The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-27
Tue Census and the Constitutional
-. Amendments.
=, The Baltimore .Sps has the following
in regard to these TOPICS:

A careful examination of the applica-
tion Of thefourteenth amendment to the
next census showg that the Southern
States, wherein the, right of franchise is
impartial, and that portion of the popu-
letioh which has been disfranchised on
account'of participation in the rebellion
is counted in the ratio of apportionment,
viii; H;be greatly benefited by the increase
OF the members of their Congressional
representation. This matter has already
been referred to in our Washington cor
respondehce. The Northern States,
wherein the franchise righ! IS not impair
tlal,, viii be injured to q corresponding
extent by the decrease of their repre-
sentatives. IF, however, the fifteenth
amendment is adopted before the census
is taken, only those States wherein there
is an impartial distinction on account of
property, educational or nativity qualif-
cations, will suffer. The amendment is
in reality nothing but constitutional
enactment OF the civil rights bill as ap-
piled to the right of suffrage It is pos
sible, therefore, for any State to disfran-
chise negroes or Cinnamon who have
become citizens on account of the lack
ofiany qualification, if at the same time
they. disfrancnise whites for the same
reason. 1t is said to be quite probable
that the census committee will recon-
mend decrease of the ratio of repro
sentation throughout the entire country,
and q corresponding increase of the
number of representatives. Members of
Congress complain that the amount of
labor devolved on them in caring for the
interests of their constituents is too great
for one man to operform with promptness
or satisfaction to the parties interested.
They propose to lessen their labors by
decreasing the number of their constitu-
ents. The Honse, however, is unwieldy
enough now as to numbers, and as the
country enlarges it must become neces-
sary, us heretofore. to increase the con.
stituencies. If Congressman decline to
become ofice-seeking agents for their
constituents, they will have less menial
work to do, and they can then attend to
their. proper business.
The ratification by Florida of the
fifteenth amendment of the Constitution
leaves but three more States to make
three -fourths OF the thirty seven States
which are necessary to render this
amendment part of the supreme law of
the land. The States of Rhode Island and
Vermont, which have yet to vote upon
it, will ratify it beyond doubt. Virginia,
Mississippi and Texas are required.
under the last reconstruction law, as
condition precedent to restoration to
Congress, to ratify this amendment.
With the re-assembIing of Congress in
December, what is called impartial suf-
frage may be expected to be proclaimed
as fixed in the Constitution, and will be
sustained by the whole power OF Con-
gress. Under this amendment, as is
well known, suffrage is extended to all
male citizens above the age of twenty
one years throughout the United States,
without distinction of race or color. |
The politicians throughout the Northern
rs we'll as the Southern States will have
to take this fact into their calculation
In the latter suffrage without regard to
race or color will be no innovation, as it |
has been practically exercised for some
time, and has been submitted to by the |
Southern people quietly and patiently,
as part: of the inevitable Whilst it |
wonld have been better to have left the
suffrage to be regulated by the States, as |
prescribed by the present provisions of
the Constitution, the process adopted
would at least have been legitimate in
form, If coercion had not been applied to
certain States in the premises. It gives
to the Government vantage ground of
apparent conformity with the Constitu-
tion,r in enforcing submission, which
it could not; have possessed under the
arbitrary measure proposed of decreeing
universal suffrage by congressional legis- |
!ation. at the same time this conformity
is. only apparent both as respects the
unreconstrncted States, and Gf the vir-
ginia. Texas and Mississippi vote is es-
sential to the result,) even those which
are .in" the Union. The. Former are
not left to their volition even to vote on
the amendment, and an amendment in
corporated in the Constitution by their
compelled assent, which could not have
become part of the organic law if the
States had been permitted to speak
freely, is almost as arbitrary proceed
ing as direct legislation upon suffrage
by Congress. With the amendment
adopted, however, by whatever means,
and put in force, "a large addition
must be made to the rolls of voters in
what are called the border States.
TIE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD COMPANY.
II IJ