The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-06

resting upon CONGRESS to keen its offer OMEN for
an indefinite period. 1t has the same right to
retraCt its propositions before their acceptance
upon the other side which anv private person
has in an ordinary business transaction. We
suppose that the offer of Congress ought to be
left open, until the Southern legislatures (as
those 'ulegai and unlawful assembliesr are
bv courtesy called) have had an opportunity to
accept 1t. South Carolina and Texas have had
this opportunity, but have thrown IL away.
Most OF the other Southern legislatures will not
meet until January. Itseems, therefore, fair that
Congress should allow them until the middle of
that month to decide upon their course. IL
cannot well allow a longer term without con-
senting to afpll years. delay, since the term OF
Congress itself expires on the 4th of March
next, and it will have only Elk weeks from the
middle OF January in which to frame and carry
out new policy. The South will have had six
months IN which to make up its mind, and may
justly be held to its decision
We have thus gone through with all the de-
tails OF the policy to which we believe Congress
to be committed. 1t remains to be asked what
Congress ought to DO in certain contingencies as
10 Wnlch II is not committed. Ii has contracted
no undertaking, express or implied, with any
state which refuses to accept the amendment
And we think that 1t will be the imperative duty
OF Congress to reorganize every revolted State
which thus holds out after the 10Th or goth of
January, by means of State convention to be
elected by all the loyal people of each State,
without the slightest regard to the unconstitu-
tlon usurpatlons set up by Mr., Johnson. 1t is
~ pSo' O hA6hiJ ueshENlOuo pItCtuGub W ItCOH-
nize governments set up and maintained by
military power and executive dctation.
That which Mr.. johnson has done to please
the white people of the South, may at some
future day be iml,ated by another President to
please black people, or without regard to the
wishes OF any part OF the people. But if from
considerations of temporary eXpediency 10 Is
thought necessary to sanction the usurpations
OF the President, 1t is certain that such a sane
tion should not be given in so vague form as
to imply that his action was inherently right
and lawful. And such an inference might fairly
be drawn from any action of Congress which
should leave the Southern States free TO come in
at any time with the form of government
adopted by them under Mr.. Johnson's dictution
and by voters of his selection.
Moreover, it is perfectly true, as Mr.. Beecher
urges, that the work of reconstruction ought to
be completed at an early day, and that the
nation as whole suffers by delay. This does
not prove, as he imagines, that the work had
better be completed anyhow than that any
delay should be suffered. A certain measure of
time is indispensable In every great achieve.
ment; and excessive haste would be ruinous in
so great a task as this. But an indefinite post
ponement of reconstruction is full of danger
Congress has given the Rebels of the South an
option to assume the responsibility of govern
merit if they will; but it has no right to keep
the whole nation waiting for them. If the
Rebels will not act with Congress- the latter is
not merely at liberty, but is morally bound, t.,
appeal to the loyallsts of the South aud to give
them the power to institute and carry on repub-
liCan forms of government in harmony with the
Federal authority.