Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-07-19
Letters from the Hill. No ;.
RECONSTRUCTION.

these years Of strife, men differed-many
denying the right to coerce state, so now
in regard to the reconstruction Of the
government, men differ-many believ-
ing that at once the right Of suffrage
should be conferred upon the sable mil
lions Of the South.
! In regard to the abstract right of the
negroes to vote, there is but little Opposi-
tion from any quarter.
No one, whose opinion is Of m1ch &C.
count, stands boldly forth now in the face
of events, to maintain that their claim to
franchise is unsound The edict "that
the negro has no rights which a white
man is bound to re spect," is like its au-
thor dead.
Aud a government powerful in arms to
overcome the most relentless Of foes,
great in whatever commands the respect
Of the world, is to-day the friend and
protector Of race that but few years
ago was the dow ntrodden of the earth.
The political cry that this government
was made exclusively for white men, aud
that others had not even the right of pro-
lection for person ana property vouch-
sated to them, is not heard but from q
few who are so far gone as to be ire.
cla:mable, and so much imbeded in fossil
as to be worthy place in some curiosity
cabinet.
The question then is not about the
principle of the thug. The discussion
now is whether President Johnson has
the power to enfranchise the colored pop
ulat:ou Of the rebellious states, and
whether if he has the power, it would be
expedient to exercise it.
The President being believer in the
doctrine that no state can secede, main
tains that no one Of the states has ever
been out of the Union, but that It's opcr.
ations have been merely suspended during
the last four years, and that in "coming
home" as Lincoln said, they are to act
under the same laws aud regulations as
we're in operation when they went
abroad"
Those who oppose the Presidents
views contend that the states having re-
bcllcd, and passed the ordinance Of seces-
sion, were out Of the Union, and as being
conquered must apply for re-admissiou,
and be subject to, and comply with the
terms which the representatives Of the
loyal states may propose. They contend,
too, that they may Of right impose any
terms that in their wisdom they may
think best. They would not only have
the negro free, but would also a. once in
vest him with the right of suffrage.
President johnson would have him
free and defend in his rights Of person
aud property, but would have the ques-
ton of suffrage to the loyal whites Of each
state.
The Presidents view seems to be this,
that in the work of reconstruction be is
no. of necessity called upon to fix the po-
litical standing Of the negro.
But that be believes that he has not
the power to do SO, eau hardly be, for We
fud him exacting conditions of voters,
such as We have not Sound in the consti-
tuition in force in 1861, and even di:fran-
chisius some legally qualified to vote un
der the old consti tuition, and if he has the
right and power to do this, has he not
the same right aud power to declare who
shall take part in the reconstruction (this
be is doins) and if it be necessary en-
franchise some legelly unqualified to vote
under the constitution Of 1861.
And though ws hare no declaration to
that effect still VIC doubt not tha, if the
President mad deemed it vitalIy important
III the reconstruction oi the states, he
would have given the right Of suffrage to
at least some of the negroes of the South |
as he has taken it away from some of the !
whites. .......- .-.-. .-..-, ..- 70
The negroes then arc doubtless excluded
from the polls on the ground of expe-
dieucy.
No one doubts but that the time is
coming and viii scen come, when no mere
sense Of respect for feeling, through |
lcyat-no mere grounds of expediency
will prevent the enfrauchisement Of the
colorcd men, who helped to preserve the
republic Aud in this the President
leads the way, for he has urged the col
ored population of the District of Colum-
bia, to petition the next Congress to ack-
nowledge their right to the franchise, by