The Placer herald., 1865-08-05
The President and the Attorney General.

Mr. Attorney General Speed has made
some very important admissions in regard to
tIhe political status of the Southern States.
As tie legal adviser of the Administration,
his expression of opinion commands consd-
Grafton AS indicative of the policy Of the
Central Government. In his communicate ion
Of Nav lst, to the President. upon which
apparently, was based the last Executive
Proclamation Of Amnesty, Mr.. Speed EN-,
phatralv declares that the principle of indie
pendent State Government is mmutable, and
that the powers and rights ot the common'
weallhs that compose this Union are inner.
ent and have not been, nor could be- can
celed or modified by the influences of the
period of strife and convulsion through which
we have passed He says:
Reconstruction is not needed; that word
conveys an erroneous idea. The construc-
tion Of the Government is as perfect as hui
man wisdom can make it. Ours is task to
preserve principles and powers clear Iy and
well defined. Ours is not duty to recon
struct or to change"
We ale glad to have. from such high Off
cal authority, the confirmation Of our doc
lrine Of the indeslructbiIily Of State exist
ence. Reconstruction is not needed;" the
States are to-day, in political essence, what
they were when they entered into the COM
pact OF federation. The right Of legislation
upon all subjects of local interest, the right
to remodel their State Constitutions, or to
retain them unchanged at their option, the
right to designate who shall he entitled
within their State limits, to the exercise OF
the elective franchise, the right, hy the exer
else of that franchise, to elect all State utii
cla's, is as much now as ever it was the pre-
rogalive, inalienahle aud subject only to sucl
regulations as themselves may designate. o
the people OF the several States.
The Attorney General asserts that "Societ,
in the rebel States has not been, and is no
now, in normal condition, nor in harmon
with the principles of our Government.
There are now no "rebel States" in this Re
public. There is no organized military oppc
silion to the Federal authority. The reopl
Of the South have expressed, as far AS tn
opportunity for expression has been acrorde
them, their submission to the authority {
the Central Government; and The States wi
undoubtedly make their submission regula
and official as soon as they shall be permit
ted to put into action the machinery Of Stat
legislation. Society" must I've left to regu
late itself. 1t cannot be forced from an ab
normal condition by arbitrary measures, bu
it can be assisted and advanced 10 the labor
of regeneration 10y giving freely and viii
confidence, the task into the hands of those
who are disorganized. The Southern people
must be trusted with the implements of thci'
own ledemptioa or they will be vaueless tc
themselves and to the country. They have
I'attempled to establish their independence o
Federal control. and they have failed. None
appreciate the failure more fully than them
selves, and if they lie encouraged or even
permitted to assume their normal condition
they will exercise the same patience, energy
aud industry for lhe welfare of the political
household of which they form a part, a,
they have exhibited in tie attempt to esra ape
from it. ". Y. News