The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-01-08
From the National fnteIligencer.
The Presidents Plan.
Analysis Of tho Presidents Plan for the
Restoration Of the Union.

To understand the principles embraced in this
plan we must compare them with thoss on which
our Constitution is founded
Tho basis Of onr general government is Siates,
having constitutioYand laws established by the
people Of those States .~S
The right Of suffrage in those States IS regu-
lated 10y their own coastitu'ions and laws
State voters thus qualified, and they oSsy, can
vote for members of Congress. (See Art. lst,
% section Of the Constitution.)
But the President undertakes to prescribe the
qualification of State voters, excluding all from
the right Of suffrage in governing themselves
who will not take an oath dictated by him
This oath is not merely an oath of allegiance
to the Constitution and laws the United States,
but goes further, and requires the atliant TO
swear that he will support all acts of Congress
and proclamations of tho President touching
certain kind of property until they I've annulled
[ by Congress or the Supreme Court.
The proclamations Of the President in relation
| to slave properly declare al. slaves free in GER
tain States, whether their owners bo loya! or
! dis,oyai Every legal voter within those States,
therefore, must swear to give up thai species of
property before he can have 81 voice in the gov
crnmcnt OF bis own Stale.
Where the President finds the power, military
or otherwise, to establish c,cR governments or
| regulate llo righ. of suffrage in tho States, wo
| are not informed
If State governmental constituted hv oae-tesM
| of tha voters, shall be established, what is to
protect them against the other ai!e-tsAihS? The
President promises such governments The pro-
,eciion Of the United States, meaning by It's mill
tary force. In that event We should see tho az
mics Of the United States employed TO enable
one-tcnM of the voters of State to govern aiae-
| tenthS
| But suppose that after the governments OF
one-ten,h have been established, the nine-tcnths
should resume their allegiance and proceed TO
elect State officers and members of Congr ess
| unler their own constitutions and laws and the
! Constitution and laws Of the United States,
without taking the oath prescribed by lilo Pres
ident, on what ground could the military power
of the United States be used to suppress the
government Of niae-tentis and support the gov
crnment of one-teath2
This plan, as far as it goes, appears TO- +e bor-
rowed from the politics OF continental Europe
where kings give constitutions. Why should
the fundamental principles Of our institutions be
subverted for no other purpose than TO hasten
| Providence in tie destruction Of an institution
| which il fast dying under the blows brought IL
pon it by the crimes Of its advocates? Why not
| let it perish in the house of It's friends? Way
not, instead of breaking up the foundation of
our government, take and maintain military
possession of the States now controlled by the
rebels, until the people of their own accord re-
sumo their allegiance? That they will 10 so
when the military arm of the rebellion shall be
broken we have every reason to believe. lfthey
10 not, it will be because they prefer military
government to governing themselves
l.. That tho lesders oi the rebellion should lie
punished, especially the original conspira,ors.
On whom rests the guilt OF half million OF
MURDERS few men will deny
The principles Of this plan wonld not be
changed if it were approved by Congress and
| the Supreme Court, an incredible result.
| December Il, 1868. CONSERVATIVE