The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-02
TUESDAY, NAY 2, Isoo.
The Rebel ntate POveFnments.

q
.,.sntion, The work Of the soldier is done
Rut the most delicate and cificult task in
the e1tirpation of the rebellion is left in
the hands of the statesman. The armies
oftreason are captured or disbsnded, but It's
spirit is still sctive and powerful in the
minds of the Southern leaders. HcW to dis-
arm this spirit, how TO render it perpetusly
irnpotent for i'll, how to give to the true
Union men of the South, white and black
the controlling power snd influence are
tba n,oblams with which the nation must
,rsnnle. and which effect interests fully
as Gigantic as the war itself. First in or
dar Of time, if not in that of Importance
i the question: What shall be the punish
msnt of leading traitors The next point
which will force itself upon the attention
and decision Of our statesmen is the re-
construction of rebel states. What rem
ders this question dOubly important
Is the fact .thst in all these States
there exists class OF Un-
ion men, who have suffered psiVS-
lions, indignities, imprisonment and con-
hscstion IS the penalty fOT their devotion
These men must be protected, not only as
a reward for their fidelity and sacrifices,
hut because it is only to their hands that
Che Government of the various states csn
safely be entrusted. How to deprive the
rsbeilious msiority in the South of power
for mischief, how to place the government
nnder the control Of the Union msjority, is
therefore the grest problem of the people.
Clearly, TO allow the rebelliOus states to
-sturn 70 the Union under their present
Ststs constitutions and State officers is not
the ysy to solve the problem. It may be
ssid that since the death of the President
Che spirit of the nation is such that there is
nodsnger of the adoption Of such terms.
But the recent attempt of General Sher-
man TO make an arrangement looking to
n,eeisely this state of affairs, shows that
there are still those in the North who de-
sire to recognize the present rebel state
Governments. A persistent and insidious
effort will be made to maintain them. It
is well. therefore, that we should understand
their present character and position.
In the first place, every state officer in
tbe rebellious states was sworn TO support
and defend the Southern Confederscy-
An of them, therefore, are sworn to hOstil-
itv to the United States. They have kept
their osths we'll To recognize them, to
allow them to continue in their present
positions, would be to place in power the
bittsrest enemies of the United States.
Not only the state officials but also the
state constitutions recognize the rightful
authority of the rebellion. Every one of
these state constitutions has been altered
since the breaking out Of the rebellion, and
bv the men now administering their gov
ernments, so that the words, confederate
States" are substituted for United States"
thus pledging the people, without their
consent, to support the JEFF. Davis usurpa-
tion. To allow such Stste constitutions to
oome back would be to admit into the
Union organizations which, by their very
nature, are hostile to it and which swear
allegiance to reasonable combinations
sgsinst it.
But these are not the only notifications
-,,,biSh ka~o boOa .-AAas a. Az eeIAIiGs.GisAs
of the rebeliious States since the war broke
out. Take for example the State of Ala
bsms. In thst State q convention
was called to amend the constitution,
which not only renounced all con-
nection with the United States and
recognized the authority of the rebel gov
ernment, but made other vital changes in
the constitution, among others providing
that there should be no further emvncips-
tion of slaves, even by permission of the
State Legislature. These amendments
we're never submitted to the people for rat
ihcation, but were thrust upon them by the
Convention and Legislature, the entire civil
code was modified to conform to them, and
under themthe Governor, the Legislature of
the State, and every one of the civil officers
now claiming authority in Alabama, were
elected.
Similar changes have been made in near
ly al the Gulf States. Now such provi-
zions are not only inhsrmoRious with the
spirit of the nstion-Jhey not only foster
and protect the vital cause of the rebel
hon-but they are directly contrary
TO the Emancipation Proclamation.
The nation can never consent that such
provisions SIS these, engrafted upon State
constitutions by rebels and traitors, should
become the law of the land.
Again, these very State officials have
been foremost in the persecution Of the
Union men of the South. as well in their
Official ss in their individual capacity. To
allow them to retain their power is to en-
courage further abuse and prosecution of
the very men to whom the Union owes
the greatest gratitude. We believe in con-
ciliating the South-but we thinkits Uaion
men are the ones to be coneilisted-And
that the best wsy to eonciliate them is to
depose the traitors who have So long per.
secuted them.
The members of the rebsl state govern
ments are as much usurpers as their lead
er Davis, and it is just as mad and wicked
70 recognize them as it would be to admit
the authority of the Richmond DanviIle-
Mscon-65c. organization
Not man of them has been elected under
the constitution under which they went
out of the Union The government and
the constitution are both radically chang
ed. The men who administered the gov
srnment have done all in their power to
advance the interests of jeff DaYis. To
restore them to power would be foolish and
would be to place power in
the hands of our worst enemies-it would
be to discourage the only friends of the
Onion that exist in the South.
Modifying the order About the Oath.
An important modification of the order
prisoners of wsr from taking