The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-14

trust them with pardon. The politicians |
Of South Carolina boasted in 1861 that they |
had been thirty years in trying to get ont Of
The Union, and they thanked God that they
had finally succeeded. l do not believe that
thirty years of treason, eliminating in Ave
years of war, can he repented Of in a day.
Now, let us say to these same Caroliniahs-
'slnasmuch as you were thirty years in trying
to get out of the Union, and thought You had,
we will allow you to remain out few years
until you are thoroughly purged of treason
whenever you shall. exhibit unmistakable
works meet for repentance and renounee all
your former political heresies, we may pardon,
and restore you" Loud cheering Would
pentance, and bring them back restored to all
their former rights, only to finally involve us
in the calamity of another war? 1
| am willing to sacrifice anything for the
perpetuity of this government and the peace
of the country, but not one cent for the con
citation of Southern traitors am willing to
give. Cancellation should come from the 9th
err side. We are the injured and insulted par
ty. and should be reconciled to those who
have done the wrong. We have no apologies
to offer, no Acknowledgements to make. 1t is
only as matter of grace that these traitors
are allowed to remain under the flag at all
they cannot demand it as a right They are
in condition only to supplicate, not to die
tate terms. | am in no humor to brook the
insolence of these men. Too many Iowa men
have fallen in this war widows and orphans
are too numerous III the land.
g But how is your theory to be adopted =? .
is a question often asked. The answer is OBJ
vious. and certainly every Democrat, in his
endorsement of President Johnson's recon
struction policy, viii understand it. From
what source does the President derive the
power to appoint Governors for these insurg-
emf States, issue proclamation who may
vote there and who shall not, fixing the mode
of electng delegates to their constitutional
conventions and in short doing everything
for them which a Sovereign State has the
power to do for itself 1t is simply because
their former State governments were over
thrown by the rebellion, that their relations
with the Federal Government were dissolved
hy the act of treason. When they denied
their allegiance to this government, and at
tached themselves to another sovereignty,
they asserted in the most positive terms that
their civil connection with us had ceased.
and now that we have succeeded in overcom-s
ing this antaeonistical sovereignty, and SUBJ
dued its armies, they remain in the condition
of conquered people until by Federal favor
condition. This is their situation to-day.
The President, as the constitutional agent of
this Government, is prescribing rules for their
government until the meeting ofCongress. Il
is true these States have never been oat Of
Union. for they could not get out. The land,
the rivers, the forests and the people have
been here all the time, but their proper rela-
tons to the national sovereignty were DIS
solved. and must be restored. How can this
be done? Simply and only through the me
dunn of State Governments aud through
which alone they can speak and act with us
They cannot be represented in Congress, or
perform any other act as Sovereign State4 until
their governments are established. Until
then, although they have people and terrific
rial limits, they have no governments and
therefore their proper political status is in
allowance. Now this is what is meant by re-
construction, work which must be perform
ed under the direction Of the PRESIDENT who
is, in the absence ofCongress, the only proper
and authorized agent the general Govern
ment.
When these States present their new Con-
stitutions, and ask to be represented in Con
gress, the grave question must then be decided
as to whether they are - Republican in firm
The Constitution SAYS that the Congre{ sshGU
guarantee to each State Republican form Of
government. There is no way 10 dodge or
avoid this responsibility. Congress is consti-
tuted, by this provision, the sole Judge and
made master of the situation. 1t must deter
mine, according to its own good judgment,
woether or not these recognized State Gov
ernments are Republican. L not, then by
the Constitution they must bs rejected No
power in the land can revise or annul the ac-
ton of Congress in this matter Suppose
South Carolina should provide. by her remod-
eied constitution that Barnwell Rhett OF Gov
ernor Berry should hold the Office of Governor
for the term of his natural life, and at his
death his eldest son. or next male relative
should succeed him, and so on, would this be
Republican form of government? CLEARLY
not, and Congress, under this constitutional
provision. wonld be compelled to reject it,
and hold South Carolina out at arms length
until her constitution should be changed No
one will dispute this. Now apply this princ-
pie to case in point. If these States pre-
sent themselves with constitution which dis
franchise one half their population, and this
the only loyal portion which maintained its
faith with the Government, would Congress
say these Constitutions were Republican?
think not. Here, then, is the power clearly
given to Congress to reconstruct these insur-
gent governments upon loyal and Republi-
can basis, and secure Justice and political
equality to all. urge this, not as a matter
of sympathy and common gratitude to the men
who have fought around our flag. bnt as a
measure of national safety. Yon must keen
these rebels down, either by free ballots or a
standing military force. ! am in favor of the
cheaper and more Republican mode. Give
the ballots to the hands of LOYAL freemen, and
you are safe. | am not afraid to trust them.
| would rather trust the loyal black man down
there than the rebel white man. A man With
wears the blue uniform of the American sol
der, and imperils his life in defense of our
flag, has q better right To vote than any man.
who nights against it. Great applause. and
cries of '.rhat's So
The Hrtdnl cha m Der an EssA, of Warn