The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-19
THE CONSTITUTION.
,ssow EDMUNDs' RESOLUTION INDOORS
INC THE AMENDMENTS SHOULD
BE TREATED.
rhe difference Between the Two Parties
mn the subject ef the Constitution
yudOrse the whole Constitution ana
Not n Portion ut 1t,


It ID more than probable that
SENATOR EDMrND's RECENT RESOLUTION,
affirming the validity OF 1.-THE last three
amendments to the constitution. will result in
q general and, 90 far as Edmunds himself Il
concerned, totally unlooked-for vindication Of
the body Of chat venerable instrument as
whole. A day or two after Edmunds had
offered his resolutions, Senator Eaton, In reply
to an inquiry as to what the Democrats in
the Senate would do In the premises, informed
me that the Vermont statesman had, unin-
tentionally indeed, but still effectively, given
the Democrats an opportunity which they
would not suffer to be lost, not only to go into
O general discussion OF the attitude OF the
Radical party towards
THE CONSTITUTION,
as O whole, but also to force them out OF the
narrow circle of the thirteenth, fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments, on which they had
taken, and on which they had based, nearly
all their political legislation for several years.
1t Is, indeed, n rare opportunity, said Eaton,
because the resolution OF Edmunds implies
that there are people In the country who
maintain distinction between the body Of
the instrument and the late amendments,
thereby necessitating special championship
OF the latter by the Republican party; and
therefore, IL the Democratic party In the Sem
ate will offer and support q caucus substitute
affirming the constitution as whole, amend
ments included, precisely what Edmunds
afIirms OF the amendments alone, debate
may be opened In which the Democrats will
have every advantage
"By such debate" pursued the Connect
cut Senator, three important points can be
presented for popular consideration. First
that the Democratic party Is the
PARTY OF TUE CONSTITUTION,
as whole, while the Republican party is the
party of the three amendments; second, the
legislation of the Republican party In Con-
gress-that is, the reconstruction laws, the
enforcement acts and the more recent election
statutes-can be reviewed generally to show
that the Republican theory has been that
THE AMENDMENTS
superseded the rest of the constitution and
made 1t practically obsolete as q fundamental
law; and third, that the steady resistance of
the Democratic party to the Infamous laws
which the Republicans have enacted under
their construction of the amendments has
been dictated, not by antagonism TO the latter,
but by desire to interpret them in harmony
with the general tenor of the whole instru-
ment, whereof they are only part.
When l asked how he would proceed to
accomplish all these things, Senator Eaton
replied that he would ask call Of the Demo-
cratic caucus Of the Senate, and, when it was
called, he would ask 1t to present
SUBSTITUTE TO THE EDMUNDs REsoLU-
TIONs,
substantially as follows:
Resolued, That, in the sense Of the Senate
OF the United States. 1t Is the paramount duty
OF the people thereof to recognize az tho
fundamental law Of the land, ar1i as the only
safe and true, guide to politlcal action, the
constitution OF the United States In It's entire
~, Including ell the amendments thereto.
irrespective OF the time at which, or the cir
cumStanceS under which any part thereof
may have been prescribed by Congress and
ratified by the people. Also,
HtesOtued, That all powers not expressly
delegated to the government of the Federal
Union.by the terms Of the constitution, taken
as whole and interpreted in its entirety, are
reserved by and to the several States; also
Resolced. That In the judgment OF the SEN
ate Of the United States it Is not In accordance
with the letter and spirit of the constitution.
as whole, for Congress to enact legislation,
designed to bear upon the internal polity of
any State or States, except when such poty
is calculated to bring the constituted authorf-
ty OF the State or States into conflict with the
constituted authority of the United States.
Now, said
SENATOR EATON,
II the Democratic caucus will present and
stand solidly by such a series of resolutions |
or declarations embodying their sense and |
precept an opportunity will be afforded to |
bring up and discuss squarely and without
reserve the whole question at issue between
the the, two parties, and Democratic Senators
nj m r., aFl,ta ft,1 |
That have been heaped upon their party, re-
sent the insults that have been flung in their
!aces an these years, and compel their an
tagonlsts TO make record either for or
Republicans see fit to vote down such resolu-
hons the country will translate their action
% mean that the Republican party maintains
ana Intends to proceed upon the theory that
precede In vitality and validity the body Of
Ing Ing instrument to which they are
Inc latest additions. 1t will, in fact. amount
@ an admission by Republican majority In
ne n,enest legislative body in the land that
~ them to be a new constitution. superseding
,he older portions of the instrument in effect
not abrogating them in terms. IF. on the
liner hand. the Republicans attempt to out ,
ia . US Dy saying s cavallcriy and with wave
y the uanu, On, That Is not necessary. We
10 not deny what you affirm; all we are try 9
ng to do Is to secure an affirmation OF those {
ort1ons OF the constitution which we under
tand you to deny" If the Republicans at
empt such flank movement, we can meet r
with the argument that our affirmation of >
he amendments as part of the whole is in. !.
nitely stronger and more rreversibie than Il
ny separate or independent affirmation Of o
nem can oe, anu tnat there can be no recog- a
ition OF theamendments 80 complete and cor b
ial as that which views them as indissolnhiy a
onioined to and indiscriminately amal1a. !.
lated with the document in its entirety. The y
enator further remarked that he would like "
, see set OF resolutions Of 1879 pass into
istory as
HE DEATH WARRANT OF THE RADIcALIsN
OF EDMUNDS ~
our time, precisely as the resolutions of i
1913 psonocnced sentence Of destruction upon :,
10 Federalism of Alexander Hamilton in ;.
le infancy of the Republic; that this was the a
est opportunity the Democratic party had !
1joyed in eighty years to vindicate the q
aJesty OF the constitution and send cOnfu- Il