in
South Carolina; and thus this d,s,inc,;on.
while il lasts, will he made theme Of
mischi.vons sectional agitation Uod.r
the Constitution, before The rebellion. only
three tfths Of the slsv4s OF the South
we're allowed in counting the people for
representation in Congress, hut this was
among the concessions to slavery which
has s'r.nCthenei the hands Of the Nor
thern Ahoi'ionisis
Section three Of the nav amendment
exc'udes from snv Federal office hsresf,
ter, until relieved hy a two.,hirds vote Of
each House Of Congress, certain psr,ie.
Who. in tho service Of the Unied States.
had sworn to support the Constitution
and afterwards joined the rebellion This
may seem to many generous minds too
s~eening in its exclusions but as i, is
apparent tha, IL meet. the prevailing tone
and 'emper Of the Union war party OF
the North tho best the South can do !.
to accept it, and trust TO the heali.g in.
hnences OF reunion TO obiiters,e in n gen.
sral lac OF Congress. by two thirds
vote. all distinctions between re5els and
Unionis,s Of tho late war We dare .ay
Il will verv soon come TO this With the
adoption Of this amendment by the South.
ern States.
Bnt section four. in regard to tho ma,
tionsl war debt, all rebsI debts and obli.
gs'ions. and 30 compensation for emsnci.
pated slaves "a q measurs OF security for
the 'nture, embodiss tho great secret Of
The strength Of this Constitutional amend.
ment in the Northern Siaie.. Herein
lies the great power Of the Republican
party IN the North, though cut off from
the Administration. II is the power Of
three thousand millions Of dollars diffu,ed
10 the national currency and securities
broadcast over the land. Hence We cav
that sound policy and wisdom call upon
the Administration and the South to &C
cept and aid in the ratification Of thi
| Constitutional amendment without fur.
thos loss Of time q"