The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-03-18
Afraid Of the People.

1t is the highest right of the people of a
State that their constitution shall not he al
tered or amended without their consent
legally expressed through the ballot-box
So jealous of this great right were the mem
bers Of the Convention that framed the pres
ent Constitution Of our State, that they
protected it with a triple shield, and re
quired that any future amendment to it
must receive the sanction Of two successive
legislatures and afterwards be approved by
vote of the people.
The Congressional negro amendment pro
poses TO strike the word lchite from the
constitution Of this State. This is the bold
est attempt that has yet been made towards
centralzing power in the general govern
ment. and is the weightiest blow yet deliver
ed against the sovereignty of the States. If
this amendment is ratified by three-fourths
Of the State legislatures it will work COM
plete charge in our system of republican
government. 1t will destroy the right of
each State, heretofore held sacred, to regulate
the qualifications Of its own voters, AID will
recognise in Congress power dangerous to,
if not absolutely subversive of, the well
settled right of the people in their sovereign
capacity to change OF alter their constitu-
tion.
No party that was not stepped to the very
eyes in fraud and deceit would attempt to
force this measure upon the people by the
sheer force of accidental numerical strength
and in direct violation of its own solemn
pledge. What did the Chicago Convention
mean when it declared that the question Of
suffrage in all the loyal States properly BE-
longs to the people Of those States"? 1t
meant that negro suffrage should not, by any
action of the Republican party. he imposed
on State without the consent of its people
expressed through the ballot box. And
yet, in nine months after that pledge was
given to the American people. it is openly,
shamelessly and per6diously violated. 1t
seems almost like dream that such an act
of political treachery could be perpetrated
without stirring the indignation of the peo-
pie to its profoundest depths.
Why is it that the leaders of the radical
party are afraid to submit the question of
negro suffrage to a vote of the people? It
is because they feel and know that an over
whelmiug majority of the votes of this State
are opposed to it, and being conscious of
that fact they are about to usurp the power
OF the people and by legislative ratifca-
tion of the negro suffrage amendment 20
perpetrate base and infamous political
fraud. The radical members Of the Iegisls.
ture are prepared to do what their party
declared at Chicago last May should not be
done. The people are to be villainously
cheated and defrauded by their faithless and
recreant representatives out of sacred right
guaranteed to them by their own State con-
stitution. The amendment has been rati-
fed by our State Senate by strict party
vote. When it is ratified by the House, as
it surely will be, We would like to know
where are the reserved rights of Pennsylva-
MIA expressly guaranteed to her by the
constitution of the United States They will
be at the mere whim and caprice of the great
overshadowing power which now dominates
at Washington.
When the amendment was before the
Senate last week Mr.. Wallace offered the
following preamble and resolutions:
WHEREAS the Congress of the United
States has proposed amendment to the
Constitution thereof to be known as Article
XIV, which changes the rule Of suffrage now
existing in this Commonwealth and sUbsti-
tutes therefor another and different rule,
which said amendment is now submitted to
the legislatures of the different States for
ratification. and
WHEREAS. "All power is inherent in the
people" aud it is right that they should
have opportunity to vote for or against
the ratification of the said amendment and
to determine whether they will OF will not
change the Iule Of suffrage now existing,
therefore
ReSolred That the Judiciary Committee ei
the Senate be and they are hereby instruct
ed to prepare and forthwith report TO tbs
Senate a bin for The submission of the o,es-
ton ofthe ratification of The said onaercuen
TO the people at the election an October, 1869
Resolped, That the Senate will not act
upon the question of the ratification of thr
said amendment to the Constitution Of th.
United States at its present session but vii
await the action of the people at the poll
thereon.
These resolutions were scornfully rejected
by the radical majority. The outrage mus
be inflicted noe, and the people be deprived
of the right of expressing their views on tn
question at the next October election. Thi
is the last and bodest attempt of a revolu
tionary party, aiming at peculiarly politica
purposes, to undermine and destroy tn
rights of the people of the State. No effor
has been made to defend the iniquity-non
can be made. If the people have not bee,
given over to utter judicial blindness the
will not submit to it.
Grants independence-as it is called
In nominating bushes men instead of ex
perienced statesmen as his Cabinet oficor.