Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-02-08
The Plan of Adjustment.

We copy the following from the Raleigh
Sentinel of the st. inst We find the same
proposed amendment in the Richmond
Ecanainer. The Raleigh Sentinel says it has
been furnished with manuscript copy of
the proposed plan of settlement, by Hon.
Lewis Hanes, of Salisbury, who, as a party
in the conference, on his own responsible
ity, furnishes it for publication thus early,
believing that no scheme involving such
important consequences. should be kept
from an interested public
eve have gathered from various sources
a partial history of this scheme. Gov. Orr,
of South Carolina, eX-Gov. Parsons, Of Ala
bama, eX-Gov. Marvin, of Florida, Hon. n.
Boyden and Hon. Lewis Hanes, of North
Carolina, and Judge J. Z. Jones, of Ar
kansas, being in Washington City on other
business, after frequent conversations with
members OF Congress and others, both
Democrats and Republicans. Conservative
and Radical, felt that the eXigencies of the
country demanded the earnest efforts of
every true friend of the South and of the
Union. They accordingly determined upon
conference, each acting upon his own
personal responsibility, and disc3aiming all
right to act IN representative capacity
Several conferences were held and the fol-
lowing programme was agreed upon as the
only one they could devise promising to
effect the desired end
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CoNsTITUTIoN OF The
UNITED STATES.
article 14.-Section /. The Union under the
Constitution is, and shall be, perpetual No State
shall pass any law OF ordinance to Secede or with
draw from the Union. and any such law ordi-
nance shall be null and void.
Gao4:o, III ,t,lt of 4I,o TT,;+oJ
authorized by law, shall ever be held sacred and
inTiolate. But neither the United States nor any
other State shall assume or pay amy debt or obl-
CATION incurred III aid OF lDsufrcctlOn or rebellion
against the government or authority OF the United
States.
Section 3. All persons born naturalized in
the United States. and sub ect to the Jurisdiction
thereof, citizens of the United States, and Of
the States III which they reside. No state shall
make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United
States nor shall any State deprive any person Of
life, liberty, property, without the due process
of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdic
ton the equal protection Of the laws.
Section 4. Representatives shall be appOriOnCd
among the several States according to their re-
spective numbers, counting the whole number of
persons in each State excluding Indians not taxed.
But when any State shall, account Of race
color, or previous condition of servitude, exclude
from voting at any election for the choice of cleo
tors for President and Vice-President of the Uni
ted States, Representatives in Congress, members
of the Legislature or other officers elective by the
people, any of the inhabitants OF such State, be-
ing twenty-one years Of age and citizens Of the
United States then the entire class of per-
excluded from the elective franchise, shall
not be counted in the basis Of representation. No
State shall require property qualification for
voters more than two hundred and fifty dollars
worth of taxable property, nor an educational
qualification more education than enough to ena-
bic the voter to read the Constitution in the Eng
ish language and write his own name.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO STATE CONSTITUTION.
A1ticle. Every male citizen who has resided in
this State for one year and IL the county IN which
he offers to vote six months, Immediately prece-
ding the day of election, and who can read the
Constitution of the United States in the English
language and can write his own NAME who
may be the owner of two hundred and fifty dol
lars worth of taxable properly shall be entitled to
vote at all elections for Governor of the State,
members OF the Legislature and all other officers
elective by the people of the State PrOuaded,
That person by reason Of this article shall be
excluded from voting who has heretofore exeI-
and laws of this State, or who, at the time Of the
adoption of this amendment may be entitled to
vote under said Constitution and laws.
"They were strongly impressed with
the idea, that in the unfortunate conflict
which had arisen between President John
son and the majority in Congress, that
neither party could be expected to propose !
terms of compromise or recede from their
position and likewise, that the re Iations
Oh Tie parties NOitIl, lOfOdue u nope Vi
compromise and that, therefore, the po-
sition of the South between these conflict
ing interests, was becoming more and more
serious and complicated every day. With
these convictions, they determined to as
sumo the responsibility of devising plan,
which, although drawn up in the spirit OF
compromise, might, without any surrender
of honor be adopted by Southern Legis- |
latures as a proposition to Congress.
"This plan, we learn, has been submit
ted to members of Congress, members of
the Cabinet and prominent men from the
several Northern States. Conservative men
of all parties spoke favorably of it, and
we are assured that many of the best
friends of the South at Washington, urge
the propriety of its earl y approval by the
Legislature and our people.
eve are are not prepared to express an
opinion upon SO grave proposition, with
out due consideration, and we have not had
time to weigh it, in all its bearings. It is |
a matter however, of great magnitude, and
should be calmly and seriously pondered.
Ii such a programme We're rendered to us
by the North as a .tnality,-an end to all
further collisions between the two sections,
Objectionable as the verbiage and the prin
ciples involved, in some few instances in
the scheme, may be to us, such is our anXl-
ETY. to end the clamor, and SO strong IS our
devotion to a constitutional Union, we
should accept it. Nevertheless, we feel, |
though the proposition comes from all I'M
official source and accompanied by no such
official assurances of favor in the North as
inspires confidence of its acceptance, the
scheme should not be hastily disposed of, |
and especially should not be hastily con-
demned. With the feelings, purposes and
anxieties of the parties proposing this
scheme, We entirely sympathize, because
we are sure they are honest men and true
friends of the South, however much We
may have differed with them on some points
during the unfortun ate contest.
From the Winston Sentinel.