Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-12-15
Letter from Washington.

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette
WASHINGTON, Dec. "A, ls69.-Some one
has raised a question in regard to the 18th
amendment to the Constitution, which has not
yet been adopted but which the dominant
party are using all their power to maze made
q part of the organic law of the country. The
difficulty has caused much di-cu .slon and
no li,tle anxiety, among the leaders OF that
.ar:y, aud with the most lar seeing slt~lS q
query whether in Constitution tlnSe-ing they
have not taken, at least, one step too many,
and the more the matter Is discussed the great
er seems the dilemma, and the importance oil
the questions likely to arse should the ut
teenth amendment, be- adopted.
/ The object OF tho ourteenth amendment,
which is now part OF the Constitution, was
to parpetuate in power the Republican party
70 do this, suffrage in the States is indirectly
controlled, by declaring that if aLy State shall
exclude from the rights Of FRANCHISE any por.
ton of its population on account OF race or
color" such portion of its population shall be-
excluded from the number upon which the
State is entitled to representation in the lower
house OF Congress.
The fifteenth amendment enforcing universal
suffrage, repeats that portion ofthe fourteenth
above ALLUDED TO- The question which is so
Torrying the leaders of the party in power
is, "can the Constitution be chAlgea BY amend
ments TO it," A little reflection will show
this to vitality important question: The Con
stitution sets forth the Way In which Ii may be
changed That is by 4 Convention. 1t also
provides for amendments to that instrument,
| but it was certainly never contemplated by the
trainers OF our organic law that any change
in its provisions could be effected by means Of
amendments The first thirteen amendment:
are all IN consonance with the original law, and
the fourteenth only accomplishes change m
directly. So we have evidence that up to the
| massage of the fifteenth amendment by Con
gress for submission to the States, 1t Was mol
| believed that any provision of the Constltu
| ton could b? repealed 10 any other way than
By Convention representing the whole people
| Much less that it could be changed by forcing
n certain number of the States to adopt al
amendment radically at variance with the tun
| damental principles upon which 1t IS founded
and in opposition to its plain provisions.
| Were it otherwise it would be competent by
amendment to abolish the Constitutional
| substitute for our present system OF republican
| Government q monarchy, with King, or ar
| Emperor, instead Of President. THIS acoutC
| be revolution. And yet if the creatures. Con
gress and three tourths OF the legislatures, tina
exist oaly by virtue OF the Constitution, cal
change one provision, why may they not aboI
| ish the whole? These questions are talked
over, and have set many to thinking seriously
| Of the condition to which we are being forced
by the leaders of the Republican party, anc
| even prominent members of that party are ap
| nailed at the extreme to which they have beer
forced by INSCRIPTIONS men, whose sole desir
has been TO retain power by rendering th
federal government superior to the Constitu
ton, the States, aud the people. Good ma.
| come OF the discussion. At any rate tn
questions are important, and should be serl
ou,y considered by the people whose liber
| ties are involved in the issue.
| All REYOlR