The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-21


submitted 10 the people, and not in such
connection with those which they may
think unnecessary or dangerous as 10 iorce
them to reject all. The reputation OF the
rebel debt and all obligation to compensate
for the loss Of slave property, and the ih'i-
olability of the debt of the Government,
no matter how contracted, provided for by
some of the sections of the amendment, we
repeat, would meet the approval of many
of the southern States. But these no State
can sanction without sanctioning others
which, we think, will not be done by them
or some of the northern States. To force
negro suffrage upon any State by means
of the penalty of loss OF part OF IFS
representation will not only be to i'm
pose dsparaging condition, but virtu-
ally to interfere with the clear right
of each State to regulate suffrage for
itself without the control Of the Govern
ment of the United States. Whether that
control he exerted directly or indirectly, II
will be considered, as it is, a fatal blow to
the right which every State in the past mas
held vital-the right to regulate her iran
chise. To punish State for not regula-
ting it in particular way, so as to give TO
all classes of the people the privilege OF
suffrage, is but seeking TO accomplish incl
dcntally what, if it should be done at all,
should be done directly No reason, in the
view of the undersigned, can be suggested
for the course adopted other than belief
that such direct interference would not
be sanctioned by the northern and western
States, whilst as regards such States the
actual recommendation because OF the
small proportion of negroes within their
limits will not in the least lessen their
representative power in Congress, or their
influence in the Presidential election, and
thew therefore sanction it. This very in
equality in its operation upon the States
renders the measure, in our opinion, most
unjust, and, looking to the peace and quiet
of the country, most impolitic. But the
mode advised is also not only without, but
against all precedent. When the Constitu-
ton was adopted, it was thought to be de-
fective in not sufficiently protecting GER
: tain rights of the States and the people.
With the view of supplying remedy for
this defect on the 4th of March, lIS9, va
rious amendments, by aresolution constitu-
tionally passed by Congress, were sub
mitted for ratification to the States. They
were twelve in number. Several OF them
, we're even less independent of each other
, than are those recommended by the COM
| mittec Z; but il did not occ ur to the men oi
r that day that ii was right to force the
States to adopt or reject all. Each was
therefore presented as a separate article
= The language OF the resolution was, that
.fallowing articles be proposed to the
,NV ares of the several States as amend
icsIo'a'" s." =, Constitution Of the United
tieil.S Vi ~ 'no . " IF ,rtich articles, when
oIates, s a., " thra a"y - Of the said legs
laturcs, are valid to all fins.; finSnt;on n"' rTh Th.
poses as part of the ConstitG ling +,
Congress of that day was wiGI2,7 ,d
+ obtain either of the submitted amena
mcnts-to get part, if not able to pro-
cure the whole. They thought-and III
t that, We submit, they but contormed to
the letter and spirit of the amendatory
clause of the Constitution-that the
people have the right 10 pass sevcrally on
any proposed amendments. This course
of our fathers is now departed from, and
the result will probably be that no one OF
the suggested amendments, though some
NAV be approved, will be ratified. This
, will certainly be the result unless the
} -
/ the right they have always enjoyed, never
| before questioned by any recognized states
, man, and all-important to their interest,
+ and security, the right 10 regulate the
franchise in all their elections.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.
There are, too, some general considera.
, tions that bear on the subject, TO which we
will now refer:
First. One of the resolutions Of the Chi
: cago Convention, by which Mr.. Lincoln
was first nominated for the Presidency,
saws that the maintenance inviolate OF
the rijI.tS Of The States " is essential to the
balance of power on which the prosperity
and endurance of our political fabric de-
pends. In his inaugural address of March
/, 1861, which received the almost univer-
sal approval of the people, amongst other
things he said " No State Of is 0,ra mere
motion can M,cfuky get om Of the Union" :"
land that in view of the Constitution
and the laws the Union is unbroken, and
to the extent of my ability | shall take
care, as the Constitution itself expressly
, enioins upon me, that the laws of the
Union be faithfully executed in all the
: States"
, Second. Actual conflict soon afterwards
f ensued. The south, it was believed, mis-
apprehended the purpose of the Govern.
! ment in carrying it on, and Congress deem
ed it important to dispel that misapprehen-
sion by declaring what the purpose was.
, This was done in July, 1861, by their pass
ing the following resolution of Mr.. Crit
: tenden:
{ THAT in this national emergency, Con.
; gress, banishing all feeling Of mere passion
, or resentment, will recollect only its duty
. to the whole country that this war is no,
/. waged upon our part in any spirit of Op
f preston, nor for any purpose OF conques
3 or subiugatiOn, nor purpose OF overthrow
I ing or interfering with the rights or estab
I lished institutions of those States, but t.
p defend and maintain the supremacy Of tn,
Y Constitution, and 10 preserve the Union
: with all the dignity, equality, and right'
o of the Stat, > unimpaired that as soon a
+. these objects are accomplished the va
: ought to cease"
@ The vote in the House was one hundred
: and nineteen for and two against it, and il
: the Senate thirty for and five against il
3 The design TO conquer, or subjugate, or Il
o curtail or interfere in any way with tht
: rights of the States is in the stronges
! terms thus disclaimed, and the only ayowe,
: object asserted TO be to defend and main
}. tain the spirit of the Constitution, and t.
@ preserve the Union AND THE DIGNITY
o EQUALITY, AND RIGHTS OF THE SEVERAL
J. STATES USIMPAIRED." Congress, too, b!
e the act of 18th July, 1861, empowered th'
h President to declare by proclamation