The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-01
n AMENDMENTS.
Some Facts Which 1t IL Important the
People should Understand.


People should Cnderstand.
1t is important the people should
understand clearly the position taken
by the Senate in regard to the appoint
ment of the Reel General Lawton as
Minister to Russia. The objection to
Law.on was not based merely on the fat
tina; he had served in the Rebel army,
but on the ground that he had never
asked or obtained the removal Of his
disabilities. and his appointment would
therefore he illegal and in violation Of
the Fourteenth Amendment to the Con-
s;itution. The Senate Committee sim
ply declared that undcr this amendment
Lawton WAS not 81 gible. The Repub-
lican Senators wcrc not governed bv
personal or parry feeling in the matter.
for they had suppressed such sentiments.
and spent sevcr.l weeks in confirming
Cleveland appointments of Rebels TO
the best positions in the gift of the Gov
eminent. But when it came Ia the APP
pointment of ,npardOned and unrc-
generated Rc5nls who still glory in their
treason the Senators pointed to the law
which declares such men incapable Of
holding Office under the United States.
Thcrcupon Cleveland withdrew the
narne Of his unrcyrneratcd Rebel. and
apparently dropped the idea of appoint
ing Lawton to Office. No sooner had
The : nate adjourned. however. than it
WAS announced tn It Cleveland Intended
To appoint Lawton and keep him in
office at all hazards until the next meet
iny of Congress. To this extent it is
proposed To violate the law in the inter-
est If an unreprntant Rebel.
The law which APPLIES TO this and all
similar cases viii he iolnd in the third
section of the Fourteenth Amendment,
which reads as follows:
No person shall be- , Senator or Representa-
tive in Congress. or Elector OF President and
Nicc-Prcs:dcnt. or hold any Offices. civil OF
military under the United States. or under any
STATE. who. hay ug previously taken an oath
~ q member of Congress. or a an oHhccr oi
the United States. or as a mem,c or of an,
State Legislature. or n an executive or judi
c,ai officer II any State. To support the Con
stitutiOn OF tn. United states. shall have en-
gagged in Instruction or rebellion against IN.
same. or given all or comfort to the eneniie.
thereof But Congress may by a vote nftwo
thirds OF each House rem We such disability.
This was n provision of ex,raorhinar,
lib rality. In the first place II re ieved
wholly the great mass OF rebels. mas
much rs they were Young men and had
never held an Office Of any kind. The
specific alton covering the cases OF men
who has previously held offices and
taken an oath 10 support the Constitu-
ton of tn. United States was of such 4
character th.: it released the rank and
file of the mcn who served in the Rebel
army and aimed To ho,d the ringlcader-
and chief spirits ~ some degree of ac-
co~untabilitv. Even these were no,
punished in any way except by dis
qualifying them from holding Office.
aud Congress n given power TO re-
move e.en that disability. Such was
the generous spirit If the people in
adopt nc the fourteenth amendment
which rel eyed the mass of Rebels .:
once. and held out the promise 81 par
don even to tie ringleaiers Of the Re
bsll:on IL ,hcy would show the slighteS
signs OF repentance.
Lawtoa - 4 man who comes within
the terms of the Fourteenth Amend
mrnt- Ind I'D. his case is peculiarly
aggravated. since he was educated 1t
IVES: Point by the Goyernmen. he aft
erward> sough; to DIES roy. N~eye-t.e-
less there has been = full opportunity
for him TO obtain pardon n; any time
during Republican ascendancy il was
the rule IL Congress To grant complete
amnesty 20 ANY rebel who would eonde-
scend 10 ask for IL the mere app.ica-
ton for pardoa was deemed a suiacieni
sign n: repentance. iawsoI. Toombs-
Jacob Thompson and Jes Davis wereof
In. stripe of rebels woo would never
condesceni TO ak 10 BE- made citizens
of the United States At any time
within the last sixteen years Lawt N
could have been restored By simply
making the request, bu, he took his
stand with Toombs. JEFF Davis. and the
other u~nrepeniant rebels who would
never condescend 10 ask \ removal OF
their disabilities And nov comes q
Democratic Administration declaring
this man is eligible TO one OF the high
eS; offices in the Government and that
the provision of the Fourteenth Amend
men, which applies to his case Is utter.
ly void and win not be respected'-ChS
eoqo Tribune