Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-07-21
JOURNAL COMPANY,
ReconstructIon In Tennessee.

the consolation Of all whom it may con-
cern, that President johnson has ex-
pressed determination to have the laws
passed by the last Tennessee Legisla-
ture faithfully executed. This includes,
especially, the election law. The Presi.
dent is determined that illegal voters
shall be kept from voting, if the s.rong
arm of the military has to be called into
requisition to secure that end. Gov.
BroWnlow has been notified that he shall
have sufficient force Of United States
troops to sustain the civil authorities.
1t is extremely unfortunate, we, think,
that so great haste has been manifested
to re-organize or reconstruct rebel
States. That large majority of their
population are now as intensely hostile
to the Union as they were before the war
is demonstrated by every act of their
lives. That they will scruple at no in-
strumentslity to regain their sscendsncy
in the States, and, ultimately, in the Gov
ernment, 10 isapparsnt in their every move
ment. 1t is equally certain that the
rebel States are to be reconstructed, if
reconstruction is insisted upon now, by
disloyal population, or they must be
controlled by the military. The Loyal
element is so largely in the minority that
it is absurd to put into their hands a
political power which has heretofore
been welded by the whole population of
the several States, for they can neither
manage nor retain it. Besides, loyal
man in Tennessee is not entitled to
any more rights and privileges than a
| loyal man in Ohio or Indiana. Why,
therefore, should he WELD treble the po-
lisical power2 In some of the counties
of that State there are scarcely enough
Union men 10 fill the county Offices. To
say that four or Eve thousand voters in
Tennessee shall be entitled to Con
gresham, while fifteen or twenty thous-
and can only enjoy that privilege in the
Northern States, is manifest inequality
Where so much power is conferred upon
80 few individuals, 1t is also liable to be
grossly abused. Depending altogether
upon the military to sustain them, while
thus sustained, they are arrogant and
overbearing. 1t 10 not to their interest
to increase the number of voters, for, BY
so much, they diminish their chances Of
holding lucrative positions.
| Where the loyal men are so largely in
the minority that soldiers have to guard
the polls in order to enable them to con
troll the affairs of the civil government
the election is farce. Though civil il
form, the government is military ii
reality, while the forms of civil govern
ment are brought into disrepute and |
most pernicious precedent established
We dislike to see ballot boxes hedged il
by bayonets. We would rather not hav,
the ballot at all. Besides, it must b,
evident to all who have closely scanned
} the operations of the reconstructiouisti
that the rebels are less restive an
troublesome, aud more easily managed
when they are operating under simpl
military government than when they ar
encouraged to mix in the political dis
eussioEs and elections growing out Q
this unseemly haste to make loyal State
: out of disloyal population.
The true policy is to govern the rebe
States by military law. Our officers an
j. armies are obedient 20 the civil powel
and viii act in conformity with il
v wishes, They have always done SO
!. they will continue to do so. Lot the Pres
;. dent and Congress lay down wholesom
aud simple rules for their guidance an
!. direction, and then let them occupy an
!. manage the rebel States until it is ev
dent that the people are ready and an:
ious for government republican j
/. form; for Congress has no suthoriAE
establish any other kind We are con-
den the rebels will feel better sstis6e
e under this state of affairs than they wi
to be controlled BY meagre, unpopuls
minority, kept in power over them
the army. qtra.,
J Another objection to the reconstru
ton policy, as now managed, is tbs
Congress nor the President cannot Il
Y Y when the work is finished. Tennsss
Of has gone through the forms of recO
!. atruetiOn. To-day she is nominally
: free and loyal State, having returned
~ her allegiance aud ordained eonstit
= ton and laws in harmony with the Co
stitution and laws Of the General Go
ernuaent Yet We see in that State th
X the loyal element is so largely in t
minority and 50 unable to control re
less majority, that the aid Of the arr
]. Ia invoked, II Tennessee waa COVER
Cd by the military power alone, b
l. =. AZ