The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-01-16

mode Of dealing with the subject.
State taxation was formerly the occasion o.
violent party contests. Now men Of all parties
concur in the opinion That as a general rul,
every oltizen ought TO be taxed IN proportion
TO the actual value Of his property, without re-
gard to the form in which he prefers to invest
Il; and differences as to the measures by which
the principle 10 practically applied rarely entei
into political struggles in Ohio.
Party conflicts and debates as te State laws
in relation 10 banking and the currency, con
stitute a large part Of the political history o.
tho State. But the events Of the last
few years have convinced hose who
that in the present condition OF the country Il
can best be furnished by the National Govern.
ment, either by means of National banks or 10
the form of legal tender treasury notes. State
Legislatures are therefore relieved from the
consideration ofthis difficult and perplexing
subject.
Internal improvements made by State au-
thority, so essential 10 growth and prosperity
in ths early history Of the State, no longer re-
quire much confederation by the General As
sembly. Works Of a magnitude too great TO be
undertaken by acknowledgements, will here
after be, FIR the most part, accomplished by
the Government Of the Nation. =.
The part which patriotism required Ohio 10
take in the war 10 suppress the rebellion, de-
msnded important and frequent acts Of legisIa-
tiOns forlunateV tue traubhctlOnb OF the obhke
growing out OF the war have been, or probably
can be closed under existing laws; with very
little, if any, additional legislation.
Ifnot mistaken as to th9 result Of this brief
reference TO q few of the principal subjects OF
the legislation Of the past, the present General
Assembly has probably a better opportunity
than any Of its predecessors TO avoid the evil
Of too much legislation. Excessive legislation
has become a great evil, and | submit 10 the
judgement Of the General Assembly the wisdom
Of avoiding II.
One important question Of principle, as old
as our State Government, still remains unset
tied. All are familiar with the conflicts To
which the policy of making distinctions be-
tween citizens in civil and political rights has
given rise in Ohio. The frst effort Of those
who opposed this policy was TO secure TO all
citizens equality Of civil rights. The result of
the struggle that cnsued b thus given by an
eminent and honored citizen of our State.
"lhe laws which created disa abilities on the
part OF negroes in respect OF civil rights, we're
repealed in the year l949, after on obstinate
contest quite memorable 10 the history Of the
State. their repeal was looked upon with
& teat disGavor by a large portion Of tue PEG,
pie, as u dangerous innovation 1pou a just aud
well settled policy, aud a vote in that direc-
ton consigned many members OF the Legisla-
tute to The repose Of private life. But | am
not aware that any evil results justified these
npprellensIons, or That any effort was ever
made 10 impose Nhe disabilities. On the con-
lrary. the new policy, ii l may call IL 80, has
been found 80 consistent with justce to the
negtOes, and The interests Oi tue whites, that
no oue-cerlaiuly no %party-in Ohio, would
be willing TO abandon it,"
An effort TO secure to oil citizens equal po-
litical rights, was made in the state UonslI>
%tutional Convention OF Only thirteen,
oct Of one huudred aud eight members in that
body, voted in its favor; aud II is probable
that less thea One-tenth OF the voters Of The
Stale wOnid then have voted TO strike tue
word white out OF the Constitution.
he lust General Assembly submitted 10 the
people u proposition TO amend the State Con
s~IitulIOn so as to abolish distiuctiQgs in pUit-
ical Tights based upon COLOR. The PROPOSE
zion contained several clauses not pertinent TO
It's main purpose, under which, IL adopted, IL
was believed by many that the DuInOer OF
white citizrns Who would be dIslranehisei
would be much greater than the humber VI
cOlored citizens who would be allowed tue
right ol suffrage. Notwithstanding the prop
osition was thus hRmpered, il received ZIG ,yoI
votes, or nearly forty. five per ceut. Of all the
votes cast in The State. This result shows
great progress liz public sentiment since tie
adoption Of the Constitution Of 1851, and in
spires the friends oil equal political rights with
q confident hope that in 1871, when the OPP
.portunily is given to the people, 10y the pro-
Visions OF the Constitution, TO Gull a ConstiIus
Convention, the organic law OF the
will be 30 amended As TO secure in Ohio
10 all the governed an equal voice IN the Gov
But whatever reasonable doubts may be
as to the probable action ol the
people OF Ohio on the question OF an extension
Of the right OF suffi age when a rev state
Constitution shall be FORMED, | submit with
that nothing has occurred whlch
tue opinion that the ratilicatIOn by
The last General Assembly Of tue Fourteenth
4 Amendment 80 tho Constitution Of the United
STATES, was not in accordance with the deliber-
ate aud settled convictions oil the people. That
amendment Was, AFTER the smplest discussion,
upon an issue distinctly presented, sanctioned
by u large majority Of the people. III any
exists which j~ustifes the belief that they
now wish that the resolution should be re-
by which the assent OF Ohio was given
10 that important amendment, il has not been
10 The attention OF the public. Omit>
ting all reference 10 other valuable pr0visioHs,
IL may be safely said that the section which
AuiOuk III lu0 ObaAOS VI NbC Ouloh
equal representation in the House OF Repre-
and 10 the Electoral Colleges in
proportion to the voting population is deemed
Of vital Importance by the people OF OHIO.
Without now raising the grave question a. TO
the right oil q State TO withdraw its assent,
which has been coLstitutiOnally given TO a
proposed amendment Of the Federal COnStitu-
ton, | respectfully suggest that the attempt
which Is now making 10 withdraw The assent
Of Ohio TO the Fourteenth Amendment to the
Federal Constitution be postponed until the
people shall again Lave an opportunity to
give expression 10 their will. In my judg-
ment, Ohio will never consent that the whites
OF the south, a large majority Of whom we're
lately in rebellion. AhAll exercise in the gov
eminent Of the Nation rs much political power
man fur mar, as the same number OF white
citizens of Ohio. aud be allowed in addition
thereto, thirty members Of Congress aud OF the
Electoral Colleges for colored people deprived
nj az erv ~nolifieal nrivilaaa