The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-08-10
nne More Mares Nest.


statew The Salesman has been looking
into the Constitution, and finds pro-
vision (sec. Z, art. III for gradual emanci'
patton, whereupon it jumps at conclusions
after this fashion:
"All slaves therefore who were under
the aye Of ten in the year 1868, by this
provision OF the Constitution, were to
serve their masters eleven years, or until
the year 1874, and all slaves over ten and
under twenty.one at that time were to
serve their masters until they were TWEEN
ty.fve years old, or louryears longer lhan
the first class. -,.-.
"Under our present Constitution, slavery
therefore is still recognized. 1t VIII not
do TO claim that the section is void under
the fifteenth amendment to the Federal
Constitution. Suppose Congress Werclo
repeal the 10Th amendment Wllllh tne
next two years, by its proper submission
to the DeOplc Of the several States, could
not every negro within the State, whose
age comes within the provision oil seCllon
seven of our present CONSTRUCTOR DC re,
mandCd back to slavery until they arrived
ut the ages respectively Of 81 anu 20
years. Undoubtedly they could. Sup
pose a negro child was born the day pre-
Ceeding the 18th OF July, 1853, under the
present Constitution he would be slave
until he arrived ut the age Of 81 years, or
until the year 1884
but it may be said that in the present
. condition of matters, 1t would bG lmpossl'
BILE in the contingency OF repeal OF The
Fifteenth Amendment, ever to remand
the negroes back to slavery again. that
West Virginia had accepted the amend.
ment in good faith, and her people would
never consent to such IN outrage! This,
however, would be the weakest OF oil ar
guments; we know not what day may
bring forth We ought not to trust so
grave u matter to iOrluitOus clrCnm-
stances. THE FOUL BLOTOH
SHOULD BE WIPED OUT OF OUR
STATE CONSTITUTION, and that ut
once. No such provision should boper.
mtted TO remain a mOmentas u part OF
our fundamental law II is DAMN
ING stain upon our States csCutcheOn.
The Constitution OF our State should be
freed from its poluting mention, and we
should have Constitution which should
forever bar any attempt, under any cir.
CumstanCes, to revive the institution OF
slavery"
Now, is not this very dreadful state
of a(Iairs-as viewed by the Statesman
The delightful confusion Of ideas thai
pervadcs the editorial mind OF this sage
Is illustrated by the remark that ut will
not do to claim that the section is void
under the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Federal Constitution" No indeed rs
suredly not And then what awful con
sequences would happen to the negro
child-viz remanding him to slavery
If Congress were to repeal the Fifteenth
Amendment" II 1t had ever occurred Il
this statesman to read the 10Th Amend
ment, his agOnizing apprehensions rs t.
the consequences of its repeal would hav'
been greatly modified and his peace o
mind increased, and the unfortunate Negro
child born on the 3D. Of July would fee
much better.
Out of a feeling Of compassion for need
less suffering, with hope OF relieving
the pangs of anxiety that now rcnd ouI
statcsman.llkC Cotcmporary, let lis intro
duce to his attention a provision OF thu
Federal Constitution whcrewith he secm'
TO have no acquaintance. 1t Is article
XIII Of Amendments;
"NeIther slavery nor involuntary ser yilndG
sxcenL asa punishment for crime, wheteol N
paTty shall have been duly Convic ted, snall eSls
within the United States or any place supJeVI
their Jurisdiction" ~.
By the I'd Section of Art. vi. Oh lht
Constitution Of the United States, the lOrt
going ismado hesupreme law ofthe IanC
and the judges in every State are boun
thereby, anything in the Constitution
and laws of any State to the contrary not
withstandng." This supremacy Is nc
knowledged in the LIST section ofArlIcl
!. of Our own Constitution. The TN sec
ton of Article XT. Of our Constitution
therefore null and vold-A little bit
harmless rubbish that It will not pay I
calls Convention to remove.
We have no apprehension of an altemT
to repeal the 18th Amendment. We don
know anybody who has. 1t is about
unlikely as that the motion OF the cart
will be reversed. When either event III
comes probable, then VIZ promise to go !
for a Convention, or some other equal
desperate expedient Meanwhile VIC NJ
wise the Statesman not to be scared. II
Mt least Is safe from Gnslavement, for ]
can never be more slave than he Is no
to ignorance or party. Which OF these |
acknowledges rs master we leave him
say but when We find the article quote
concluding with the following address
the Colored voters of Berkeley-shoWir
that the sole purpose Of the article was
deceive them and Brighten them into 70
ing for COnvention,-we conclude Il
Statesman is the slave Of partisan pu
pose and voluntarily abandonA tpe lrut
to serveit:
"Will the colOred voters of this Stat
therefore oppose call lori COnventit
to remodel our Constitution? If they
they vote to lasten this provision firm
upon their children and they vote to co
tinue Constitution that still RECENT;
them as SldrtS p
PEsrtLENCE turks in every heap Of ga
Dish and in the slime Of the CUTTERS.
sweep the middle Of the streets Is We
well, but it does not touch the bottom