The New York herald., 1867-03-02

4 people
all there Is no difference worth oon!ending for betwess
that policy and my policy, and tho republican party
Sos mGoa have been Justly CONSIGNED 20 the receptacle Of
,hs p'sase aaa been given. couie only bind
osr Ps par s'ss sim IL oos; uss
on IN Congress- scheme Of recognizes
s's amendment as duality and that It's acceptance by
but they go on TO say, whether this amendment was
presented by Congress nnaty, by the States that
nave ratified i as such is after ALL immateraL Its
ratlcaton by Congress makes 1t a nnsiy so far as its
action s concerned That action final and places the
rem.ed dlscrs,ioo Of he rebel states themselves
rnere VIII then be two alternatives before them FIRST
they may conclude TO ratfy the amendmeut trust
ing as they may with entire conndsnce to the
supreme Court 10 decide that ia null and
tion Of threequarers Of all the states Including the
rebel States or that Congress- representing ali the
sa..s could not consiltuonally propose amend
lying upoa their own skill in evadng disabilities i'm.
posed by the third section. or In inducing Congress
Another feature is considered the effect q this section
upon Massachusetts, Whom the right to vote &c, Is
denied TO Of the mae inhabitants of State be-
ing wcniyone years OF aga and citizen Of the United
States or In any way abridged the basis Of representa-
ton therein shall DO reduced in the proportion which
The number Of such male citizens twentyone years
ago bear in such State" Now by the constitution Of
ons Of the inhabitants being twentyone years old and
citizens Of the United States Article twenty Of
have the right to vote be eligible ONCE under
constitution Of this Commonwealth who shall not be
70 writ. his pro9ds oS sss
this anendment in express terms denies the fright to
to s the oa most a ss sa
Of denial or sbridgment OF the right TO
vote i follows, then, Il this amendment becomes
part OF the national constitution, that our "bass
Of representation will be proportionaly reduced
rhen again, article three Of state constitution
denies tho right to vote to those classes First paupers
second, persons under guardianship; third persons who
have not resided IN the State year. and in the
ana district SIX months aud fourth persons who have
not paid State county tax within tive years This
would give an opportunity to put Massachusetts, tout in
TO soze 1t s true that Massachusetts those
limitations BY amending her constitution but this would
require two three years In the meantime il would
be necessary census of the state should be taken
which should specify the number Of the persons whose
the Supreme Court should decide as must 6e admitted
1t could egtmately do that the requirements of the
paymen. Of Tax Is an asrdgmen Of right 70 vote
at ono fell swoop.
Coming mex. to look at the mex. section, the
goes, but il Is amentaby short Of tho exigencies
Of the hour Il simply declares that former
members Of the state Legislatures and executive judi
cia officers Of state who took oath sup
ineligible to any Office civil military, under the United
states or any State The number thus excluded very
more voters The classes here put under disability
prise BY no means the of the rebel elements the
btercst haers OF the North butchers Of
prisoners and OF Southern loyalsts, the who
men, without experience in affairs without the educa-
tion which association with citizens OF other
o o 'sS the Sss sS'
crts upon the true soldier-the gueriias aud BUSH
whackers with hands dripping with the blood Of loyal
men and womon-these are the men to whom the
amendment opens the door OF Congress or the fourth
section, concerning the United States and rebel debts
the report says that these provisions would be i'm
portant II all experience had not taught that
stricions are effective where such enormous amounts Of
money are involved unless reinforced by an irresistible
public opinion. But however valuable they may be
9arded tho imporan, question is 'Ilow Gar win the
benefits they promise balance the mschievous tsndsn-
cies Of the second sectionsn II the sections could be
acted upon separately might discriminate; they
presented We must ratify or reject tho whole.
The last section giving Congress power snforce by
appropriate legislation the provisions Of the article 10
here given 70 consrsss of course limited BY tho pro-
visions Of the article itself, and tho adoption Of the
the powers conferred upon Congress- by the const
tuition The limitations and regulations upon tho right
construction bin which Congress has passed apply to all
sections, preliminary TO the adoption Of State con.
,hcse limitations and regulations and Congress
retains the power Of approving OF rejecting these cons
ratification OF this amendment IL not necessary the
exercise Of this BY Congress Of penary control
territories up pons Of debating tho provisions Of
the State constitutions In relation 10 suffrage The ex-
proseut constituon aud is not strengthened BY this
aeendment. by necessary reference Congress con-
s.r tho sss cs e
organized and their constitutions are approved
alter their organization thus perfected should amend
their constt ons by DISTINGUISHING colored citizens
second section Of he amcnd@sn Congress- Sy is own
acts aud hy force OF this amendment preclrdod from
BY the ish section cdc no, reach this vital sunsc
excep by stretch OF construction which is equally ad
inissb.s under the prcsen, constitution
The next half dozen paragraphs Of the report are
strong arguments TO show that the amendment is OBJ
noxious and odoas to tho coiored men TO approve Il
fHatF n. and
that pages in tie history OF peoples ngra.
tude would turn white after the commission Of tho
Sumter tho negro held tho fate Of tho Union in his
handsa truth which only gradually revealed itself to
tho public, but which now nobody questions. The re-
por. thcn concludes as follows
''lo. !, re borno in mind ,ba. in considering the
operation cf this amendment must throw out all the
recent legislation OF Congress N the direction OF giving
tho elective franchise 70 ooorci citizens This gs'a
tion Is entirely independent Of this amendment II
held valid It will be held equally whether the amend
men ia ratified or rejected IL seems hardly possible 10
Il o power o rebels 10 exclude hs million ys
voters from st in the reconstruction OF those
states. wo DO not sleaas Of s. as p,r.lsans p.ps.
and political suicide but speak patriots, aud as
such ~e have the right 10 demand that no plan Of re-
tn, full cvcrcise OF the only power which DO
pecled 10 found commemorative truly loyal TO federal
republican government ln reviewing tho whole subject,
The committee brought to the conclusion tha, no
exigency EXISTS requiring immediate action upon an
seated They therefore recommend that the subject
referred TO the next Corera Court.
The minority report recommending the ratification OF
the amendment does not enter into argument upon
s merits but expresses tue opinion that in the present
condition OF national asirs its ratification is
tremely important They then submit the following
resolution:-
Resolved, Th., ia acting the fourteenth article q
Congress Of Mas achsctts do
.s the % S Of 81 70 ass ssrss %
Or % sy .ss q oSs Is s %
opposed % hc q nsw sn's ana 20 ,ne