Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1869-01-21

The onsti I'll o n a /
Amendment--Hc Wants
to Know What Has
Become oft.
Granite Cry sr"Ecenemy''I.ikes
ed e Jehn Hesk's Cry Of
Beef. ssDeeT-.
Prom the A..islavsry stand ard.

Prom the Antsslavsry standard.
Where 10 the Constitutisual amsndmenti
Has congress forgotten il, or 10 there a. in
delay 10 alarming. by the time one house,
ct least, might have disposed Of the ques
ton. With proper speed II might have
been still further sdvaucsd-might have
bsea slseady On its way - the legislstarss.
We sss this dlatsrinsss with anxiety.
Other measures may. without any great
haro, Be postponed. But every hours Do.
ley 10 dasesreos. The natSoo 10 neeting
further and further frsm that keen eenss
Of the meaning Of the war, which alone
gives up any good hope Of rssping frem
ihae drsad ordeal al it really produced for
us. The frieads Of impartis! libssty made
. ed aissaks il they let public sttsstion
wander to finance and other matters efin-
dustrial fecsnstruction until this 10 settled.
Ne knew M. Sumnss's opiaisa that the
country nay safely trust - .'pslitical
rights bill" such Is he offers. His judg,
ment on any matter connected this ques-
tisn 10 entitled 10 tho profsundsst respect.
All men, capable Of judgiag. will agree, Of
course, in what 10 trits and . mere truism,
that his epinisn On . question Of censtitu~
tional law 10 entitled to mere confederation
anI 10 far moro valuable than that of any
ether member Of congress, Or than any de-.
cisisn Ws are likely 70 GET for the next
dozen years from the supreme. bench.
But while this 10 indisputably true, still
W must remember that constitutional Law
in this country, practically 10, not what
lawyers decide, but what the masses can
BE- made . see and accspt. No one will
deny that, relative to such . bill - Mr..
Sumner slEers there will inevitably b great
difference in epinisn. Many will hold that
congress has no authority 20 pase such .
bill. Ne argument, no weight Of authority
will dispel such doubts. Hence, should
" relax eur demesd Tor 90 aosndment,
the probability 10 that NJ. SINNERS bill
would fail 10 get the tive thirds needed TO
carry over The inevitable veto. OF course
W knew what its fate would DO il it ever
reached tho hands Of our plant time ssrvsr,
the chief justice, Feseuna.sly, ooss snse-
ted. il does net seem possible that even
his apostsey and morbid ambition could %
far mislsad him % to make him trampls On
oil the prscsdsnts aud attempt TO rejudgs
. decision Of congress on political issus.
Though. after last July. Il vas venture
some - say that any subssrvisney 10 be-
yond his capacity Of bssensas.
The difficulty, we believe. would b, thu, .
once let the people relax in their demand,
and every thing timid. verifying reaction
sry, everything disleysl 10 Congress. would
rally 10 aggravats constitutional scruples,
aud 70 pretend doubts, till even Mr. SUN.
nsr's measure wsuld BE- lest. We deem Il
| wiser, therefore, t. adhere 10 the present
| policy. stalking oil On the success Of the
amendment. Better BE- defeated on that
plan than on anything slse. The popular
| soldier may cry "psacs but every ssnsi
BILE man knows there will be no peace TIL
| this RACE quarrel 10 taken out Of the psliti
Gal arena. Chatham said, "rhank God,
America has resisted" In the same mood,
We say. Thank heaven, there can be no
prosperity. ne profitable business, ne easy
times for lAbsr and business men, till the
nsgro's rights are secured"
Mr.. Sumner taught US years ago. that
"nothing 10 settled ill II 10 settled right
= noble and comforting maxim. Ne cuckoo
words can bring peace. Only Justice can
be mother Of that pleased child. We have
no extra trust in Mr.. Grants knowledge Of
he indispensable prsliminariss 10 peace.
The past hes not taught us to isok 10 eel
diers for such statssmanship. Our Ameri.
can Shakespeare twenty PEARS since, said 81
the soldier:
Peace will not brock - have
Her snowy pages turned rudely
by HE crimson -smutching hands,
The herd may fergst its cid wisdem. We
still doubt the probability Of gathering
grapes from thsrns. Hence We desire mo
| earnestly to press on Congress the instant
importance Of this measure. And IL Gen.
Grants friends wish 10 show to tho coun-
try, either his wisdom or his gssd incna.
/ tions, We sxhort them to induce him 10
break this affected, and for one in his place,
childish rsticsncs, by . voice urging this
| measure assuring him and them that it il
not only - important - economy, but is
itself the sursst aud greatest economy.
How thorough American, in the worst
sense Of the name, during eur wsrst times.
10 an obstinate silence during two such
| evsntful years rs those just closed, broken
at last emily TO cry out, "Oh, do save the
money y Patrick Hsnry's patriotic cry,
Beef beef! Pay me for my beef in
Washington's starving camp, is the next
best thing 10 il in history.
Butns,hing could give US sincsrsr delight
than to have the President elect throw HIM
self SO ensrgetically and successfully into
this effort that we should be obliged to
believe in him and take back oil the doubts
We have expressed in regard to him.
WKNSsLL Phillips.
eve ID Njxgers Admitted -