The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-01-07
ConstitntiosaI Amendments.

To the Constitution, the names of the mem
bers by whom they were proposed, as wei
as their subject matter. After the fifth day
we abandoned the task in utter despair Al
most every Radical member seemed to have
his pockets stuffed full Of amendments Il
not only rained amendments, but it literally
poured them down in one copious, uninter-
rupteG stream. They fell as thick and fast
as leaves in Vallambrosa. Connecticut had
her amendment; Massachusetts,, through her
immortal trio Of statesmen and patriots
Sumner, Wilson and Butler, contributed lit
orally to the common stock; Pennsylvania,
through those twin brothers in fanaticism.
Kelly and Broomsll, laid her offering on the
altar Of an imperilIed country. We believe
Hon. Daniel J. MorrslI did net NIX in the
fray, for the reason. no doubt, that he is after
Reverdy Johnson with too sharp a stick to
permit himself to be turned from his object
by such tufiug and common place amuse-
ment as Offering amendments to the Const-
tuition. Then, there were amendments from
Ohio-from Indiana-from IIlnois-from
have read came from far distant Oregon
Menard, the colored man and brother" who
claims a seat as a representative from Loui-
siana, is said to have been prepared with an
amendment absolutely prohibiting any white
man in that State from voting or holding
Office
1t may be sail, in general terms. that all
these amendments have two objects il view
The one is, to make it impossible for negro
in a Northern State not TO vote, and the
other, to make it almost impossible for
foreigner to procure a certificate of citizen
ship The Chicago platform claimed that
Congress had the right to regulate the ques-
lion Of suffrage in the South. but that il could
Under our theory of government. all the
States being equal, we would like to know
where Congress derives The authority to reg
ulate suffrage in one State aud not in another.
Merely to state the proposition is to show
the absurdity of the power claimed by Con
gress over the subject. Nor did any party
or any statesman Of any party, from the days
of Washingtou's administration down to the
present time, ever claim that Congress could
deprive the several States of their right to
settle this question, each for itself Within
the last fifteen months several Northern
States have repudiated negro suffrage on a
test vote. In Pennsylvania it would be de-
feated by an overwhelming majority. Sup
pose that Congress should pass this negro
amendment, and submit it the Legislatures
Of the different States for adoption or rejec.
tion, would the present Radical Legislature
Of this State be competent to represent the
people of Pennsylvania on that issue -? Most
uestiOnably it would not, for the simple
reason that when its members were elected
that question was not before the people If
it had been, very different result would
have taken place. Even the Radicals in
Missouri, at the November election, voted
down negro suffrage by a majority of tIcenty
thousand. But even if Congress should pass
the amendment it will be utterly impossible
to get three. .Jo,rths of the State Legislatures
to adopt it.
The hostility of The Radical party to for
signers is made manifest from their anxiety /
TO change the mode of naturalization. The /
design to confer upon the United States Courls
the exclusive power over the subject, and to .
deprive the State Courts Of all jurisdiction. |
any one can see at a glance. is fraught with .
injustice and hardship. The United States .
Court for Western Pennsylvania is held in |
Pittsburgh. No foreigner Of limited means.
who is resident of this county, could go to
Pittsburgh with his vouchers, whom he would .
be compelled to pay for their lost time as well /
as bear their travelling expenses, and return /
with his certificate Of citizenship. for a sum !
much short Of forty dollars. How MANY of .
our foreign residents would avail themselves /
OF the privilege of becoming citizens under .
Constitutional amendment so odious as that? .
What Is the alleged motive for this proposed /
change? 1t is said that it will prevent
fraud. But this is not the true reason - /
Frauds have been AID always will De perpe |.
trated under the naturalization laws in the
large cities. no matter which class of the /
Courts has jurisdiction over the subject. In
the different counties of this State case Of
fraudulent naturalization is rarely heard of
In this county. where large numbers of for
eigners have been naturalized every year,
case of fraud has seldom if ever been known.
At least three-fourths of the uaturalized vote
in this country is Democratic. Hence arises
the Radical hatred towards foreigners. and
this is the true reason Of the present move. |
ment against them. A Radical Cnnoress
conferred the right of suffrage upon sepen
hundred thousand ignorant negroes in the
South because they believed they would vote
the Radical ticket. But as the negroes have
discovered that Radicaiism is a cheat and a
sham, and are descrting it all through the
South, the leaders of that party now propose,
In order to maintain their ascendancy in the
North, to make voters out Of all the negroes
In the Northern States, and virtually to ex-
clude three>6iths Of all unnaturalized for.
elgnerS from the rights Of ci+izarsy,i,, AZ.