New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-09
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
WHAT HAMILTON PROPosED-NEw AMENDMENTS
TO THE CONSTITUTION.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.

government with the powers necessary TO tine welfare VI
society has always been the most dihcuit isAS P
dental wisdom, and. unhapphy Tor inahAlu' ti' we.
dom has been FREQ TO exert itseIt linus EO''
ments have always been the results OF crcuhs"nceso
series OF eliminating facts which ieit NIUE room ioi
theory however wlse to be consulted Ihe Iac's nave
made the governments and 1t has been the once OF eA
perence 10 correct errors aud adjust balances but IN 10
,,n the true patriot has always lamented
So ~ the work Still great advances have been made
and # IA not DO questioned further advances VIII DC
made meeting progressively the progressive wants
and developments of society. Tho Magma Charta ex
tor,ed by her barons laid the foundation OF English ana
to great extent, of our liberty The Petition OF Rights
was timely effort ascrbed Lord somers to assert
the principles of the great charter and to provide or
the liberty Of the subject new auxiliary securities 90
ON this side Of the Atlantic, in the Declaration OF lnde
pepdepce we're asserted the invaluable rights thus sue
cessyey established in the mother country But as 10
thu formation OF Government the diversity was WIDE
That % England was succession Of innovations without
plan the origin whereof has, to this hour been Win du
Guilty explored the United States has been success
sion Of experimental plans, the history OF whlch Is ia
lar Divided cOloniss became massed as one people LOT
the sole purpose Of and then arose staes III
the place mostly Of which, IN author
ling delegated powers TO Congress, denied to them
selves In the outset the right the pretenson OF State
sovereignty, by them since aeQulreu-neVer Oy
them wisely sought. These delegated powers alwaysm
tended the preservation of the Union and the continued
NA'NA>
The welfare OF this whole united people demanded
the exercise OF comprehensive powers-to be en-
larged not to be restricted. The jealousies OF
States seeking O sovereignty they ala NOV P0s
sess abridged IN the Confederation the powers me-
cessary 10 the general welfare Consequent facts de-
manded and indeed compelled change; and In making
this change two parties merely to suppe
ent the Considerations the other to establish an ehec
tive Constitution. SO thus compromises were MADE
Some of them polite; others most impolitic ana 1he
Constitution under which live was, in the language
OF Hamilton. "a plan OF accommodation" Ihls Oelns
So and being felt TO be So the wise precauuon was
taken OF providing a peaceful mode OF amendment
The existence Of this power has resulted In the esaoS
men OF fourteen amendments OF which one only aeots
the functonares of the Governmen-the twelfth winch
WAS adopted in 1904 Its history can be gwen
In few sentences. AS the Constitution was
formed no designation made OF the per
sonsto be voted for President and VicePresldent
The connection Of and Jefferson. each receiving an
equal vote TO endanger the government anu
Hamilton originated the designating amendment which
became in the twelfth article part OF the Constitution
ia a the same time to correct another great defect In
the original system framed another amendment lmpos
Ing Congress the duty of drctng the States Ior INC
purpose OF choosing each district elector OF Fres
dent and vice-Presdent. resolution was iorth"lih
passed by Legislature of NewYork with tho privy
NJ DE witt Clinton then Democratic in both its branches
inviting Congress to propose both these ahenu'
ments and when presented TO Congress the former was
approyed and subsequently adopted and the latter that
of distributing was approved by twothrds OF the House
Of REPRESENTATIVES and only failed by one vote IN tho
Senate the vote OF q Federalst, Senator from New
York For this vote, the reasons which were gwen Dy
him. nothing could be moro frivolous. THIS proposed
amendment thus has this history. 1t originated Win
Hamilton the head Of the Federal party ana was
approved by Clinton, leader OF the Democratic party
and from the unquesoned influence OF Jefferson over
the first Democratic Congress voting thus IL may Dc
fairly inferred had his sanction This contemplated
change that concurred in because OF the sense
OF great existing recent evil. and with view TO pre-
vent its recurrence II this evil great enough at that
time 10 warrant change what is it now and what from
the nature Of things may be hereafter Who that has
marked the progress OF events can deny that during the
whole period Of Government from the beginning OF
this century the tendency OF power has been seady
toward the Governments. If any evidence were TO
ouired it will be found in the frequent decis-
ions Of the Supreme Court Of the United States
the safeguard and handmade OF the Consttu
tion directly indirectly to rescue the power ana
rights of the general Government from the cOyetous
grasp of the State Governments, and OF which unques
tionably Of ITS most important powers and rghts-is
most necessary-its absolutely indispensable. Among
these were power OF selfdefense in the employment
and government Of the militia the power Oh taxation
the power using incorporated capital IN the establish
ment OF national banking and Of national currency In
tho power to regulate commerce among tho several
States This abnegaton of these powers to the general
Government the attempts by indirect means to restrict
or IMPAIR thus virtually to nuy Its powers, have
resulted in unparalleled civil war, imperilng the
existence OF the nation feeding foreign cupdity, and
encouraging open pratical invasions OF our national
rights in despite OF the law Of nations in despite OF the
rights OF neutrality in despite OF solemn treaty Thus
imperiled, grevously wronged. our people have
Mt last felt practically that the United States though
not mere league, are nation. Feeling thus prac-
tcay their condition, the people, holding up before
the Congress the vaor and the sacrifices made by us IN
the courage in the lives Of children and relatives
demand of that this of grave experience be not
ermifted 10 pass by without asserting only all the
mowers OF the Constitution secure, but II insufficient or
imperfect in its working the great sautary recupera
tive supplementary power Of amendment to provide the
appropriate remedies No previous constitution OF gov
ernmenl ever conferred that remedial power It's very
existence proves that founders its weak points,
its defects and looked to the experience and the sagaey
of after times to be wisely, actively provident
This tendency to deny TO invade or TO absorb the
powers OF National Government which powers are the
rights and property Of the hOle entire people Of the
United States and always have been was the natural
the necessary fruit of the articles Of Confederation
They long prevented the formation Of constitution and
every stage OF the proceedings OF the Fed
eral Convention their Jealous spirit was ever alive
When falling deny 1t too often successfully compro
missed almost away the very attributes OF nation nor
was this ALL Seeking an impractcabie medium, 1t haved
away that which only valuable when and because 1t
whole Nor was tins all To the very organization OF
the Government II impaired weakness in some respects
amounting to frsty by nterposing cashing checks, or
insisting upon an unnatural indrecOn which 1t time
high time proven time to abolish or to modify ana s
10 the time.
OF tins indirection most marked instance IA seen IN
the existing provisions OF the second article OF the
Constitution BY this article the President rs not the
President Of the whole people OF the United staesof all
oh IN