The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-05

4 human flesh and of the hOrT0fS OF TIE Stavf
Einart. Wasall this. nothing2 Was It moth
ing that men created in tile Divine image Of
Him. who declares that he is no respecter oi
persons were doomed to degradation, dark
ness and moral death, with every aspiration
Tor knowledge burnt out and every sacred
1 feeling Outraged with a smilea And yet
this much enduring race has been made a
butt for the jeers and mernment OF the
chivalry," and even their want OF culture
which is the result of. oppressive legislation
| has been used asa weapon against them to
cut them off from every right of citizenship
1t was wise and just that Congress exten-
ded to this race all the franchises OF the
American citizen. By, SO doing it has secur-
ed national tranquility and national justice
kitthas put a stop to the agitation OF the
question; it has rendered the colored race a
contented people; it has introduced new
element of strength in the government by
bringing in an accession of loyal voters, who
may be relied upon in any emergency IN
peace or in war, and who will act as a salu-
tary check upon the disloyal at heart; it has
removed the last possibility of & war of IA
ces; each rebel State will now be guaranteed
republican form of government; the black
man has now the means OF maintaining his
freedom; and above all, Congress has pledg-
ed itself, to the principles of the immortal
Declaration, and to make America the field
for the development and progress of human
ity. ,. -r.- s. .. ~ ...
2. A Just and uniform basis of represen-
tation in the national Congress.
This was attempted in the Howard
Amendment, and has been perfected by uni
versal suffrage. a.. -.
At the formation of the constitution there
was great bitterness between the slavery and
the anti'siavery party upon this very ques-
ton; the slavery party insisting that all the
slaves should he counted in the federal
opposing. Slavery triumphed, as usual,
and the result was compromise, allowing
three fifths OF the slaves to be counted in.
and added to, the free population. If we
io ok now and see how this system worked,
we shall find that it was most iniquitous-
According to the census of 1850, the total
population of South Carolina (and I use
round members for convenience was GO, 900;
of this number, 400, 900 were slaves, having
a free population of 100000. Now three
ffths of the 1000 slaves, which are allow
ed to be added to the free population will
be 100000, which added to the 100000 free
population makes $4,000 entitled to
In 1850 every $4,000 in
habitants were entitled to one representa-
tive. Divide $4,000 then by 5000 and it
gives 5; the number of representatives that
South Carolina was entitled to. But now
mark you, in the whole State there were
only $4,000 voters. Being entitled to
members then. in all, every 10000 voters
sent representative. How was it in North
Carolina We had 10000 voters and had
8 representatives, or one representative for
every 15,0 600 voters. In other words, it took |
three North Carolina voters to be equal to
two South Carolina secessionists Was
there anything like justice in this2 But
take Massachusetts, the injustice is still |
more glarngly apparent. That State sent
one member to Congress for about every
30, 600 voters, while South Carolina sent one |
for every 10000 voters, thus requiring three |
New England Union men to be equal to one |
South Carolina nullifier. Might we not
suppose that Massachusetts, would kick at
that? Take for the last instance Rhode |
Island with her forty thousand voters, send
ing only one member to Congress, while
South Carolina with only 10000 more voters
sent her five members. And this was the
advantage that all the slave States had over
all the free States
After the slaves were emancipated instead |
IF only three fiths of them being counted
IN, oil would have been counted in, Tor the
provides that all the free in
labitants shall be counted in. This would
nave been gain Of members for the South
md loss of 8 members for the North,
giving the South clear gain of Is more
votes in Congress than she had at the out
break of the rebellion Was it to be ex-
jected that the Northern States would sub
nit to any such injustice, when they had the
means In their power to right it 2 Was it
not enough that, when the rebel States were
they should be admitted upon
erms of equality with the other States, and
Vas it not the height of arrogance for them
20 claim the same preponderance, yes, a
greater preponderance than they had under
l pet slavery Constitution! Again, would
It not be extremely dangerous to have adj
nitted this largely increased representation
rom the disloyal States What corrupt
might not they have formed
with Northern copperheads We are al |
'eady staggering under an enormous public
lebt, which the rebellion has created, and
how could the nation stand to be taxed with
he payment of any part of the rebel war
lebt or to pay for the manumitted slaves
And yet both these have been proposed
Even the convention of Alabama was careful
enough In trying to reorganize, not to say
anything which would preclude a possibili
y of compensation for manumitted slaves
hereafter. These things being so, is not
his condition of reconstruction both wise
tndjust 49, ~ a.ttI,7
8. The exclusion of leading rebels from
,ffice. .
This has been, after all, the great stumbling
block on the road to reconstruction. No
INC, who has ever taken the oath to support
he constitution of the United States and
las afterwards participated in rebellion can
hereafter hold any Office, State or Federal,
until the disability is removed by Congress
All the prominent secession leaders have
AIKEN this oath. To save themselves from
and to crafty personal
ambition, utterly regardless of the best in
erests of the country, they advised the peo-
lie to reject the Howard Amendment If
ny one thinks that disfranchisement is too
evere punishment for unrepentantsecession
he can form but little concep-
ion of the magnitude of their offence. They
ave been guilty of treason, and treason is
he highest crime known to the law. IF a
nan commit murder. the crime stops with
he injury done to the murdered man; So
iety is satisfied with the execution of the
rimirial. Treason goes further than this,
nd strikes at the very foundation of social