Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-08-03
.cy of .tte Government NAV depend moon

~cy of the government may depend upon
this action. All men of experience have
seen times when it would have been wiser
to have done nothing, to have made no Wis
ible landmarks for coming time, because
duty and action were not plain. This, we
apprehend, is the executives present situa-
ton with regard to the rebel States. 1t is
not contended that the constitution has
made any provision for the contingencies
which now surround us, and we contend
that it is not necessary it should Suppose
some other Providential calamity, had de-
populated the South as at present, and
along with it had taken all their officers of
tir State governments, and then our Con.
grcss and all the officers of the Federal
administration. What, in such an emergen-
cy, m"nld the remaining people do fo: a
government According to the Chronicles
theory,
There must be some recognized authority TO Or
der elections to appoint suitable persons to con-
duct them, to decide who elected to issue COM
missions, and to perform many other similar duties
There must be men temporarily clothed with a,l-
thorty to conserve the peace and protect the per-
sons and property of the people against violence
and crime, until "A regular government can be reor-
ganized. Some persons having authority must take
initiative of these matters. Who shall it be :? No
citizen number of citizens of the State have the
necessary authority. The old State Government
is i'll abeyance because every Office under it has
become vacant The Constitution has made no
cypress provision on the subject
And yet where did this recognized author
ity come from in the first place !? Where
did the colonies get it after breaking away
from England Where do the people of
the western wilds get authority for initiating
territorial authority? Come, Mr.. Chronicle,
think. Is this power not inherent in the
people? And is not that where the consti-
tuition leaves it That is where the con-
stitution means our administration shall
leave it, and that is where it ought to leave
it. What is to hinder the citizens of Geor-
gia, South Carolina, and indeed all the reb-
ell States, from calling township meetings
and appointing, delegates to county con-
ventions, and from these delegates to State
Conventions where candidates for State
Offices may be put up and voted in by the
people? If the people of the Southern
States are anxious for regular government
this is. the way to get it. 1t is the right,
and it is the duty of the people of the
States that went out of the Union, and
thereby lost their State governments, thus
to restore order, initiate a new government,
and then make application for restoration
to the Union. This application then comes
with delegated authority, in which major
ity of the whole people have voice, and
not from few interested aspirants for of
fce who slip to Washington to magnify
the penitence and the anxiety of the rebels
for the past, and for restoration to the Fed
eral Union. This too, would obviate the
necessity of exercising questionable power
in appointing Provisional Governors and
more than all, the interference with the
elective franchise in the States, which the
President clearly has no right to meddle
with, would be avoided. If this course was
pursued, when the rebel States made ap-
plication for admission to the Union, Con-
gress, in it's enabling act could declare that
no man who had borne arms against the
government, could hereafter enjoy the fran
chise of voting and holding office, just
what all the loyal people of the country
desire. Besides, while the rebel States
were thus recognizing themselves, the
federal authorities could be learning the
temper and intentions of its late enemies,
and act in accordance. While all this would
be in strict conformity with our system of
civil polity, which holds that all govern
mental power emanates from the people. it
would save the administration much per-
plexity, and avoid much censure for the ex-
ercise of doubtful authority.