Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-09-02
THE"HoWARD AMENDMENT TO THE CON
sTrTUTI0N OF THE u. S.--The Richmond Dis

sTrrur1oN OF THE q. S.--The Richmond Dis
patch says Letus see what the amendment is
''SEcT1oN 2. Representatives shall be APP
portiOned among the several States according
to their respective numbers, counting the
whole number Of persons IN each State, ex-
Guiding Indians not taxed But when the
right to vote at any election for the choice Of
electors for President and Vice President OF
the u. s., representatives in Congress, ezecu
tive and judicial officers Of State, or the
members OF the Legislature thereof, Is denied
to any Of The male Inhabitants of such States
being twenty,one years OF age and citizens OF
the IT, g., or in any way abridged except Tor
partcipali0n in rebellion or other CRIME, the
basis Of representation therein shall be reduced
in the proportion which the number OF such
male citizens shall bear to the whole number
of male citizens twenty-one years OF age IN
such State.
If any part Of the Howard amendment oper
ate instantly, this second section does. Yet
Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia, all
deny to negroes the right to vote at any cleo
ton, and no one has proposed to exclude from
the House Of Representatives any one OF the
members from those States. A number OF the
northern States also deprive negroes but the
number Of them is probably not large enough to
cause it to lose a representative. Such, however,
is not the case in Kentucky and Maryland The
former has some 100000 negroes, and Mary.
land over 10000. IT, then, the Howard
amendment of its own vigor operates the ey.
cusion of disqualified persons from office in
Virginia, it must also operate the exclusion OF
at least two of the Kentucky and one of the
Maryland members of the House Of Represen-
tatvcs. If this amendment takes instant et-
feet in Virginia, it takes instant effect IN every
State But this is not all. The third section,
which is the only enc the scalawags are partl-
cularly anxious to see enforced, IS as follows.
"SECT[oN 3. No person shall be a senator
or representative in Congress, or elector Of
President and Vice President, or hold any Of
flee, civil or military under the u. S. or under
any State, who, having previously taken an
oath as member Of Congress- or as an officer
of the u. S., Or as member OF any State
Legislature or as an executive Or judicial OF
ticer of any State, to support the Constitution
of the y. s., shall have engaged ID insured:
ton or rebellion against the same, or given aid
and comfort to the enemies thereof. But
Congress may, by q vote OF two thirds oil each
House, remove such disability.
Now, as we have just said, If the validity OF
the acts of our State officers may be questioned
UCCduSC luCy hOulu bOV W Iu.A'iiNo W iiO'N
their places should this section be made opcr
alive in Virginia, the validity of the acts OF
hundreds of officials in Maryland, kentucky,
and even, we suppose, in New York, New
Jersey. Pennsylvania, and other northern
States, may also be questioned; for there can be
not doubt that there are many persons in Office
in those States who gave aid and comfort to
the ''rebe!s" during the war. But the TACT Is
that the acts of our State officers will never be
questioned in court except by some such judi
cial ass as Underwood !; for their official acts,
will be valid as long as they shall hold their
positions. .f a..
Although, then, it would appear that an
amendment ouce ratified becomes instantly and
necessarily operative from the moment of its
ratification yet facts show the contrary to be
the case in reference to the Howard amend
ment. 1t will surely be time enough to en-
force ii in Virginia when it ia enforced 10 the
loyal States. ...