The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-12-19

ward and wilful, perhaps, she has been; but
honor and virtue still are hers. If her er-
rors have been great, her sufferings have
been greater Like stricken mother, she
now stands leaning in silent grief over the
bloody graves of her slain children. The
mementes of former glory lie in ruins. around
her. The majesty of sorrow sits enthroned
on her brow. Proud of her sons who have
died for her. she cherishes in her heart OF
hearts the living children who were ready to
die for her; and she loves them with a moth
ers warm affection. Can she be expected to
repudiate theIn2 No it would be the act
of an unnatural mother She can never con-
sent to it-Nerer.
1t is said however. that Congress can ca
silv remove the disability which this section
imposes; but is it likely that Congress will
do so If they be SO readily removed, why
impose them at all 2 And it should not be
forgotten that Congress could, through this
dispensing power, manage to fill the State
offices of every grade, almost entirely accor-
| ding to its own choice and dictation, by re-
lieving from disabilities only such as might
serve its purposes; and thus the freedom OF
elections would be virtually destroyed, and
the State governments might become the
willing and subseryient tools of grasping
ambition and usurping tyranny.
All that need be said of the fourth section
of the proposed Amendment is, that it is
useless. The Federal debt is already suffi-
GENTLY secured by the honest intention OF the
people to pay it. And noticeable fact is,
with what cheerfulness 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 Constitutional pro-
vision, the government betrays a lack of con-
fidence, 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 it can new
CT fall due, by the terms on which it was
contracted, and the impoverishment of the
whole South, and the Acts of reputation
which have already been passed, will doubt
less secure the non-payment of the remain
der.
The refusal to pay for our slaves emanci-
pated, is doubtless great injustice, especi-
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 F" to enforce by appropriate legislation,
all the provisions of this Article" How wide
door is hereby opened for the interference
beyond its range, 1t is impossible adequate
ly to perceive, until experince shall have test
en- the matter. As the Committee have al
ready submitted, one of the most serious
evils to be apprehended from this Amend
ment, consists in the vast addition it makes,
In so 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 its excelency lies in
the due divisions of its powers between the
Federal and State authorities, can have failed
to witness. with the profoundest alarm,
the tendency to Capitalization, and CONSOLE
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-shadow-
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
as the peculiar advocates of the State Rights
Every one must perceive, therefore, that
even without new Constitutional grants of
authority, the Federal Government is no
longer what it once was but that it has ex-
panded into mighty giant, threatening to
swallow up the States and to concentrate all
power and dignity in itself. In the interest
OF liberty, il appears to the Committee, that
this Capitalization tendency instead of being
fosttred, needs to be checked. The Ameri-
can people ought not, by new grants of
power, seem to authorize the continual exer-
else of extraordinary prerogatives, undreamed
OF in the purer and happier days of the Re
public. The Constitution, as it stands, was
good enough for our fathers if administered
in its true spirit it will also be good enough
for ourselves and our posteritv.
But suppose North Carolina were to ac-
cept the Amendment, thus yielding up her
honest convictions of duty and of principle,
in her most anxious desire for the restoration
of her former relations with the General
Government, and the admission of her Rep
resentatives in Congress, what guarantee
nay, even what hope is there that such ratifi-
cation would thus restore her. So far from
it, the unmistakable record of the last Con-
gress as well as all the Indications since ex-
hibited, 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 an analysis of the different sections of
the proposed Article of Amendment, ought
perhaps in closing, to say word in regard
to the intima!ions sometimes thrown out.
that if the Southern States refuse to ratify
the pending Amendment, harder terms and
deeper humiliation will be imposed upon
them. These are deemed only as the Iintem-
perate declarations of heated individual par
tizans. No responsible body OF our country
men, has dishonored itself, or us, by making
such threats 1t would indeed, be mock
cry to submit question so grave and impor-
tant to this Commonwealth, and then place
her under duress to compel her to votein the
affirmative. No humiliation could be deep
er, no degradation more profound, than that
which she would impose upon herself by
yielding to intimidation, and ratifying under
the influence OF base fear, a measure which
she dlsapproved. The committee are sure,
that this honorable Legislature, will not do
an act SO inconsistent with its own dignity.
and the dignity of the State A question of
such vital concern to the entire Union and to
the cause of liberty itself, will surely be calm
ly and seriously considered, with the impair
tlality and wisdom that should characterize
the conduct ofstatesmen, and with the manly
independence of freemen and it is therefore
confidently believed, that the action this