The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-03-13

inough hcarts brood o'cr The past, our eyes
With smiling futures glistcn;
Lo! now the day bursts up the skies
Loan out your souls and listcn!
The world rolls Freedoms radiant way,
And ripcns with our sorrow;
Nccp heart who hcars the cross o.lay
Shall wear the crown tomorrow
Oh, Youth Gamc earnest; still aspire
With energies immortal;
10 many heaven Of desire
Our ycarning opcs portal;
And though Age wcarics by the way,
Aud hearts broal; in The furrow,
"oll SOW tho golden gram to-day
Tho harvest comes 10 morrow!
Build np heroic lives, all NIL
BE like The shca,hcn sabre,
Ready to fash out nL Gods command
Oh! Chyalry Of I.aborl
Triumph and ioll arc Iwins---nnl ayo
JOY suns the clouds Of sorrow
Anu lis tho martyrdom to.day
brings victory to morrow.
The Cons stitutional Amendment in Mas
chusetts.
Tho question OF accepting Tie pro
posed amendment to tho Federal Con
stitution was submitted, at the opening
Of the session OF the Massachusetts, Lcm-
'slntnrc, to q special committee OF that
body. The majority Of this committee
report against this amendment. They
say, at tho outset, that ut il not enough
for 4 Massachusetts, Lngislaturo lint
other States have ratified n proposed
amendment, Massachusetts can AFFORD 10
ntand alone upon her convictions. but
she cannot afford TO follow Lhe multitude
10 do evil"
They say that The decision OF tho Sn.
rIcmc Court as to what or who was n
citizen concludes The point quite rs nu.
thorlivcly as an amcndmont conll do !;
indeed, probably moro conclusivrlv :;
Tor there is reason to fear that, if this
mailer should como bciorc tho present
onrrcme Court as n new question under
tins amendment, there would be danger
ol an adverse decision. lhc definition
too orctciHrnShip ''oi tho State where.
IL they reside" is Of 10 eject, rs lone
CT the provisions Of tho amendment pro.
less 10 apply to persons as citizens Of a
state. Further tho majority are not
aware that there has been any decision
or that there is any agreement among
lc&a! aut thoritics rs to what constitutes
citizenship ola State apart from citizen
ship o! tic United States.
They urge further, that conquered
rebels have forfeited every right not
one has the right to lie, if his living
would cndangcr the public safety still
loss has hc Tho right to property with
the same reservation; almost infinitely
less has he the right to political power
when that power is tho most potential
element Of danger. The madness OF
slavery and the providence OF God have
gwen to our government the golden
opportunity to eliminate hlsolyarchial
feature lrom our Institutions, and to
make this a union OF homogeneous
States; this second Section rcl;nqnshcs
this great power, rrhabilitatcs tho South
crn oligarchy and gives new life to this
fruitful source oi all our woes.
Thc effect Of The amendment on Mas
sachusotts is also discussed. The ma.
jority say that tho representation OF the
State will be considerably reduced. AS
to the exclusion Of The prominent South.
en rebels, they urge that ''thc expert
cnco OF tho war has shown that The bit.
tcrcst hatcrs Of tho North, the most
brutal butchers of prisoners and South
rrn loyalists, are tho men who never
held Offices rcltlro( to, and these arc
the mon without experience in affairs,
without the education which association
with citizens Of other Sec
t'ons Of tho connt,y gives to public
men, without oven lho humanizine in.
1Iucnccs which war war cxcr,s upon the
true soldlcr--thc gucrilas and bush
Nhackcrs, with hands dripping with tho
bod OF loya! men ana womcn--thcsc
arcihe men TO whom The amendment
opens tho doors OF Congress"
The reports concludes:
"Lct it be borne in mind that in con.
sidcring tho operation Of this amendment
we must throw out all the recent lcgisla.
tion Of Congress IN the direction of riv.
inglihc elcclivo franchise to co!orcl
citizens. This legislation is entirely in-
dependent Of this amendment, and il
held valid twill be so held equally,
whether the amendment is ratified o, re-
Jcct"d. 1t seems hardly possible to
conceive greater act Of tAtuity chan
OF placing IL IN tho power of rebels to
exclude half million loyal voters from
oil voicein tho reconstruction of those
States. We do not speak OF it as par.
tlsans. Viewed thus, it would be sim.
pie madness and political suicide; but
we speak as patriots, and as such we
have Tie right TO demand that no plan
OF reconstruction shall be sanc,ioncl
which does not secure The full exercise Of
The only power which can be expected
to found commonwcahhs truly loyal to
q federal republican government. In
reviewing the whole SUBJECT the COM
miitee are brought 10! The conclusion
That no exigency exists requiring immc.
d'atc action upon All amendment open
TO The grave objections we have present,
cd Tlloy therefore recommend that
the subject be referred 70 The next gyno.
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