The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-18
Mr.. Blatne,s Amendment.

From the LOulSVlte
MIR. Blaine's school amendment appears 10
have dropped out of the public thought, if,
indeed, it ever found Judgment there,
which is doubtful. At all events, the propo-
.ition would seem to be under the table in.
stead of on it, and the reason is not far to
seek. TIE end proposed is approved alike
BY men of all parties, so that the question is
one of method only, and the method pro-
posed does not, under the circumstances,
commend itself to thoughtful and dispas.
sionate men fanny party. The amendment,
when formulated, would no doubt include
section empowering Congress to enforce the
article 'sby appropriate legislation" like the
los. three amendments, under which,
thanks mainly 10 this supplementary Sec
ton, Congress had usurped the right TO pro-
tect individual citizens in respect to. the
extensive subject matter of those amend.
ments, so far annihiating the constitutional
rights of the States, and subvertiDg the re.
public. According to this trick of amend
ment, and the practice under it, every fresh
constitutional prohibition on the States
invests Congress with new police power in
derogation oflegitimate State authority, and
is consequently an additional step towards
that Capitalization which confessedly would
ments framed after this latter-day pattern
are in effect little less than snares to liberty
and order. And amendments of any other
pattern are hardly feasible while the spirit
of party continues to profane the very
foundations Of the Government. 1t is, in
truth, by no means certain that the party Of
Blaine and Morton, If necessary to the party
ends, would not, had 1t the numerical
40 until he for
section what it has done with it, claiming
for Congress, under the general supremacy
clause of the Constitution, the right. to sit
In Judgment on the Constitutions and laws
of the States, as well as to determine the
mode and measure Of redress against any
real or pretended contrariety. At least, the
Radical commentator on the Constitution
(Farrar) has asserted this right, and, to say
the truth, it may be derived as legitimately,
though not perhaps SO speciously, without
the new.fangled section, as with it for the
latter, strictly construed, really affords no
warrant to the absurd and monstrous as
sumption. It invites the assumption, how.
been accepted. OF course -what has been
may be. In any case it, cannot be wise to
make usurpation easy. Upon the whole,
good time to amend the Constitution in such
particulars, at any rate, as bear, or may be
made TO bear, on the existence or fortune of
the still powerful party that has dragged
the Constitution where it is. The Wilful
perVerter and corrupter of the Constitution
cannot prudently be relied on to cooperate
disinterestedly in amending it; certainly
not while the spirit of perversion and cor.
ruption Is yet rampant. Besides, the end
proposed in Mr.. Blaine's amendment is now.
attained in fact, and, moreover, Is passing
rapidly under the constitutional guarantee.
of the several States, having already passed
under the guarantee 10 large number of
the States, with absolutely no prospect,
guarantee or no guarantee, of ever being.
disturbed In any one. Our common schools
are placed securely under the protection of
the common interests and common sense of
the paople. They need no other protection ;
they. can have no better. Under these cir.
cumstances it is small wonder that sober and
enlightened men, irrespective Of party, are
inclined to think twice before they consent
to withdraw them from this protection and
place them where they could not be safer,
but where they might become, and probably
would become, sooner or later, the puppet of
party or the football Of sect, occasioning at
the same time congressional usurpstions
which, If successful, would tend to upheaye
the pyramid Of our institutions from its
broad base, and throw it on its apex, and
whether successful or. not, would conyulse
the Union in, all !. its parts. It is a
sense of this truth, more or less
vivid, which dispcse, statesmen and pa.
tr!ots to look away from MIR. Blaine's
q sense qulckened, it may we'll
be, by the aggressive and shameless 5dema-
gogism of Mr. Blaine himself, in whom the
selfish and reckless instincts of bis party
flower out in conspicuous :rankness. Mr..
Blaine in reality 10 one Of those extreme
cases that best illustrate principle or party.
In the light shed from his; brazen front all
the measures OF bis party, and. especially all
his own measures, may be probably ex-
aminnd E.1'r.s = sss $3.50 = 49, = 80 -.