Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-03-16

x'AllJ1 1vGMOVAA1 IL
y. ~. seaC1sARDOON. RAater.
SATURDAY EVENING. MARCH IS.
MASSACHUSETTS ana a',e Constitu.
sIonal AsMendaens.
The most strenuous advocates Of the pro-
posed constitutional amendment have been
the representatives from Massachusetts in
the National Legislature. But !, appears
this position was taken without q due COM
alteration Of the interests OF Massachusetts,,
md for ths. reason that State has not. and
viii mot. .ratify the amendment. At the
opening Of the present session Of the Legs
lature OF Massachusetts, the question OF
ratification was taken up and submitted to
. specisl committee, from which . report
has lust been made. And strange - It may
spuesr, tie committee report against The
ratification Of the amendment, and Tor the
reason thu, the effect Of its adoption will be
10 reduce the representation Of Nsssashu.
setts in Congress Bot the committee does
not regard that consideration - the only
objection 10 the ratification Of the amsod'
ment. In regard 20 the exclusion ofpromi-
nsot rebels from participation in the d'rec
ton Of the Government, the committee make
che fcllswing sensible suege'tions "Ihe
experience Of war has shown that the bitter
cat hs,ess Of the North, the most brutal
butchers OF prisoners and Of Southern 10y
slis,s. arc the men who never held offices
referred 20; and these are the men, without
experience in affairs. without the education
which association with citizens Of other sec.
tons o. the country gives TO public men,
without even the humanizing influences
which war exerts upon the true soldier
the gue,rlllas aud pushwhackers, with
hands dripping with the blood Of loyal msn
ard womcn these are the men TO whom
the amendment opens the doors Of Con
gress.'
This view OF tho case from Massachu'
so,,s stand point.i there VAS no other ssgu
ment against the constitutional amendment
or tina, later measure, the military recon
struct on bill, should be sufficient to con
icmn boil, with all right thinking men
With all Who desire 10 preserve = consiitl
,ional overnment.
ASHLEY.
Il il evident thst this man belongs 10 The
unfortunate class Of persons who haze .
little sense ~ TO mistake notoristy for dia
tinction. He hes contsivsd, in. The shol
space Of . few weeks, 10 render himself
wcll>known psrsonsge. lie has beco1s Il
,sen Of men, part Of whom have simp
laughed at his folly. while the other hs
were amazed aud indignant ~ his rsckls
hardihood aud audnci,y. Whateler immc
atty there 10 in remembered odium will
his in time to come. lie has s,riven 10 &C
meet his name with = great and historic
event, but none will envy him the lsurels
has won In the connection.
In his movements for the impeachment
the President. he has shown what sma
nodicnm Of sense and discretion he pos
sesses lie hes sounded the depths Almo
lmmcasurable dcpths-of his vanity. h
cgoism. aud his self rcei'; yet in one
spect, he has been useful. lie he's disclos
and inale public the schemes OF fraud o.
dupl,c,,s, e usurpA,ion aud rasca,ity, viii
were contemplated hy those wiser in knave
than himself Eetoro the plot was fu
Matched and matured in the deposition
the Pres dent and Of the Congresslor
emp Tetts. the i'm ,etusus Ashley. in
folly. bIszcnel j, out 20 ths world. lie d
closed blythe violence of his course, and
his ,itups,a,,on Of the President, that I
inquiry proposed to be made into his offic
conduct was devoid Of any honesty Of int
ton, and VAS only preliminary 10 . cenvi
ton and punishment already determin
upon.
!, is always we'll, Tor the interests Of b
manity 70 have leaky ccnspirators, VIII
thoushtlcssness or intense m,Dlienity, or
sire for individual distinction, causes . p
rnstnse exposure Of bad designs. IL 10 o
in . spirit Of rsvstcnt piety, that there
no,hing Great ed in vain-not even the 10
IS, and most ieDased Of the animal speci
They subserve some useful purpose, althou
AZ ilr-s. It way ne, be apparent, and in 20
cases almost impossible 20 perceive. Il
under tlns view Of i, that such porsons
Ashley fuli some wise and inscrutablc p
po.c. when .ther folly aud intense ma
iousness are made instruments ofgood.