Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-04
AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.


The following is the correct word
ing Of the suffrage amendment to
the constitution OF the United States,
which has been adopted by the
House of Representatives, and
which, if concurred in by the Sen
ne, will be proposed to the Legisla-
lures of the various States; and,
when accepted by three fourths of
these, it will become part of the
constitution of the United States:
Section 1. The rights of any citi-
zen of the United States shall not
be denied or abridged by the United
States or any State by reason of
race, or color, or previous condition
of slavery of any citizen or class of
citizens of the United States.
Sec. 9. The Congress shall have
power to enforce by appropriate
legislation the provisions of this
article. se
We have often spoke of the total
change in our political system indi
Gated by the introduction of such
amendments. If we lived in times
like those when the Federal cOnsti
tuition was first submitted to the
States for acceptance or rejection,
says the St. Louis Republican, the
danger of its adoption would be
very small When the old consti
tuition was communicated to the
various States, the people constitu-
ted themselves a committee of the
whole, and inside and outside of the
legislatures the merits of the dOcu-
nent were discussed in the most
able and thorough manner. In
Massachusetts it was adopted by a
convention expressly called for the
! urpose, after its contents were eX-
austively discussed by the people.
IL New York its merits were thor
oughly canvassed, and The FEEDER
FliSt, whose articles were written by
IGmilton, Madison and Jay, is a
,o,nument of the earnestness. with
which the Federal compact was
tudied by the people before it was
accepted by convention expressly
aonvcned for the purpose of exam
ming, accepting or rejecting it. In
Virginia, Gen. Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, Madison, Marshall (the
future Chief Justice }, Geo. Nicholas
and Chancellor Pendleton defended
the constitution against Patrick Hen
ry, Richard Henry Lee, Mason and
their friends, who Opposedit, and the
instrument underwent as severe an
ordeal as 1t possibly could undergo
before the convention met which was
to decide its fate. In South Caro-
lima, the calling of a convention
was agreed TO after debate ofthree
days in the Legislative Assembly,
which, at the time, was declared to
be one of the most able Of all the
discussions attending the ratification
of the constitution. Rawlins
Lowndes, almost single handed, car
ried on the opposition against the
two inekneys, Pierce, Butler, John
and Edward Rutledge and many
ether distinguished statesmen of the
time. Maryland called the ratifying
convention after an almost superhu
man struggle of Luther Martin
against the proposed constitution.
His earnestness in combating the
instrument bOrdered on fanaticism,
and, though he brought an immense
pressure against it, he could not
prevent its final acceptance. In
New Hampshire q formidable Oppo-
sition was organized, and only after
a fierce discussion was the cOnven,
ton called to act uponit The doc.
ument was the subject Of scarcely
less exhaustive discussion in the
Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jer
sey, Georgia and Connecticut, but
the interests Of these States beinS
too palpably in favor Of its adop
ton, it was productive of less OK
element than in thesiX other States
In all the States, without any CX
ception, the people were assemble,
IN conventions which were purpose
" called for the careful examination
Of the constitution.
anu NuslG ID W fDC NAtnt NOW L
what manner will this negro sullrag
amendment be adopted or rejected
1t will bc proposed to Legislature
of which very probably not mol
than one or two will be convene
for the express purpose of actin
upon it. In Missouri, Indiana, Ka1
sas and various other States, it WI
be acted upon by Legislatures whi'
are expected to be favorable to
though the people, directly expires
ing their opinion in special election
rejected it in substance by ovC
whclming majoFities. In some
the reconstructed States, LegisI
lures will decide on it, which do n
at all represent either their popu
tons or their intelligence. L
what is worse than all, is the :
mittcd purpose Of the leaders of
ruling party to force this amend
constitution upon the people, p
ciSpiv lppauSn fhav know that \