Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-09-23
Are the Amendments in Danger.
Rutland Herald.l

The Democrats indignantly deny that the
Constitutional amendments are in danger in
case the South shall rule the nation. Let us
take little evidence on this point The
bawling Blackburn boasted in the extra ses-
sion that the Democracy proposed to wipe
out all the war legislation. The Legislation
referred to included the resoluti ons of Con-
gress proposing the thirteenth. fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments. Democratic
hostility to the amendments was manifested
even after their ratification in several States,
the Democratic Legislatures of which at
tempted to withdraw the assent given by
their Republican predecessors
The ground of this Democratic attempt at
revocation was that the ratification was in
valid. Senator Edmunds, in 1879, with
characteristic sagacity. proposed the follow
ing resolutions for the purpose of placing
the Democracy on record:
Resolved. as the judgment Of he Senate,
Tha, the 18Th. lih and 18th amend me nts to the
Constitution Of the United States have been
legally Ratified aud are valid and OF the same
paramount authority as any other part Of the
Constitution in every State OF the Union and
that 1t is also the right and duty OF Congress TO
enforce said amendme Hts. and 10 protect every
citizen IN the exercise OF all the rights tber. by
secured by laws OF the general character al
ready passed for that purpose, aud by futher
appropriate legislation, so far rs such enforce
men, and protection are not secured by exist
INK laws aud that 1t i the duty OF the cxecu-
tive department Of the government faithfully
and with diligence TO carry all -ueh avs into
impartial execution, and congress to appro-
pirate all moneys needfIl TO that end.
Sixteen Democratic Senators, namely.
Messrs Bailey, Bayard. Beck. Cockreil.
Coke, Davis OF West Virginia. Eaton, Gar
land, Gordon, Harris, Hereford. Hal, ker-
nan, Lamar, Morgan and Voorhees,, voted in
the negative, or against the resolution, thus
declaring that they did not recognize the
18th. lith and 18th amendments as valid.
or that Congress and the executive were
bound To act in conformity with them.
The Troy Times makes the following
iorciblc comments upon these facts
1t must be admitted. Of course. that II the
amendments are not binding upon Congress
and the Executive, the supreme court Is
equally free from obligation; and here
comes in the secret of the bill introduced in
the House Of Representatives last session
by Mr.. Manning Of Mississippi, to increase
the number Of justices of the supreme court
70 twenty y-one. Should Democratic Prcsi-
dent be chosen. the Senate being now Dem
ocratlc. all the twelve additional justices
would be appointed from the Democratic
party. nder the pressure Of Confederate
domination, the new justices would all be
selected with special reference to their opin-
ions in regard TO the amendments Then
what would be easier than to make up a
case involving the validity Of these amend
mcnts and have them all declared void
That, and nothing else, is the purpose Of the
Manning bill. And after the amendments
are wiped out. what would become of the
political results supposed to have been ac-
by the bloody and costly strug-
gle Of ls6l-j2 Not vcstlse Of them
would be left except the abolition Of slay-
there would be nothing whatever
to prevent any OF the States from reyiying
that dreadful institution. The citizenship
of the colorcd people Of the South would be
gone; Jetf. DAVIS could aspire at will ~ the
h1-hs ;, hVr.urs Of the Republic the national
debt might be repudiated the Confederate
debt saddled upon the country and. in snort.
the whole Southern system as It existed be-
fore the war would stand res storcd