Year: 1866

and gives that body the right to exclrdt
States from representation in the Natona
councils, without which the nation itsel
can have no authority aud no existance
seems to US at variance alike with the prin
ciples of the Constitution and with the pub
lie safety.


WAY TO AMEND TIFF CONSTITUTION.


Third But it is alleged that in certain
particulars the Constitution of the United
States fail to secure the absolute justice
and impartial equality which the principles
OF our Government require; that it was in
this respect the result Of compromises and
concessions, to which, however necessary
when the Constitution was formed, We are
no longer compelled to submit, and that
now, having the power through successful
War and just warrant, for its exercise in the
hostile conduct of the insurgent section, the
actual Government of the United States
may impose its own conditions, and make
the Constitution conform in all its prOviS-
ions to its own ideas of equality and the
rights of man. Congress, as its last session
proposed amendments to the Constitution,
enlarging in some very important particu-
lars the authority Of the General Govern
ment over that of the several States, ard
reducing, by indirect diSfranchisement, the
representative power Of the States in which
slavery formerly existed and it is claimed
| that these amendments may be made valid
as parts of the original Constitution with
out the concurrence Of the States to be
most seriously affected by them, or may be
imposed upon those States py three -fourth$
of the remaining States, as conditions OF
their readmission to representation in Con-
gress and in the Electoral College.


FULL CONCURRENCE OF TIE STATES RE-


QUlsITE.


1t is the unquestionable right of the peo.
pie Of the United States to make such
changes in the Constitution as they upon
due deliheration. may deem cxpedient-
But we insist that they shall be made in the
mode which the Constitution itself points
out-ir conformity with the letter and the
spirit Of that instrument, and with the
principles of self-government and of equal
rights, which lie at he base of our republi-
can Institutions. We deny the right of
Congress to make these changes in the fun
damental law without the concurrence OF
three iourths of all the States, including es-
pecially those tn be most seriously affected
by them; or to impose them upon States or
people as conditions of representation, or of
admission to any of the rights, duties or
obligations which belong, under the Consti-
tuition, to all the States alike And with
still greater emphasis do we deny the right
Of any portion uf the States excluding the
rest Of the States from any share in their
councils, to prnposco or sanction changes in
the constitution which are to affect perma-
nently their political relations, and control
or coerce the legitimate action of the sever
al members of The common Urion. Such
an exercise of power is simply an u>urra-
tiop, just as warrantable when exercised by
Northern States as it would be if exercised
by Southern, and not to be fortified or pal
lated by any thingin the past history eth
or Of those by whom it is attempted or of
those rpon whose rights and liberties it is
to take effect. 1t finds no warrant in the
Constitution. 1t is at war with the t'unda-
mental principles of our form of govern
meat. If tolerated in one instance. it be
comes the precedent for future invasionS of
liberty and constitutional right, dependent
solely upon the will of the party in posses
sion of power, and thus leads, by direct and
necessary sequence, to the most fatal and in
tolcrahle of all tyrannies-the tyranny of
shifting and irresponsible political factions
1t is against this. the most formidable Of al
the dangers which menace the stability of
free government, that the Constitution of
the United States was intended most care
fully to provide. We demand strict and
stcadfast adherance to its provisions. In
this, and in this alone, can we find basis
of permanent Union and peace.


LOYALTY OF THE SOUTH UNQUEsTTONED


Fourth-But it is alleged, in justification
of the usurpation which we condemn, that
the condition of the Southern States and
people is not such as renders safe their re-
admission to share in the Government Of
the country; that they are still diSloyal in
sentiment and purpose and that neither the
honor, the credit nor the interests of the
nation would be safe if they were readmit.
ted to share in its councils. We might
reply to this:


|. That we have no right, for such rca-
sons, to deny to any portion Of the States
or people rights expressly conferred upon
them by the Constitution Of the United
States


.. That so long as their acts are those of
loyalty---so long as they conform in all their
public conduct to the requirments of the
Constitution and laws-we have no right to
exact from them conformity in their scnti-
ments and opinions to our own.


3. That we have no right to distrust the
purpose or the ability Of the people of the
Union to protect and defend, under all
contingencies and by whatever means may
be required, its honor and it's welfare.


These would, in our judgment, be full
and conclusive answers to the plea thus ad-
vanced for the exclusion Of these States
from the Union. But we say further that
that this plea rests upon complete misap-
prehensiOn, or an uhl ust perVerSlon of eX-
isting facts.


ITS PEACEABLENEsS.


We do not hesitate to affirm that there is
no section of the country where the ConSti-
tutiod and laws of the United States finds
more prompt and entire obedience than in
those States, and among those people who
were lately in arms against them; or where
there is less purpose or less danger Of any
future attempt to overthrow their authority.
1t would seem to be most natural and in
eyitabe that, in States and sections so re-
Gently swept by the whirlwnd of war, where
all ordinary modes and methods of organ
lied industry have been broken up, and the
bonds and influences that guarantee social
order have been destroyed where thou
sands and tens of thousands Of turbulent
spirits have been suddenly loosed from the
dicipline of war; and thrown without resour
ces or restraint upon disorganized and
chaotic society, and where the keen sense of
defeat is added to the overthrow Of amb-
ton and hope, scenes of violence should
defy for time the imperfect discipline of
law, and excite anew the fears and forebod-
ings of the patriotic and well disposed. 1t
is unquestionably true that local disturban-
ces Of this kind, accompanied by more or
less violence, do still occur. But they are
confined entirely to the cities and larger
towns of the Southern States, where differ
ent races and interests are brought more
closely in contact, and where passions and
resentments are always more easily fed and
famed into outbreak; and even there they
are quite as much the fruit of untimely and
Lrr.f,l nolitical apitation as of anu bnst t;lit,,