The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-12

the representatives elect, and place there
on the names of all persons, and OF such
persons only, whose credentials show
that they were regularly elected In &C
COZ d 4nce with the laws of their States
respectively, r. or of the laws of the United
States.
Approved, March o, 1868.
We see no grounds for the assertion by
Mr.. Mcpherson, that this act of Congress
is ''bunglingly worded." To US it appears
as precise, and plain as any legislation
can be.
Mcpherson is probably entirely subser-
Went to the Radicals, aSd will be wholly
governed by them in his proposed ac'ion.
According to the opinion of the Tribune.
this clerk, an obscure subordinate, would
have more political power than the
President. If the names OF our mem
bers we're on the roll, they could take
part in the election of Speaker, and it
might be out of the power of the fanati-
cal portion of Congress to exclude them.
Mr.. Mcpherson is q candidate for re elec
ton. the course he takes will be that
which he believes majority of the Re
publican members of Congress will sus-
tain. The New York World, one of the
ablest and most liberal democratic pa
pers of the North, in commenting on the
proposed actisn of the Clerk says:
II Mr.. Mcpherson, in coming to con
| clusion as TO what the oblig gations of duty
require of him in execution OF this act,
looks only to the statute, is guided only
by admitting rules of statutory construc
ton, and pushes behind him all partisan
opinions and theories, he cannot well
fail to go right; but the very Instant he
begins to consider what the effect of hi:
action will be upon political parties, thai
instant he is in danger, and is as likely tC
decide wrongly to decide rightly.
Our opinion in respect to the legal in
terpretation of the statute before US Is
OF course, not binding upon the clerk
but yet we feel perfectly clear that if
before the first meeting of the mex
Congress, the President declares that th'
States which have been in rebellion, o
! any one of them, to be reorganized, OF
6cally proclaims the election of Stat
officers, and designates who those officer
: are, then, if members elect from thos
[ they have been regularly elected in &C
cordance with the laws of their State
respectively" we cannot see how tn
clerk is to refuse to place their name
upon his roll.
The suggestion of Mr.. McPhersol
(adopted and indorsed by the Tribune,
that, mo law of any of the State
4u thorizes an election held at the call c
! Provisional Governor, and from whic
large numbers of legally recogniz
), voters (unsworn rebels) are excluded"
startling" 1t goes to the extent of a.
: serting that Tennessee, for insta nce,i nc
: and cannot be a State in the Union III
IS der Mr.. Lincoln's and Mr. Johnson's plar
because the initial point of reconstru'
tion is in the act of Provisional Go'
y ernor. If such is to be the accepte
e theory of the dominant party in Congre:
e it puts an end to all hope of making
n under Mr.. Johnson's plan, the Insured
tionary States to be States in the Unior
u coequal with the loyal states, because a
It of these rebel States had a basis Of r
o organization in the call of Provision;
Governor.