New-York daily tribune., 1865-12-23
CvCYCua ON E:ECONsTRUCT1O

ciOuSy hard bargain.
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GEORGIA ON E:ECONsTRUCT1ON
The President of the United States-how
wisely or justi6ably is not here in question:
has undertaken to procure the spcedicst possible
restoration of the States lately in revolt to oil
the rights and privileges they lost by the Rebel
lion. The terms he iayors are pronounced on
all sides ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: far more SO
than the Rebels expected or had reason to ex'
pect. In all the civilized world. we know no
munnur of dissent from this judgment.
But Mr.. johnson is not omnipotent; and he
has repeatedly admonished the ex-Rebes that
his power to do what they wish depends largely
upon their own conduct. For the great body
of those by whose votes he was elected are not
so favorably inclined toward the eX-Rebels ns
he is; and the majority in Congress faithfully
reflects their views and sentiments III IL shali
appear that the readmisSion Of the States lately
in revolt involves the consignment OF their
Rlock inhabitants to state of virtual Slavery,
then it will not be in Mr.. Johnson's power
whatever may be his will-to achieyeit.
A great deal has been said Of the hostility of
the Northern Radicals 70 the Presidents
policy and the Southern press with scarcely
an exception, represents this as the Only obstacle
il encounters. Let us see how this representa-
ton corresponds with the vital facts:
That the President is anxious that the recon-
structed Southern States should 40 treat their
Blacks as to render it probable that no inter
position of Congress in their behalf will be re-
quired or justified, is obvious and certain.
Indeed, every cousdcrate person who IS anxious
for a speedy restoration If those States must
naturally be solicitOus that the treatment OF the
Freedmen by those States should be scrupu-
lousy kind and just And the President has
clearly indicated their right to standing in
Courts-to sue and TO give, ,teStmony-as a point
whereon he is especially tenacious.
Now see how this point IS treated by the Leg
islature of reconstructed Georgia, which the
President has jus, had proclaimed as fully re-
stored TO the enjoyment Of domestic seligoy'
eTment:
MnHpoEvHfE. Friday. Dec.s5. l-f5
The Legislature passed biil regulating the fecep
ton OF the testimony OF freedmen. ii makes rcc per
sons of color competent Witnesses in civil cases where
like persons are dependent ldeiend,nts, we presume
and IN criminal eases where the oeuse is against tbs
property OF person freedmen u pTo'lces' as"
| that where freedmen are tho ramtli ahc de.ehua'r
they may make and te any affidavit now allowed u
citizens which shan have the same force as 't'y were
Whites
A ioint resolution was adopted unanimously TO tht
effect that the President has been HagEaumouh TOWARD
the people OF Georgia.
We'll: so he has, most uDquestionably, Il
the late Rebels Of Georgia-yery magnanimous
But haze they been magnanmous toward ham
Is this mcan partial, grudgmg, higgling recog
ntion Of the right Of Blacks to testify, iai
, sample of their magnanimily'
:, The judges and jurics of Georgia arc All White
and not likely to be anything else. These ar
6 Ito estimate and determine the crcdibility an
Y value Of any testimony that Lay be offered
It Does any one believe them likely TO accor
undue weight to negro's testimony against
II White If not, why is il to be suppressed an
y withheld from their ears
TIE rule Of evidence 70 which the ciVili2e
r. world everywhere gravtates is this--Let all /
a heard; and let the jury determine the relaty
I'd value Of each affirmation. If half.vit, three
lyear-old, a savage even a dog witnessed
le fray or o dicker which is the subject Of leg
a contest, and knows how to tell what he vi
" messed, let him tell it; and let the jury beliey
s it or not, as they shall see fit
Under the rule adopted by reconstruct
Georgia, a Black clergyman who shoulGwitne'
S murder Of one White by another, will not j
l. allowed to give evidence OF the fact, though th
murderer should thus 90 scOt-free. A thousan
u cases must from time to time arise whcrei
Blacks will be the only witnesses Of trensa'
tons that need to be eucidated in Court, i
order that justice shall be done as betwee
8 Whites only; yet their lips are legislativel
sealed. Such restriction is not more nsultin
and degrading to Blacks than injurious an
ped,ous to Whites.
If such legislation is rife at this turning
point in the fortunes Of the late Rebels, wha
may We reasonably expect after their recon
s.ructiOn is complete