Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1864-01-15

That We may properly uoderstard
The theory Of feconsss uc,ion. il IA imDor.
tant to Asod = misl pplica,ioo y The
term The rebelliSo having faiic,l r.
success The Union + not di.solvea and.
Therefore, the disorssnizsd Sts,es, onlv.
require to Do re- constructed. Had thew
succeeded in achieving their separation.
the Usi0s, 70 that extent would ha,s
been dissolsed, and ~ qneslioo 81 =.
construction have presented ! Different
expect.
Having, BY treason to The General
Government and the inevits 10 conse-
quences Of civil var, accomplished the
Destruction OF their local osaah s..;on..
and not their observance from the
Union, they stand 10 the attitude Of
States. With their government subverted
AID oserthrown. Reorganization.
therefore, becomes an Indispensable pre-
requisite to the resumption Of their pow.
ers and privileges Is sovereign States 10
the Union. Without this, ,bSy have no
appropriate medium through which their
constitutions! rights can be secured or
exercised. They cannot choose Senators
or Representatives to Congress, partici-
pate in the election Of . President, or co.
JOY any other reguIatioo designed for the
common benefit Of the States. And it il
only by means OF State Goveromcnts
that they Can perform the fuoctions Of
States, and discharge the various obliga-
tons and duties they owe to the Gene, ii
Government. Until then the people Of
these disorgaoised Ssatss must, from ne
ccssity, depend for protection upon the
Federal Government, under the arm OF
its military poser. But this theory By
40 means implies that the States must
be reduced TO . territorial condition,
maintained during their territorial mi
noragc, under . Government provided
for them at the expense Of the National
Treasury, and be re.sdmiited into the
Union as Statcs. It simply means, what
is obviously true, that they have State
limits, territory and people, without the
essential machinery Of State Govern.
ments, which are the test and means Of
their political existence.
can see, in this Proclamation, much
to admire aud nothing to condemn. II
it be objected. that one-tenth, being the
number Of persons therein designated %
the bass or reorganization, be too small,
the appropriate answer IL, that it bears >
fair proportion to those who, for desti-
MES Of the South aud will exceed, in
each State, the number of those who
kipdled the fires Of this rebellion, and
whose treason created the condition OF
things Of which this restored tenth have
become the sad and unwilling victims
Il 10 bnt the beginning Of . great con-
cum nation, and forms nucleus, around
which the returning loyalty Of the South
may, daily, and rapidly gather, as they
comply with the just and easy terms OF
the Proclamation.
The Proclamation prescribes only the
minimum number necessary to coDsti-
tute the basis Of reorganizatlon, exclud-
ing only the more criminal artors, and
those who persist in adhcnng 10 their
treason.
Amnesty is boon, not right, AMI,
- criminals before the law, they are in
no situation to dictate i,s terms, but
must submit TO those which the Gov
crnmenl 10 the exercise Of ito clemency.
may deem il wise to grant.
If this mode Of adjustment ergendeer,
revolution IN the political relations Of the
South, it will be revolution Of right
against wrong, and Of which tho op-
pressed and injured mssses will derive
the benefits.
BY steadily adhering to these princi-
Piles, ~ trust We sbAl., we may succeed,
after much wandering, and great t'ibu-
lation, in bringing this Government back
to its ancient aud ssfer land marks Of
uoiversal freedom, and perpetual unity,
/ cannot close this communication,
and forcgo the opportunity presented,
to congratulate the Generally Assem-
bly,, and the people, upon the suspicious
condition Of the State. A kind Provi-
dence has blessed Us with adequate har-
vests, and full measure Of prosp sri'y
10 all our undertakings. BY His mercy
We have been enabled to pass through
the trying tcenes, now drawing to .
close, with honor and success. All eff
forts, By bad and reckless men, TO OBJ
struct the execution of the Laws and dis
turb our domestic pesce, have been
promptly th~arted. Our Obligations to
foe National Government have been
aithful y performed, snd our people,
whether 1t home or in the field, have
nobly vindicated their devotion TO the
Union. The finaocial affairs Of the
State were never in sounder condition.
Notwi thstaoding the Extraordinary ex-
pendituses, rendered unavoidable By mil
itary operations, the revenue on hand.
and doe from the several sources, ex-
ceeds, by many Thousand dollars. the to-
tal indebtedness Of the Stste. Without
heard to our credit, We may challenge
comparison with any other State 10 the
Union. For ttis, much credit i due,
and should be awarded, 10 the outgoing
Executive, Who has administered tbe If
fairs Of the State with marked economy,
and discharged his onesous and compli.
Gated duties with 40 ability and patriot
ism deserving Of the highsss commeDda-
ton.
Entertaining implicit confidence in
your intelligent and patriotic regard for
the public interests, and concious Of no
ennAsv~ ~ u.v nam mart inconsistent