The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-07-14
Reconstructlnn.

Reconstruction.
Robert Dale Owen has written an ex.
ceedingly able letter upon Reconstruc-
ton, from which we take the following
extract, showing the danger Of commit
ting the des;inies OF the Nation to the
hands of the Southern whites alone
"Observe the working of this thing. By
the Constitution the representative popula-
tion is to consist of all free persons and
three.fiiths Of all other persons. If, by next
Winter, slavery shall have disappeared
there will be no "other persons" in the
South. Her actual population will then
coincide with her representative population.
She will have gained, as to Federal repre-
sentatiOn. i 600 900 persons. She will be
entitled, not as now to 81 members, but to
94; ana her votes for President will be in
proportion; Congress, If it Intends tha. the
Constitutional rule shall prevail, will have
to alter the apportionment so ns to cores
pond to :he new order OF things.
Now, IL the negro is admitted to vote,
the Constitutional rule will operate Justly.
For thon each voter in tho South will have
precisely the same political Influence as a
voter in the North. The unjust three. fifth
principle will have disappeared forever.
"On the other hand, ii color be deemed
cause OF exclusion. then oil The poHhcat
poWer wlich is ,oiihheld from The emancipal
ed siave is gdined by the Southern ,ohite.
For though, by law, we may deny suf-
frage to the freedman, We cannot prevent
his being reckoned among those free per-
sons who constitute the basis of representa-
ton. His presence, whether disfrancbsed
or not, adds. In spite of all We can do. % the
political influence Of the State ltor it increas.
es the number of its votes for Presiden, and
the number of its representatives in Con.
gross. Now, somebody must gain Ly this
The gain is shared equally by every actual
voter in the State. If, in any State, the
number of blacks and whites Is equal, and
it, in that State, blacks are excluded from
voting, then every white voter will 60 to the
polls armed with twice the political power
enjoyed by a white voter in any Northern
State. But again, this is on the supposticn
that every white adult in the State is loyal,
and therefore entitled to vote.
"Are the half of all Southern male adults
at this time, or will they be for years to
come, moro than lip loyal, if even tbatl l
think you will not say that they are. 1t
would surely be an extravagant calculation.
tionary States shall actually qualify them.
compelled to administer the Government
in tho late secession portion of the Union,
through the agency of it's enemies? One.
third would DO a full estimate, in my judg-
ment, for the truly loyal.
"But le! US assume that fpo thirds of oil
the white male adults of tho South become
voters, and they exclude from suffrage, by
Jaw or by Constitutional provision, all per
sons OF color, what would be tho political
consequences under such state of things?
II, Gas We may roughly estimate by dc.
struction through war and by depletion OF
population through emigration to Mexico,
to Europe and elsewhere, tho number of
whites throughout tho late rebel States shall
have boon reduced until blacks and whites
exist there in nearly equal numbers, then,
10 the case above supposed, each voter 10
these States, when he approached the bal.
lot.bo during Congressional or Presiden.
tiai election. would do so pieiding THREE
TIMES as much political in fiuence as a voter
in Northern State. This vast advantage
once gained by Southern whites. 10 it likely
that they will ever relinquish it7
| "Nor, if We disfranohise the negro, is
there any escape from such consummation,
except by roofing out from the Constitution
the principle that the whole number OF free
persons shsl be tho basis of representation.
But that principle lies at the base OF all free
government. We abandon ropubicanism
itself when we discard it,
"Thus it appears that the present expert
ment in reconstruction, If suffered to run
its course. and If interpreted as 1 think We
have just cause to fear that II will be, tends
(inevitably. 1t may be said) to bring about
two results;
"Ftrsi: To cause the disfranc chisement of
the freedman. Whether we effect this di.
rectly, as by provision of law, or by a dis
qualifying clause in o proclamation, or
whether We do it by leaving the decision to
his former masters and his old eueuies
matters nothing except in form and ia
words; the result is brought about with
equal certitude in either way Passion
prejudice and self-interest concur to pro
duce this result.
Second: 1t establishes-pot the odIou,
three-ffth clause, not even merely q fee
fifth clause-but something much wors,
than either. 1t permits the inyestiture q
the Southern white with preponderaucs
Of political power. such as no class of men
In democratic Republic, ever enjoyed sine,
the world began"
The Posts special says il seems to 3,
CartaiD that Jaffaraop m t.;oI l.,