Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-08
GEO. W. HAMERsLEY, c,.uo.,,.;,,
4. W. BENEDICT, 'e'i '''i i''''
HON. H. j. RAYMOND ON RECONSTRUCTION.


sent Congress, has opened his legislative
career, by replying to the late speech of the
Hon Thadeus Stevens, on the question OF
Reconstruction. In thus stepping forward
to take the lead in the most important dis
cussion we have ever had in Congress, Mr.
R. has shown a good deal of confidence in
himself and perhaps, this confidence is
not misplaced, but it is unusual for a men,
Der Just entering the National Legislature,
to assume the leadership in great debate.
In this his maiden effort, Mr.. Raymond
has not only made very readable speech,
but good argument as well and while
the general manner of the speech is unex
ceptionable, tits nevertheless, not quite fair
in some Of its statements, and inferences.
He says, for instance, that Mr., Stevens
holds ''that what we have to do is to create
new States out of the territory of the rebel
States, at the proper time, many gears DIS
tant retaining them meantime in a terrific
rial condition" Now, this is a gross exag-
Stevens said in the speech to which Mr. Ray
mond replied Here it is intimated that the
geographical lines of the rebel States are
not to be respected in their re-admisson in
to the Union, and then only after many
gears have elapsed while Mr. Stevens only
holds that the rebel States shall be re-admit-
ed as we admit new States, which have
been formed out of the public territory
and it will be readily seen from this, how
Mr. RS additions perverts, and cxagger-
ates this position.
II was not our purpose however, III call
ing attention to Mr.. Raymond's speech, to
pick out its weak spots as logical produc-
ton, but to notice some of his assumptions.
Mr. r. holds that the rebel States were
never out Of the Union. and therefore, never
a separate power, or nation. If the rebel
States were not out Of the Union, human
power can not take them out But what
was it necessary for them to do to take
them out? Mr.. Raymond says, if they had
established the confederacy, or we had fail
ed to conquer them, then they would have
been out Did they not establish the con-
/ federacy, and for four years resist the pow
er of the government? And what differ
encc does it make whether we failed to sub
due them for one or for four years: 50 long
as they did this, according to Mr.. RS own
showing, they were certainly out of the
Union. If, by successfully combating us
would take the rebel States out Of the In
ion, under any circumstances it follows, as
a matter Of course, that so long as they did
this, they were out So that Mr.. Raymond
by implication, at least, admits that the
rebels were out Of the Union so long as we
failed to subdue them.
And then he asks, with "a triumphant air,
as if it could not be answered, when did
these rebel States go ont of the Union p
There must have been time, place, when
and where this occurred" We reply on Mr..
RS theory, when we failed to subdne them,
at Big Bethel, RuIl Run, Balls Bluff, Chick.
ahominy, Chancclorville, &c, &c.
Again, Mr.. Raymond endeavors to draw
distinction between State, and its cti-
zens, Just as if State could exist without
people ; and he goes on to say, that the
people Of a State can be tried and hung for
treason, but a State cannot. This is mar
, vellous 4 State cannot exist without citi.
izens, all know this, therefore according tC
Mr.. Rs notion we can hang the people, but
: can not hang nothing. For take away the
people of State, and nothing of the State
remains. Clear as mud that is Further
more, Mr.. Raymond says the laws of the
general government were Instructed in the
rebel States during the rebellion. A milo
e term indeed, by which to designate the vii
Y famous conduct of the rebels Besides, the
horrible infections Of the war itself, they
| sent pirates out on the high seas, to rol
4 and burn deienceless merchantmen. bands
S of guerriIlas all over the country to plundel
and butcher our people, endeavored to de
stroy our armies by placing torpedoes il
: their marching routes, starving, by sys
lCul"tl' PlOICSS, Oul pIlSOncTS WHO ltll lnt(
their hands and not content with these
outrages upon the customs of modern war
fare, they made attempts to burn whole
communities, men, women apd children, ole
and young, indiscriminately, by the hun
dreds and thousands, by we'll devised schem:
to fire and completely destroy the larg,
cities of the North; aud when foiled in thi.
helish plot, as if taking counsel from de
mons themselves, they set on foot proiec
f to destroy us by introducing, and nocula
ting the whole country, with fatal and in
e fectious diseases, and all this, Mr. Ray
= mond calls obstructing the functions of gov
erement in the seeded States This il
what the Copperheads have said of the re
: bellion long ago.
Then Mr. r. holds that the seeded States
: did not cease to be States of the Union, be
cause they did not destroy the constitution
of the general government Another sing
!. ular proposition. By this theory, if tn
Manhattan Banking company should fail
n it would nevertheless still exists. becaus