The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-15

y ol0 AZ C0RPAN
bellion. Slavery was at an end
wherever the Federal Government sue
ceeded in thae purpose. The proclama.
ton of President Lincoln expressed an
accomplished fact as to a large portion
of the insurrectiouary districts when he
declared slavery abolished in them all.
But the var being over those who had
succeeded in re.establishiug the author
ity Of the Federal Government we're
not content to permit this great Act Of
Emancipation to rest on the actual re-
suits of the contest or the proclamation
Of the Executive, both Of which might
have been questioned in after times,
aud they determined to place this main
and most valuable result in the Consti-
tuition of the restored Union as one of
its fundamental articles. Hence the
18th article of amendment to that
instrument. Its two short sections
seems hardly to admit Of construction.
80 vigorous is their expression and so
appropriate to the purpose We have
indicated
Il. Neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, except as a punishment for
crime, whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall exist within
the United States or any place subject
to their jurisdiction.
"2. Congress shall have power to
enforce this article BY appropriate legis-
.'Tbe process Of restoring to their
proper relation with the Federal
Government and with the other States
those which had sided With the rebel
lion, undertaken under the proclama-
ton of President johnson in 1865, aud
before the assembling of Congress.
developed the fact that, notwithstaud-
ing the formal recognition by those
States of the abolition Of slavery, the
condition Of the slave race would. with
out further protection of the Federal
Government, be almost as bad as it was
before. Among the first Acts Of legis-
lation adopted by several of the States 10
the legislative bodies which claimed to
be in their normal relations with the
Federal Government we're laws which
imposed upon the colored race onerous
disabilities and burdens, and curtailed
their rights in the pursuit Of life,
liberty and property to such an extent
that their freedom vas Of little value,
while they had lost the protection which
they had received from their former
owners from motives both Of interest
and humanity.
They were in some States forbidden
to appear in the towns in any other
character than mental servants. They
were required to reside on and cultivate
the soil without the right to purchase
or own it. There we're excluded from
many occupations of gain, and we're
got permitted to give testimony 10 the
Courts 10 any case where q white man
was a party. 1t was said that their
lives were at the mercy of bad men,
either because the laws for their pro-
lection we're insufficient or were not co.
forced.
These circumstances, whatever of
~faisehood or miscouception may have
been mingled With their presentation
forced upon the statesmen who had
conducted the Federal Government in
safety through the crisis Of the rebellion,
aud who supposed that by the 18th
article Of the amendment they had Sc.
cured the result Of their labors, the
conviction that something more was
necessary in the way of constitutions
protection to the unfortunate race who
had suffered SO much. They according.
Iy passed through Congress the PROPOSE.
ton for the 18th amendment. aud they
declined to treat as restored TO their full
participation 10 the government of the
Union the States which lad been in To-
snrrection until they ratified that a%rticle
oy a formal vote Of their legislative
bodies.
Before we proceed to examine more
critically the provisions Of this amend
meut Con which the plaintiffs 10 error
rely) let US complete and dismiss the
history of tberecent amendments. as that
history relates to the general purpose
which pervades them all. A few years
experience satisfied the thoughtful men
who had been the authors of the other
two amendments that, Notwithstanding
the restraints Of those articles on the
States, and the laws passed under the
additional powers granted to Congress.
these were inadequate for the protec-
ton of life, liberty and property, with.
out which freedom to the slaves was 20
boon. They we're in all those States
denied the right of suffrage. The laws
were administered by the white man
alone was nroed that a race of mon