The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-05

The Constitutional Amendment In nross.
| ~ |si &aFH chusetts.
| me question Of accepting the propos ed amend
me Mt TO the Fedora! Constitution was submitted.
at the opening OF the session OF the Massachusetts
Legislature, to special committee of that bodv
Ane majority Of this committee report against the
amendment They say, at the outset that SIT ia
not enough for q Massachusetts Legislature tbat
other States have ratified = proposed amendment
Massachusetts can afford to stand alone upon her
convictions, but she caunot afford to follow the
| multitude to do evil" ,'T5
They, say that the decision the Supreme Ccmrt
as to what or who was citizen concludes the noint
do; indeed, probably more conciusivelv: for tbera
IS reason to fear that il this matter should come
M gs1ore the present Supreme Court as new quea-
Glon under this amendment there would be dan
ger of an adverse decision. The definition Too ~
citizenship ssof the State wherein thew reside ia
OF no effect as none of the provisions OF the amend
State. Further, the majority are not aware that
there mas been any decision, or that there is any
sgpsfment among legal ath.orites as to what
senship Of the United States - -
: They urge, further, that conquered rebels have
ttelted every right; not one has the right to life,
ms hvng would endanger the public safety. stili
less has he the right to property with the same
almost infinitely less has he the rehS
poens9 power when ~ that power is the most
slavery and the providence Of God have given to
our government the golden opportunity to elimi.
ha1e th1s olgsrchnl feature from institutions
and to make this "a union Of Homogeneous Statas::
thus second section renquishes this great porver'
rehabi!itatea the Southern oIearohS and and iva;
new y, hfe TO this fruitful source Of all our woes.
me erect OF the amendment on Massachusetts |
ls also discussed Tho majority say Chat the rs.
gJesentation Of the State win be considerably rel
Of the war has shown that the Interest haters OF
the North, the most brutal butchers OF prisoners
and Of Southern loyaists, are the men who never
held Offices referred TO-. and these are the men,
No.
ton which association with citizens OF other sec
tions OF the country gives to public men, Without
even the humanizng influences which war exerts |
upon the true soldier-the guerillas and bush-
with hands dripping with the blood of
loyal men and women these are the men to whom
the amendment opens the doors of Congress-"
The report concludes t
<Iet it be borne in mind that in considering the |
operation Of this amendment we must throw out |
ton Of giving the elective franchise to coored citi
zens. This legislation is entirely independent of |
this amendment, and il held valid it will be so !
held equally, whether the amendment is ratified or
greater nct of fatuity than this Of placing in the
power Of rebels to exclude half million loyal I
voters from all voice in the reconstruction Of those
States. We do not speak OF it as partisans. |
litical suicide but we speak as patriots, and as
such we have the right to demand that no plan of
reconstruction shall be sancic ned which does not
secure the full exercise Of the only power which
loyal to federal republican government In re-
viewing the whole subject, the committee are !
brought to the conclusion that no eHgency exists
requiring immediate action upon an amendM ent |
ope open to the grave objections we have present ed.
ferred to tie next general court ts Z;
rs!e. - gs&seI
AEpaS