The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-02-13
Debate upon the Constitutional Amendment.

The debate on the constitutional amend
ment in the Senate has elected some Of the
finest speeches during the discussion that
have taken place in that body for some years.
All through Monday nights session, and I'M
til tho dreary, rainy morn Of Tu' sday was
ushered in, the debate upon all sides was
fervid, impassioned, earnest, and exciting
The spectators fingered in the galleries until
broad daylight, and then were 10th to leave,
wishing to hear the final result. While the
arguments INDUCED in pro amp con by nearly
keen, logical efforts generally, there were bnt
few Of them that could complete with the ir-
resistible force of truth and reasoning which
flowed from the lips Of Senator Norton
Peculiarly fertile in language and prolific in
the broad and comprehensive sagacousness
with which he grasped the heretical ideas of
the opponents Of the bill, he quickly swept
away the fimsy and fowery theories of Doc
little, and demolished st q stroke the smooth
and polished sophistry Of Hendricks. And
not jot the less forcible was the chivalrous
Frelnghuysen, of New Jersey, who succeed d
Salisbury upon the floor early in the after
noon The false and dangerous doctrine of
State sovereignty powerfully advocated by the
Delaware Senator for over two hours, recei
we'd its death warrant from Frelinghuysen.
.
son. "Has State right to declare war?
Ne! Has State right to make or ratify
treaties with foreign powerss No! Has
State the right. or does she provide for the
trap.po ration Of mails through her bounda-
ries or beyond! Mo- Then why is she
sovercign!'' There was logic in these
three queries that astounded the Demo-
cratic side and demoralized them COM
pletely. Garret Davis, who had proposed
speaking at length (all night,) concluded
his speech after couple of hours, his ar
gument upon State rights being but week
and pureile effort compared with the mas
terly peroration of Frelinghuysen. At
half past five the joint resolution on the
constitutional amendment passed by vote
of 40 yeas to 16 nays.
The following is the amendment as passed:
Joint resolution proposing amendments to
the Constitution of the United States.
Be It rssolped BY tho Senate and House of
Representatives.. etc., tso.thirds Of both
Houses eoncurring, That the following ar
ticles be proposed to the Legislatures of the
several States as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, either of
which when ratified by three-fourths of
said Legislatures, shall be held as part of
said Constitution, namely:
ART. Is. No discrimination shall be made
in the United States, among the citizens of
the United States, in the exercise of the
elective franchise, or in the right to hold
Office in any State on account of race, color,
nativity, property, education, or creed.
ART. is. The second clause, fl st section,
second article Of the Constitution of the
United States, shall be amended to read as
follows:
Each State shall appoint, by vote Of the
people thereof qualified to vote for Repre-
sentatives in Congress, number OF cleo
tors equal to the whole number of Senators
and Representatives to which the State
NAV be entitled in the Congress; but no
Senator, or Representative, or person hold
ing an Office of trust or profit under the
United States, shall be appointed an elector,
| and the Congress shall have power to pre-
scribe the manner in which such electors
shall be chosen by the people.
The joint resolution was sent to the
House for concurrence.