The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-06-25

have decided in favor of fighting
the political battle this fall on the
adoption Of llie a amendment proposed
TO tho Slates 70 10 alter the CoHssi
tuition Of the United States rs TO
make all IT ale negroes over tho age
OF twenty-one years voters in the
several States. Its adoption would
be a confession Of the ircnpncity
and inability of the white race 60
carry on the Government without
negro aid. The Democracy will
cheeriLlly accept the issue thus
made. and on their banners Will be
inscribed, az two years since, no pU.
liIical partnership with the negro
race IN administering the affairs Of
the State and General Government.
In making mp tho issue, the Re-
publican leaders forgot the stultih-
cation Of their party friends in Con
grcss and in tho Supreme Court.
The so-cnllcd Fourteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution ofthe Uni.
ted States, before il received the
assent of the required number Of
States, WAS adopted by tho Legisla-
lures Of Ohio, New Jersey and Or
cgon. AT the next election. the De
mocracy carried the State LcgIsTa-
lures of the States named, and u
mong their first acts, Ohio taking
the lead, was TO withdraw tho as
sent thus given. TO this withdraw.
al, the Radical leaders objec.
ted--claming that the assent of
State once given 70 u Cons.itu-
tional Amendment could not be
withdrawn, and when the Legisla.
lures Of a sufficient number Estates
counting OHIO, Oregon and New
Jersey-as having assented, Con-
gress declared the so-Cqlled Four
tcen:h Amendment adopted. 70
this rendering of the law, the Su-
preme Court ossonted, when. in vir
tue OF this AmendmenG Chief Jus.
tice Chase gave the opinion of the
Court, that it freed Jefferson Davis
and others indicted fDr treason, OF
all crime, and bade them go forth
unwhipped of Justice.
The so-called 18th amendment to
tho Constitution os the United States
now before the Legislatures of the
States for adoption or rejection
three-fourths of all the States being
required to ratily twas rejected
by the Legislature of Ohio which
met last winter, in terms 80 strong
as to leave no doubt on the subject.
The Radical party in Ohio propose
now TO take an appeal from that dc.
clslon, and If they are able TO carry
y majority IN the Legislature to be
elected this fall, to utterly ignore
the rejection OF the proposed amend.
mont, and by u resolution, giving
the assent Of the State Legislature,
add Ohio TO tho list Of States endOr.
sing and asserting to 1t.
Now, we submit that, If the doc
trine holds good that State Leg
islature oDee asserting to an a.
mendmvnt to the Federal Constitur
uon, canIOt, before the proposed =
mendment is ratified by the requi-
site number OF State Legislatures,
take back the assent thus given =
that the Legislature of II State, once
refusing its assent, cannot aiterward
legally give it. If, as ths Radicals
claim, and as Judge Chase held, the
assent Of the States OF Ohio, Oregon
and New Jersey, once gwen to ar
amendment before that amendment
Is adopted by the requisite number
OF States, to make it part and parce
Of The fundamental law of the land
cannot be recinded, and the dlssen
OF tho States eoun:sd as agains: th,
adoption OF the amendment, then
and IN that case. as clearly as day
follows night, IL the fact that Ohio
once rejecting II Constitutional a.
, mondment, TO subsequent Legisla.
, ture can give II legal ratification
If the Ohio Legislature, electe,
this fall, can ratify the proposes
negro suffrage amendment TO tb
Federal C0nstitution-the latc log
, islature, by the iequisite majorlt,
of its members having rejected it
it follows rs n logical fact, which n,
Radical can controvert, that Ohio
, New jersey and Oregon, having re
pealed the resolution Of assent /
that other amendment which SO
> Jefferson Davis, John q. Breckin
, ridge and other sOcesh " leaders
n indicted for treason, at liberty
without the formality Of n trial
without the Assen: OF which State
it was not adopted-thon the a
: mendment is null and vold, and !
S no part of the Constitution.
!; One horn or the other of this d.
3 lcmma the Radical leaders mus
j. take. Either they cannot take
1 legal appeal from the dse'sion Of tn
Q late Ohio Legislature and give th
u assent of tho Stats to the ncgr
Z" suffrage amendment Of the Constr
- ton, or else she amendmen: who
I set Jefferson Davis to 30 forth un
{ punished for his crimes. has not hu
o u legal adoption, and Is No part
= the fundamental and supreme Ia
q of the land. By what sophiStry Il
n leaders VIII got over tbis stuliiticG
g ton, remains to be- scem
FOR our part, NO believe the RAJ
icals have the right 10 appeal, and
!. the people Of OhiO, at tho next elc
o tion return majority of the neg