, 1866-12-04
Grii)u11e,
JouNsoN on nEuoNsTHUurloN.

JOHNSON on REsuONSTHUGTlON
The President seems to have learned moth:
hg from the severe experience of the, past
year. He rratcs with unabated 1ippancy
uron the right" OF the rebel States to rep.
rcscntation. He fsnores;aN the law aud the
fact, and assumes that, by his roral Procla-
nation be has restored tbs ten states 20
their pristine glory and authority In The Un-
Ion, Tint portion Of his message relating
10 reconstruction Is nothing hut . weak req:
rfitiou Of the address of the Phi1adeIphIa
Convention, snd of his own speeches while
swiurine around the Circle He boldly as.
Eumes that the ten States never ceased to be
Sta,es in allegiance to the Union tha: their
Governments have never forfeited The
recognition that was given to
them previous to tho war; that the
rebellion In no wise changed the relations
between The Unitrd states aud those State
Governments that had rcoudiated the Union
and Lad enrolled themselves us Governments
OF States in Jet. Davis'r Oouftderacy.. AS
cunning these thiugs with an arrogant def
arce oF the truth, he nrrues that IL is not In
the toWer VI Congress, directly or Indirectly
to deny those States the representation To
which they would be entitled had their con:
tilier. like that Of New York aud Illinois,
ncr,r bltn changed.
Tie President, with that obstinacy and
Es!f.. VI hich seem 10 he part Of his ua-
ts1e. declares that in defiance Of the popular
sili and the national Judgment, he adhcrcs
10 the policy which he expressed year ago.
9r repeats the silly argument that because
40 anendneat to the Constitution giving
State a less representation in the Sem
Nc tan be adopted savc By tue consent of all
.As states, that therefore every State must
at al times have two Senators in that body,
G. .hc Constitution will be violated The
4uest' Il ri issue uoE is not whether 'sloyal
representative" Shall be admitted, or
whether either Of these Suites is entitled to
two >suatoss on an equality with the other
States, hut whether there is in either Of
tLtIn anything known tu or recognized by
tlt United States as State organization or
EovtiLmcnt enti,l'uy them to representation :.
81 al. NJ one proposrs1u Interfere with the
equality ef the Senatorial representation Of
tie STATES hut the country has Just affirmed
lie constitutional rule, that there must
DC Stafc organizations, and governments In
allegiance 10 the United States, republican
in ioim, and ii harmeny with the Union be-
1ole iE,rc can be any representation what
ever. Congress has decided that no such
Organizations exist in the ten rebel States,
nud tia: until these do exist there can be no
representation either In the Eenase or In the
House, and the people have ratified that de-
ci>iou.
The Pr, sidcnt, In the face Of the popular
verdict las the c1rontcry to adris.. the I'm.
mediate admission Of representatives from
tle rebel Stntcs, a Recommendation which
lie lS'1st have known that the people have
just instructed Congress not 10 respect.
wisisstanding the fact that he asserts
'l'l' 'l'cir alnlissi''n is all that Is necessary
Q make reconstruction complete, we think
I l-"hah!c that Congress In few weeks
VII I, aell Lin and his rebel clients differ
Nj hsson- There Is no reason why terrific
:jal governments should not be established
".t!c.it delay in each Of the ten States. and
ihE> test the validity Of the Prcsidcut's as
sft!nt't'"1'. That in those States there are now
lawfi:! State Governments.
H." President ignores all mention of the
Constitutional Amendment, but that is Of
it:ic consequence. Il is matter in which
he las no otlicial'conce! when the amend
Ile11t shall have been ratified ty the Lerfs-
latErcs of thrce-four;hs of the States in the
lri II. it viii be his duty 10 execute the
selma declaration of its being mart of the
st;'uiion. Until then, Ills profe5sed iguo-
1als: vi the amendment can be treated with
the t"nteH!p. it dt serves.
I e "t RI of reconstruction, however, Is no
to;'-rs III any form within the Presidents
-!''r.e. lc'i''n. The people have disposed of
Lis i"'.ivy. and ut the sl,nc time have COM
1i'strd tll- whole subject to the discretion of
t'"sress- Whether the President approves
srri-:rTf"vcs, whether he thinks it right or
wrong, ean make no possible difference.
t"nE'ess Las the power, Congress has the
VIII. ard reconstruction II III now 70 forward
:" ul,'cttun, in obedience to the instruc-
tlrls Il The American people.