Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-02-17
Mr.. Yeaman and ReconstructIon.


The following letter explains itself
To us the speediest reorganization Of the
Southern States seems in every way the
best The question is, simply, shall a
minority of unimpeachable loyalty or
ganize the State governments, so shap-
ing them that the abettors Of rebellion
shall never be permitted to plot treason
in authority, or viii you continae TO sait
on the reyolted citizens ell enough Of
them Of uncertain loyalty 60 into the
State organizations to control themy la
the fret case, the Legislation will bs in
harmony with the public sentiment Of
the nation IN the last, il will be hostile
10 il in all probability, and needless ques-
tions Of the conflict Of authority between
the State and General Governments will
be necessarily raised But organize
your State government, and all honest,
wellmeaning citizens will rapidly come
into accord with it:
WAsHIxcTox, February 6, 1865.
Hon. Horace Maynard:
Ny DEAa sIR. Yoa win have observ-
ed By the proceedings Of Congress that
the electoral votes Of Tennessee and
Louisiana will be excluded next Wednes.
day, upon the grounds set forth in the
preamble Of the resolution. Il is for
tunate circumstances that the exclusion
Is made By the political friends Of those
in whose iavor the votes wonld have
been cast, and still more fortunate that
the exclusion dses not change the sesult
But for this last named fact it might
have become q serious affair far more
probably, bat for that II would not have
passed
Having voted against the candidates
(popularly speaking) for whom the
electoral votes Of those two States would
have been cast, yet deeply regret the
action OF Congress ia the matter. For
the last three years ! have given more
thought TO the mode and means of po-
litical restoration thaa 10 any 9th
err feature or element Ct our unhappy
troubles, and am more and more CON
vinced that such restoration must IN the
end be the willing action OF those who
have been, and those who are now loyal
| would, in every way possible, aneour-
age such 10 organize or resume the
functions of loyal State government
| cannot see that this is dons by reias-
ing to count their votes in a Presidential
election II remains to be seen wheth-
er the same gentlemen will equally in
sist on excluding the votes Of Tegnessee
and Louisiana 10 the ratification of the
proposed amendment OF the Constitu-
ton in procuring the required three.
fourths Of the States.
You may remember, when we served
together IN the last session Of the Thir-
/ ty-seventh Congress, the earnest part
| took in trying TO secure the passage Of
q law providing for Congressional elee-
tions in Tennessee, and my Efforts in
favor Of the admission Of the Louisiana
delegation. | have seen nothing to
| change my mind, or cause me to regret
| the position then assumed. Ii is that
| If majority ofthe people of State &c
| into rebellion, il is thsir wrong, and
does not distranehise the loyal minority
that il the majority sallenly stand of
and take no part in elections, and the
State governments, il is their lachas
aud the minority are, de JUre and d
facto, the government.
This position cannot be successfully
asssiled, and 70 assume any osher vii
involve us in endless difficulty. Indeed
it is TO be feared that those who give q
q reason for this ion that ther
may have been military interference a
the elections, would nos hesitate to Us
Congressional interference by the estah
lishment of territorial governments il
such States, and -imperagiyely requiring
those States to be organized on givel
. policy,
In lieu of the resolution that passed
/ offered the following as Substitutes:
BE 10 resolved by the Senate an
House Of Representatives. Of the Unite
States of America IN Congress dsseB
: blsd, That the votes Of the Presidenti'
: electors of any State shall be counse
= when presented and verified in the o
binary and legal method; and it is il
! competent and immaterial for Coz
4 gress to 60 behind such verihc
! ton, and inquire whether part of Il
!, citizens Of saeh State have not been
rebellion; and all Laws and parts
laws and joint resolutions incompatih
u with this are hereby repealed.
II This is not the case Of n claim to
;, seat, or contested election, where 4
House NAV, in determining the retur
O and qualifications Of members, 90
Of hind the certificate and inquire into 1
ir facts. This resolution expresses {
!. law and the sound policy Of this cas-
! If We 20 outside the record 70 and "a
"a upon which to base the exclusion Of I
iy electoral vote Of State, we open WI
d. door to dangerous doctrines and destrr
"A tive errors. Men might differ very wide
= as to what facts would be Sufficient
&c Justify such rejection of the ofhci
Sc and duIy verified vote of q State; 8
he surely nothire in the wide range
er political action could be found bett
=, calculated to cause strife and bloodsh
than sneh az exclusion, were 1t done l
VI der circumstances rendering 1t st
We material to the result, or exssperati
al to the feelings Of The people or pa
-. disfranehised Happily for all coneel
ed, this instance has none Of these e
'se ments of disturbance in it, and the Iol
'er people Of your State ought not to
I'M discouraged (though they may be ii;
= indignsnsl, bat go steadily forward
the great labor OF restoration.
ne What an anomaly that the vote
is Tennessee should be excluded on I
ground that the people Of that sti