The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-04-06
Misfcllanenus.
THE THEORY OF RECONSTRUCTION.

| THE THEORY OF RECONSTRUCTION.
The Missouri Dcmocra, publishes the follow
ing letter from the hts limentcd Henry Win
ter Davis Of Maryland. II is masterpiece Of
close and convincing reasoning, and though
somewhat lengthy, will repay careful peru.
sal.
BNrNoRr, May %, 1865.
| MY DE,I SIR: Plclse accept my acknowl-
cdgmrnts Tor your kind note.
! wish could give You u short and satislac-
tory answer to your hriei and pregnant qnes.
tion touching our prospects under President
johnson.
The future Of the nation issummcd up in the
restoration Of political power to the States late
/ ly in rebellion.
OF what the Presidents policy is on that
topic, know nothing.
The conditions of the problem are plain, and
the Consequences OF the several possible solu.
tions follow with logical certainty. Congress
has left the question, to take the initiative
and the mode in which that is done will deter
mine all that follows. Whatever State Gov
ernmcnts hr allows tn h. organized and to elect
Representatives and Senator's to Congress, will
be recognized by Congress in December, in all
probability.
None exist now in any State which rebcllcd (;
none can ha organized legally without the as-
sent Of the United States; and no steps To se-
cure that assent can be taken without his per-
mission.
The Presidents only power over tho qucs.
| ton rests in his right tO refuse permission for
any convention or election to be- held unless on
I terms satisfactory 10 him; hut that power is
| Il. L., 80 ala
or any convention to be held, things will await
the solution Of Congress.
| ll hc permit the aggregate white population
Of the South, qualified to vote under the old
governments ahrogatcd by the rebellion, to or.
gauizc State governments, that ins,alls the rev.
oluiionary faction in powcr in the States and
iillu Congress with their Representatives and
| Senator'S.
That is 10 place the scepter in the hands from
which we have just wrcstcd the sword.
II the President attempt TO discriminate tho
loyal from tho dislOyal, and exclude from yOt-
| ing all who have gwen aid and comfort to the
rebellion, a mere handful OF the population will
remain. wholly incompetent to Iorm or main
tain State government, and sure 10 be over
whelmed by the political counter-revolution ut
the next election, which will restore power to
1
under the protection Of the United States. il
will constitute AN odious oligarchy, disposnS
OF the lives and property OF the great mass OF
their fellow citix'ns, without any responsible
ty, and controlling the national legislation by
the people for whom they vote.
| This result is unavoidable. The whole mass
of the population OF the South has given aid
and comfort tn the rebellion. The war was
made hy the accession Of the Union men TO the
rebel faction. Ii is idle 10 talk OF q quiesccnt
mass of lOyal men ovsrborne hy violence. Ii
was the Union mcn who passed the ordinance
of secession in Virginia and who made il eif'c-
tual after II was passed. In no State was the
Rebellion dangerous without the active aid oi
those opposed tn secession.
| But the United States had no friends in the
rebel States against those States, and they hayo
none to-day.
Tho Union men Of the South preferred Union
and peace to disunion: they deplored the out
break Of the war, hut they never hesitatcd for
a moment which side to take. II there WIS To
be war. they were for their States and against
the United States. There was no respectable
number OF Union men willing to aid the Uni
ted States in compelling submission to the Con-
stitution, and there are none now. All submit
to force. Many are willing to acquiescc IN the
unavoidable. All are willing to govern tho
/ United States again, since independence is i'm
possible hut all were also willing TO aid the
rebellion and not nm assault and battery was
committed for the United States from the Poto.
mac to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Union men OF the South did not merely
how to oyerbcaring force, hut they hastened to
seek places in the legislatures, the Congress,
the Executive mansions, and gave tia countc-
nance and support without which it must have
fallen in n year: and when its cause was hope
lcs' they were quiet AMI submissive, and did not
rise to aid the Unite States.
II il certainly to this class Of the white pop.
ulation that we must look for aid jim rcstorin.
civil government in these States; but II is u
great dclusion to suppose them either bold or
strong enough to meet and dely the united and
energetic faction Of rcyolutionists which drove
them into rebellion. lf they be in power, they
will again DO the will OF the rcsolutc and rick
less men who stood behind and around them,
and no legal line discrminates them from the
rebel mass.
n this discrimination he attempted by the
oath to support the Constitution OF the United
States, everybody will take it and nobody will
becxcluded.
II the leaders Of the rebellion, civil and mill.
tary, be excluded, though willing tosubmit and
take the oath, the mass ofot the rebel faction
will be admitted; and that will be the control
ling and determining element in constituting
the State Government and selecting Reprcson.
tatives and Senators; and the practical result
is the same as IL nobody wero excluded.
IL either Of thesc forms he accepted by tho
President and recognized by Congress, II will
instantly change the balance Of ofpolitical power
in the Usitcd Stases.
Iii no, probable the PEOPLE who have saved
the nation are not content 10 accept Its conse'
quences without n murmur.
None Of the white population Of the South
ern States is interested in paying the public
debt or imposing taxes to meet its interest.
Ihey hold none OF il. II was created TO sub
, Jugate them 10 laws. IL has been consumed
In their overthrow. Ii has bocn paid in great
part out OF their substance. Ii has anuihilatcd
ltheir public debt. II has filed tho land with