Year: 1866

lllh NIulBi u ~ INV l''l'7'' w
change tho basis Of representation
of the States IN Congress and in the
Electoral College, which was cstab'
: lishcd by the trainers of the Con-
stitution, and acquiosccd in without
murmur to the present time, and
in such manner us to deprive the


South of n portion of their just rep


rcscntation ~ now guaranteed in


the Constitution, and to give to the


North n still more Overwhelming


preponderancc in the National


Councils than they already possess,


The third section is designed to


effect n disfanchisemcnt of the white


inhabitants of these States. Its


provision is so sweeping MS TO en-


brace every individual in the State
who may, at any time Of his life,
either in Texas or any other State,
have taken an oath to support the
Constitution of the United States,
and who shall also have engaged in
the late war, or given aid and COM
fort to persons engaged. 1t embra-
ces all persons holding civil offices,
however inconsderable; all soldiers,
whether volunteers or conscripts (;
every person who may have given
n blanket, or even meal Of vict-
uals to Confederate soldier The
very charities of life are made q
crime by this joint resolution. 1t is
idle to attempt to draw any distinc-
ton between the practical effects Of
a denial Of the right to vote and
that of holding office. Under the
sweeping exclusion, whom would
you have to vote for? 1t establish
es what might, by perverson Of
terms, be called an aristocracy; but
it would be an aristocracy the most
hideous and revolving ever imagin-
ed; it would be an aristocracy toun-
ded on bascness and incapacity.
Under the sweeping provisions Of
this Article, there would be COM
paratively small number eligible to
offices of trust and honor, except
those who, from want of virtue and
want Of capacity, have never been
deemed worthy of their fellow-citi


zcns to fill even the humblest pub
lie office. This third section, if it
shall become part Of the organic
law, will be nothing less than the
disfranchisemcnt of the citizens of
this State it proposes to stigma
tie and degrade all that is most
elevated and most worthy, and it
coolly asks us to be the execution
ers, the instruments of the degra-
dation Of our own people. Few
men among us may care to hold Of
flee, but no one, with the spirit Of
his fathers in him, will willingly
submit to be held up as unworthy,
and least of all will he be the tool,
and plead guilty to tLo infausJ
sought to be inflicted on us. The
right Of Representation has ever
been deemed an inestimable inheri-
lance but it would be weak as well
as wicked to barter our birthright
for the empty shadow Of represen-
tation offered in these amendments.


The fourth section is sufficiently
provided for by the action Of the
late Convention Of this State.


The fifth section is the fitting
completion of the legislation pro-
posed in the preceding sections.
Adopt this section, invest Congress
with this hitherto unthought of con-
troll over State legislation, over
State courts, over all State action,
and you lay your State and its citi
zens, without the shadow scarcely of
protection, at the foot of any major
ity of Congress which may rule the
hour, however vindictivo or malig-
nant that majority may be. This
Legislature does not need to be ad.
monished what evil and unrelenting
passions may sway maiorities; our
own history, the history of the
world, is full Of these examples.
You are herein called on to shear
the last lock of your strength; to
throw away the armor which is yet
furnished you in the Constitution of
the United States. Let these pro
posed amendments, with this sec
ton, be engrafted in the Constitu
ton, and it is virtual repeal of
that Article which declares, "The
powers not deegated.te.the United
States by the Constitution, nn FRO
hibted by it to the States, are re-
served to the States respectively, or
to the people" As the first sections
embrace every thing touching citi-
zenship, what right, what franchise
can the citizens possess that may
not be disposed Of, destroyed, abro-
gated under this appropriate legis
lation ?" To so abuse power would
indeed be monstrous but your
Committee are not permitted to ig-
more the threats solemnly made and
often repeated by the acknowledge
ed leader of the House of Repre-
sentatives, and of the Radical abo-
lition party. If there be any one
who,5in WEAKNESS of soul, would
Weld over this fatal and irrecovera-
bic power in exchange for. a shad-
owy, an unsubstantal and curtailed
representation in Congress, we ad-
iure him, in behalf Of the freedom
and honor of his fellow-citizens, to
pause.


We have been warned by the
Radical Press of the North; we
have been warned by letters writ
ten by gentlemen, who are avowed
members of the Radical party, to
hide from the threatened wrath of
the Radical party in Congress, by
ratifying these amendments to the
Constitution. Mr.. Thaddeus Ste
vens, the leader Of that party in
Congress, in his place in the House