The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-01-10


In examining the proposed amend
ment, its extreme moderation Is, nm
der all the circumstances oftfe coun-
try and the time, tmost remarkable.
II contains four provisions, Of which
three would become irrepealable aud
unehnngeable except by new amend
ment Of the Constitution; but the
other could be suspended or annulled
by act Of Congress.
The three former consist, first, Of the !
grant.of power to the National Gov
crument to protect the citizens of the
whole country in their legal privile-
ges andlilmunities, should any State
attempt to oppress classes of individ-
uals, or deprive them, of the equal
protection OF the laws second, of
che equitable equalization Of repre-
sent. ton, BY, ,forbidding any State or
district so increase the number of its
Representatives in Congress by emu
merating 10 the electoral basis, class
es of United States citizens who are
still denied the elective franchise
and third, of the affirmation Of the
inviolability Of the faith Pledged to
the payment Of the existing puzzle
debt Of the United States, coupled
with the denial Of power to the Ma
tional OF State Governments TO as
sumo or pay any debt incurred in aid
of the late rebellion.
A simple statement Of the propo-
sitions is their complete justification.
The first WAS proven necessary long
before the war, when it was notorious
that any attempt to exercise freedom
of discussion in regard to the system
which was then burrying on the re-
bellion, was not tolerated in the
Southern States and the State laws
gave no real protection to immunities
of this kind, which are Of the very
csseuce of free government. The ne
cessity, also, of having somewhere a
reserved right to protect the freedom
of the slaves whom the war enamel.
poted is too palpable for argument
If these rights are in good faith pros
tected by State laws and State au-
thorities, there will be no need OF
federal legislation on the subject, and
the power will remain ia. obeyance
but If they are system tioally violated
those who violate them will be them
selves responsible for all the ncces.
sary Interference of tho central gov.
ernmcnt.s s,....s,..ff,,.. se,r
, The second proposition is so us
in itself that the only objection rails
cd to 1t is u change Of one of the orig
: iual so called compromises of tn,
, Constitution" II is an all sufficient
answer to say that the rebelliou,
Statos long enjoyed very dispropor,
tionate power in the Government
= which they used for the destruction
; Of the Government itself, and that af
/ ter such rebellion, n readmission o
} the insurgents to true republican
A equality ofrepresentation is the mos
: that the loyal citizens of the country
can allow, in justice to themselves
I 1t is neither denied nor concealed
: that this is q diminution of the pres
a ent political power Of the, South
Q ern States, which is a penalty for re
n bellion but when the penalty con
sists only in looping off that whicl
[. was an excess Of power before, m,
$ applying an equal rule to them an,
ourselves, il may well be doubte,
}, whether defeated insurgents were ey,
G er before treated with equal magma
d ninity. '
!, The third proposition, relative L
> the debt, has, believe, found n,
u open opposition. a...sl 4U.
. The third section of the amend
ment is that which provides for tn
: disqualification for holding Office of
class regarded as peculiarly response
BILE for the rebellion, This disquali
g ication may be removed by Congress
! sional action, and its continuance o
. discontinuance would be determine,
by the evidence of real return O
honest allegiance to the Nationa
Government. 1t may fairly be said
therefore. to depend upon the South
ern people themselves whether i
shall long continue to operate an,
they cannot reasonably complain o
the burden of a provision which thei
,, OVID loyalty could remove. 1t is a
a necessary provision for the publ
safety that this is insisted upon, an,
; / am sure that there is disposition il
4 the North to continue any disabilit,
beyond the period during which thl
9 necessity shall seem real.
/ Such is my opinion, the character
of the amendments proposed, whicl
it is my duty to lay before you fo
your action. Several of the state
, have already ratified ii, but / deepl,
regret to know that it has been re
, ljeeted by several of those whose rat
l iication would do most to make til,
: measure the promise aud beginnia,
a of thatfuli settlement Of our sinterna
yfdiesentions for which We all long.
. am not without hope that a mature
consideration and ,calmer reAectior
will convince oven those who hav,
rejected the proposal, that justice
: right and a wise self interest alik,
dictate rceonsideration Of the ma
tor and n diH,ranf 4.