The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-10-11

- The rebellion is over: the lnsurgent states
are before you; l have called you together
that YOU may prescribe by law, as is your
duty, whatever may be necessary for their
full reception into the Union" This would .
have relieved him from personal response /
billty for their government
Second, he might have not said a word /
about reconstruction for seven months IN /
til Congress should meet, but have kept the /
country quiet by 4 standing military force +
Third. he might have done as be has
Organized temporary Governors, and at The T,
same time set in motion all the machinery /
for making State Constitutions, which /
would be in force Immediately on their APP
prevail by Congress In doing this, it be-
came necessary TO say who should be voters, /
aud. in designating these, Mr.. Johnson has .
prescribed the qualifications Of the Old state
which Of course, has thrown
all political power into the hands Of the
white people. nine tenths Of whom have
been open traitors.
II has been said that Johnson had the
same power TO designate the freedmen 10
be voters as he had the white rebels; and
that he might have granted the privilege TO
some Of both classes. True but can any
experiment be conceived more dangerous
To the peace Of all classes in the South The
bare proposal 10 allow all or any Of the ne
groes to vote would have been received 10y
both c0lOred and white people as ample eV-
idence that this was 10 be the future policy
Of Congress: and while the negroes would
have been vastly elated thereby, (the great
or part Of them might be- perhaps,
doomed TO the deepest disappointment by
the ultimate decision of Congress the
whites would have been excited 10 the
highest rage No mixed election could
possibly have been held. The freedmen
would have been driven from the polls; and
the bare prospect Of such an election by
Mr.. Johnson would have been the most
dangerous frebrand he could have thrown
into Southern society.
His experience with white suffrage has
aged the rebels to hope that their former
property political rights, and the power Of
eHectually controlling the colored people
will soon be placed again in their hands;
and they must have considerable hopes that
that the Constitutions which they have
formed in obedience to the request of the
President will be accepted by Congress,
and their respective States received into
full communion at once. The more gene
raj Will be their disappointment when they
shall all be rejected.
3. The power OF the President in govern
ing the South as a military commander liz
ures largely before the public; but, in refe-
renee TO the admission III these states with
their new Constitutions, he has compare
lively little direct influence. He is a mere
Executive officer. to enforce the laws which
Congress shall make. When that body
meets, he will doubtless state, with mOdesty
and propriety, what has been done in the
way Of reconstruction, and leave Congress
to pass judgement thereon. As each
House is the absolute Judge of its own
membership, it would not be at all modest
in him to urge pertiuaciously that this or
that State should be received At the
next session of our Legislature, would Gov.
Grape say To the Senate, As there is a
contested seat in your body, recommend
that a. b. be received and c. D. sent
home2" He would be laughed at for his
Mr.. johnson. The power OF legislating for
admitting these States is in Congress. At
the session closing July 4, 1868, il will be
remembered that a bill for this purpose pre-
pared with much care and largely approved
by leading Republicans WAS passed by
both Houses, and the signature of the Pres
ident was withheld mainly on account of a
few expressions in it which could not then
be corrected. This established the par
ticulars OF the process OF restoration in each
state, and the President was commanded
10 see them carried out. 1t is well, howey-
er, that this did not become u law
Mr.. Johnson, in starting his election ma
chinery, could not have the slightest idea Of
what the exact qualifications of citizenship
established by Congress will ultimately be-
How could he tell9 How can you tell .
You may guess dozen times, and Yet you
will not hit every particular exactly. He
run his machine at venture, when he
should not have run it at all
Tho -rat, fr,--..t.......-
and similar which may be formed, will all
be set aside by Congress. Look al "A single
point. Not one Of them contains. or will
contain. any guarantee for the admission Of
colored persons as witnesses in courts of
justice. They cannot even tell the story OF
their wrongs TO the public. Make the case
your own. You are quiet peaceable col
ored citizen at the South. careful to keep
all laws, and offend nobody Yet every
loafer kicks you into the gutter and beats
you; rutfians come to your house and rob
you OF your hard earnings. and Hcentious
scOundrels insult and abuse the honor of
your family before your face Ifyou shoot
them you are hung TO the nearest lamp
post for the atrOciOus murder of n white
man: if you endure them, what kind of
free man will you be- These outraces. if
without white witnesses. can
be done not once, but hundred times by
the same person: not 10y one man only, but
by any white man in the world. Some peo-
pie may think this very satisfactory state
Of freedom: but, for our part. we would
prefer the freedom Of a savage where NO
could at least try to defend the rights Cod
given US.
Now are these millions of colored people /
to be handed over by the loyal States with
put protection to the custody of their ol1
brutal masters, and their children. to GROW
NJ for ages, really no better than slaves
( Will not be done: and Mr.. Johnsor's
Constitutions will only exist on paper.
6. Lastly, the power is now wholly ON
be side Of freedom and justice No rebel
tate can possibly get into fellowship with