Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-09

q
the skFohg arm. 1t acquired thereby the
right to insist that their framework OF gov.
ernment and polity should be purged OF
SwlIAtevef had been proved inimical 70 1ts
own existence, safety and tranquility. And
II the President, either directly or through
his Provisional Governor, had summoned
the whole people of each State-whether
previously enfrancllised or MOTTO choose
delegates to frame and submit a new
Constitution, adapted to their changed cir
cumstances, he would have been amply JUS
titled In so doing, and would have had as
clear authority for it as for appointing a
Provisional Governor, and prescribing GER
tain fundamental bases of reconstruction.
ITO talk of referring the suffrage ques-
tion to the States, is to darken counsel by
dextrous phrases. The obvious question,
who constitute the State?' at once shows
that the difficulty Is not solved but eVaded:
To submit this fundamental question 10 d@
4 the peop le of the State, is very well; 10 SUD
nit 1t ttOthat portion only Of the people VINO
have, with hardly an exception, been reD-
els, and allow them to punish the steadlasI
JJnionists by rigorous disfranchisement and
prOscription, Is not well. And If good
faith reauires' of the Union the security of
the freedmen in their liberty and their
property, their right to labor and its just
recOmpense, then it must be that we have
power TO compass these ends by enfranchise-
ment, since nothing short of this will prove
effective. Good faith cannot require us TO
achieve an end whereof the means are be-
yond our power" -'''n
Looking upon the message as having turn
ed everything pertaining to the reorgan-
izatiOn and reconcilement of the South over
to Congress, the labors of the Radical press
win be devoted to backing the Senators and
Representatives thereof up in the most
Radical measures. They at present see
their way clear, the message having thrown
no impeding rtinto it. From the President
they apprehend no balk, whether truly or
not remains for the future to Disclose
Meanwhile, Democrats and Conservatives
generally will share the following implied
regret expressed by the Neto York Erentng
Post, Journal that has for nearly a life
time been devoted to an advocacy of the an
IT, slavery cause, though it eschews the rad
icalism and madness that seem TO rule the
counsels of the Republican party:
'EHe rthe President is not as strong and
decided as we expected from the energy OF
his character, or as the circumstances would
warrant, in his treatment of reconstruction
He defers more to the opinion of Congress
than we supposed he would. His previous
course had led us to hope that he would in
sist upon as rapid restoration of the po-
litical relations of the South as might be
compatible with safety. The passage OF the
roasfffnffnpal AnNanAunanf which rnlllV
removes the whole ground of controversy,
we imagined, would be made his single con-
dition. sine qua non, his test of loyalty, his
means of general conciliation and settle
ment. BaR he dbdndOnS the entire matter 20
Congress, tcith a simple history Of tchdt he had
himself done"
Good faith to the South, If not to the con-
servative masses of the North, East and
West require that the President should
make "the passage of the Constitutional
Amendment, which really removes the
whole ground of controversy" "his single
condition, sine qua non, his test of loyalty,
his means of general Cancellation and set
tlement;" and it is cause for infinite regret
and disappointment that he did not do so
with unmistakable emphasis in his mes
sage. If he abstained from emphasizing
such a purpose out of respect to Congress
as coordinate branch of Government, and
hoping that that body would accept his ar
gument for their line of action and illus
trate a conciliatory feeling toward the
Southern people without his demanding of
them that they should do so, it may not
work to his disadvantage; but If he shall
allow his argument to be treated contempt
uously in Congress, and if he shall ratify
their repudiation of his implied pledges to
the Southern people that he would use the
Executive power Of the Government to as
sure to them their right of Representation
in both branches Of the National Legisla-
ture, unenviably will he pass down through
history.