Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-07-08

TOD that the Southern FORCES snoul De
and return to their homes upon
parole not to bear arms againstthe United
States until exchanged, and that they
should not be disturbed by the United
States authorities SO long as they observe
their parole and the laws in force where
they reside. This capitulaton 10 General
Grant was followed by similar capitula.
sious of the other armies or bodies of
Southern forces, until its provisions be.
came applied to all men engaged in the
feld in tho military service of the south,
Substantially in its extended application,
it was an agreement that the armies cp'
posed 10 usshouid be broken up and dissolv-
ed that the soldiers and officers should
be considered paroled and should not be
molestcd or proceeded against by our
Government.
Subsequently, by proclamation Of the
President, amnesty has been extended to
the southern people with the exception Of
particular classes Of persons fpocially
named, upon condition Of an oath oil al
lepiance TO the Government Of the United
States.
Thus vas the foundation broadly laid
for relations Of restored amity with the
people of the South who had been opposed
to US in public war: while in the entire
disbending of their armies and in the
oatbs of allegi anoe exacted securities were
obtained against the continuance or re.
newell of the conflict.
Following these events, the question OF
the reorganization of state Governments
In the southern country arose for consld.
.eratiou. President johnson, in several
proclamations recently issued, has an'
nounced his plan for accomplishing this
object. 1t is. that through temporary
or provisional officer named by him, the
people of each state shell be called upon
to select members Of convention to form
a constitution for the state; which being
adopted, will be recognized by the hSccu.
tive of the United States Of course the
admission OF Senators aud Representatives
from such state into Congress, pertains
exclu,vely to the jurisd ction Of the two
Houses. His theory is, to regard The
states as never having been in point OF
law out Of The Uuiopj 10 hold all ordiuan-
ces of secession as utterly void and Of no
effect, and Rebel State Government
heretofore engaged in hostility to the
United States, as spurious or iugaIid.-
UDguestonably, state Government es
tablohed by opular convention in ac.
cord with the Government and in conor-
nifty with the Constitution Of the United
States, will be regular in origin and IcgA
in character For it will have its power:
impaired to it IN the usual name by thC
people over whom it is established, and bC
with out taint from the revolutionary pliu-
ciplc. But who are the people or Ierson'
who shall reorganzs such Government
for state It would be a strange aud
dangerous doctrine that the mere will oi
pleasure Of the President or Of Congr es
should dominate what should he the SOW
ereigu act Of the people in the formation o
a constitution while on the other hand i
would be unreasonable and absurd tha
unrepenlapt cne les should be permitted
10 participate in the proceeding. lti
therefore provided in the Presidents pl an
that the qualifications for popular suffrage
in selecting u convention to reorganizs tn,
state, shall be the same as those which eX-
listed under the constitution Of the state
when the rebellion began 10 otbcr words
the qualifications OF suffrage shall b.
dentlcaly the same as those fixed by th'
stale itself prior 10 secession, utject onl,
to the condition that the right be coufued
to those who pledge their feal'y to ,h'
United States by the amnesty oath beior,
mentioned Of course the question 0
suffrage in state for the future, will bt
regulated by its constitution when formed
and be no longer subject of inquiry o.
concern to the Federal Government.
is expected, aud will no doubt happen, tina
all the states in question Il a; once adop
the proposed amendment to the CODstitu
ton Of the United Siates Oh the subject O
slavery but this being an act in its yer.
nature voluntary is not enjoined.
Such is the Presidents plan, deiber
ately announced, under which the rcor'
ganizatlou of States is taking place in the
South: But it encounters vehement cppo
sition from what are called radicsl men
in the North who are disinclined tt
abandon their trade Of agitation and sinl
themselves into political insiguificancc
True, the slavery question is ended bu
may not some other question be made iC
succeed it tor the purpose Of continuing OF
rc-crealing sectional dispute!.
If the Presidents plan be executed with
the general acQuiescepcc Of the country
peace, amity and concord will be thorough
ly re-established between the sectious
former feelings of mutual good, will viii
be restored, and the pecuniary interest
Of both sections promoted. And these
will constitute the best securities against
future couvulsious, and IN favor of public
prosperity. But what will become of the
agitators 7 Deprived OF their vocation
they will be the unhappicst of men, iol
their importance will be decreased, ant
there will be no field left open for the cx
ercise Oh qualification of their passions -
Hence it is tho most natural thing in th,
wor that they should oppose the Prosi
dents plan and announce, from their head