Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-11-24
Sollrrla.
FREMONT: OHIO.
soME ESSENTIAL coEDITIONs OF RE.
CONSTRUCTION.

CONSTRUCTION.
= Various opinions exist a. 10 what conditions
ought TO be exacted by Congress precedent TO
the complete restoration of the late rebelliOus
6ntca TO the privileges Of the National house
hold. There are certain points in this regard,
hcwsves, about which ell intelligent, truly 10y,
Al msn may agree. ta
Doubtless, charity ought TO temper our jndg-
ulent. fraternity and the kinsbip of country in
spire our action. At the same time, right is not
70 be oveElooked, nor duty to our country, pres
20. and future, to be disregarded through SEN
timentai fess of injury TO the feelings of unre-
pentsnt rebels. The graTest care should be ex-
ereised in the re-construction of the Republic,
sfler the terrible ordeal through which 1T has
Passed:-care commensurate with the cost paid
fcE the peace which has come to Us through
lhese long years of sacrifice and carnage. h-
demnity for the past is impossible ;.but the 10y
81 masses feel, while laying aside ali spirit of
malice aud revenge toward the south, that
proper guarantees and security for the future
must be insisted upon. Among these guaran-
tees, right and just in themselves, are the fol-
lowing: f a4s
l. The ,saIILifcstion Of the act of secession by
the Southern Conventions. These Conventions
have thus far simply repealed those acts there
by implying that they were originally lawful
and proper, but in the present situation, impOl-
itic. This isnot repentiug of and putting away
the sbomiustion Of SecessiOn--it 10 only putting
!. it Of 70 more convenient season.
,. The scOsptznceof the fact of the abolition
Of slszery by the Presidents Proclamation,
aud the adoption Of the Constitutional Amend.
.uent TO the same effect This has not been
hirly done by sny Of the Estates in Rebellion
up 20 the surrender Of Lee. But it is most Ger.
-sinly essential to the future peace of the cOun-
.ry, and the people demand that the actiye
cause Of the war shall be swept forever beyond
the possibility of resuscitstion in any guise or
form
B. Protection TO freedmen and loyal whites
in person and property. The latter are denied
this BY laws which discriminate in favor of cit-
izeus who have served In the rebel army; and
the former, by the re.ensctment of the old Slave
code for free and loyal blacks, thereby placing
them in servitude scarcely less debasing than
the old bsrbsrism for which rebellion was un.
dertakeD.
4. Reputation Of the Rebel Debt. Hsecession
was null and void, then debts Incurred under it
and FOR Il die Of a like nature. Those who lent
20 the confederscy deserve punishment rather
than payment The Southern States are not
disposed to accept this view, partly because
90 many members Of their Conventions are
themselves the creditors. But the President
and the people Justly demand that this element
ofthe REBELLION shall be rulli6ed past resuscita.
ton, a. warning for the future TO all concerned
against shording material aid TO Secession.
S. Tbs test oath required by law of Con-
gress, passed in 62, must be exscted from al
applicants for seats in Congress. II not, we
must submit to be legislsted for by the men
vhc,e hands are dyed with the blood of our
brothers and sons, and whose hearts are still
deeper dyed with treason and secession. This
must not be. The voice of loyal Americans
srerywhers echoes the declAration-Fhis can
never BEL
s. All true men will units il carrying the
smendment 10 the Constitution, equsliEiDg
Congressional representation, that is, making
the sesusl voting population the basis for such
representation
Before the war we esteemed II unjust that the
South should be allowed a three-6fths repre-.
ssntat;on for hcr slave population; but now
that the lattsr is free Of course it forms the ba'
so for 9 full representation, without at the
same time adding any more actual votes, al
least until suffrage is extended to ths blacks
This gives TIE south . larger representation
than she had before the war. while the actual
number Of votes 10 much less. This injustice
can only be remsdied by an amendment 70 the
Constitution. This President johnson favor
and the people require.
Hcvever much men may honestly differ on
other points Of Reconstruction, we think all
ntr;etic and intelligent men viii unite in fsvOl
Of the propositions above indicated. UpOz
these, at least, il is to be hoped, Congress vii
take IN early and decided stand.