The Portland daily press., 1867-07-31
The Three Sick Men Of the United States.

The Three Sick Men Of the United States.
Three sick women, perhaps we should say,
for we mean three of what are called our isis
ter States" However, all the precedents are
in favor OF the masculine for a sick nation
though when in the vigor of health they are
as uniformly personifed by the force Of the
feminine substantives and pronouns-where-
in may be observed delicate compliment to
the fair sex in lieu of more substantial and
tangible evidences of respect; just as people
conciliate the Deity by beginning his name
and appellations with capitals, and afterwards
feel secure in making wild work with the ten
commandments. t ~ A.a iasi srl
But we do not mean to discuss this ques-
ton Of verbal etiquette. Let George Wash
ington Moon ESQ.,, and the Deau of Canter
bury look to it; for the patients are so dan
gerously i'll that if the decision of these emf
nert critics were to be awaited, they would
die before the first two quartos Of the learned
controversy could be completed. gt an'
Maryland, Delaware and Kentucky are our
invalds. They were poisoned several de-
cades ago, and being, like all sick men, cap
tious and unmanageable, they refuse to take
the antidote which New England has pre-
scribed. Unfortunately, owing to their anon
alous position, no military nurses can be de-
tailed to force the unwelcome draught down
their throats. So we have Congressional
Committee appointed to see If something
cannot be done to prevent fatal results.
Its functions, however, are limited to an in
quiry whether the States in question have
republican form of government; Congress re
serving to itself the application of the RENE
edies which shall seem proper after the re-
suits of the investigation are made known.
From the language of the resolution Great
ing the Committee it is evident that its au-
thors expect TO make the evidence gathered
BY it their apology for invoking the use of
the hitherto unused power of the guaranty
clause of the CONSTITUTE on. Great backward
lead OF MI. Sumner in his endeavors to estab-
lish political equality in the States by general
laws basel upon an untried constitutional pro
vision. But if the evil of an ul fairly limited
franchise is to be met in this way, the Sena-
| tors plan would seem more impartial and just
than the special legislation contemplated by
the action of Congress. The three States
which are to be the subjects Of investigation
differ from some Of their neighbors in respect
to the wrong complained of only in the num-
bers of the disfranchised class. 1t would sa-
vor too much of partizan feeling to compel
Kentucky to make change in her laws,
which is as imperatively demanded in Penn
sylvania, while the latter State is left tc effect
the reform at her leisure. There is no OBJ
lection to compelling the ten States now un-
der military control to accept negro suffrage.
1t is simply supplementary measure
for putting down the rebellion and
keeping it down. 1t is intrinsically
proper, irrespective of any party interests.
which conservatives declare are to be promot-
ed by it. But Maryland, Delaware and Ken
tucky, never having leen fairly committed to
the rebellion and never having incurred the
disa biIities imposed upon the others, are en-
titled to the same forbearance as Ohio or In
diana. Inasmueh, then, as the law proposed
by Mr. Sumner is open to constitutional OBJ
jections so grave as to find very few support
ers in either House ofCongress, it would seem
that an amendment of the organic law is the
only method Of removing the difficulty which
is at the same time practicable and just. But
will sufficient number of States ratify such
an amendment when many Of them refuse to
carry out the reform by their individual ac-
ton? Perhaps not; but then let them suffer
the inevitable consequences of their contuma-
cy. Retribution follows the crimes and fol-
lies OF organized communities as surely as
those of individuals. Ifthey will array them
selves with the Pope and the Grand Turk in
bringing anachronisms into the nineteenth
century they will ultimately find that there
is Nemesis that Furnishes th e wrongdoing of
| States, att.t -5,t.