Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-05-04
RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEES RE
issF a PORT. @


The Reconstruction Committee have come to
an agreement, and have made their report in
both Houses Of Congress. Itembraces amend
u,ents to the Constitution, to be ratified by the
Rebel States precedent to their re-admission.--
Representatives are to be apportioned according
to numbers, excluding Indians not taxed, and
when malecitizens not less than 81 years of age
are excluded except for participation in the re-
bellion, they shall not be counted in the basis
Of representation. Only loyal persons are to be
permitted to vote for President and Congress
ional Representatives; no rebel debts to be paid
by any State or By the United States. 1t is to
he further enacted that certain specified classes
Of prominent traitors, civil and military, shall
be Ineligible to Office.
In the House the Report has been made the
special order for Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday of next week, by vote of IO1 to 20
Should it be passed by the requisite two
thirds vote, resolution will be presented re-
questing the Governors to convene the Legisla-
lures in extra session for the purpose Of ratify-
ing the amendment. - ,t.-gu
A, Democratic member of the Committee On
Monday submitted the plan as agreed on to the
President Mr.. johnson thought that if was a
nEactical abandonment of the negro suffrage is
sue. while on the other hand it virtually assum-
ed the unconstitutionality of the Civil Rights
Bill, by proposing to incorporate it in the Con-
stitHti0n. ....s~ s~l.1-rs @ s
Cslsb Cushing and other conservative author
itses. as well as Sumner, Judge Chase, General
Grant and Thad Stevens favor the plan. In
fact we observe no opposition, except that OF
Oopperheads and even they fail to bring out
their whole vote in Congress against it
q There will be considerable discussion, and
many amendments to the report will be voted on
before conclusion is finally reached. Among
these. the most valuable we have noticed is the
following, which we hope will be adopted
.seWhenever any State lately in insurrection,
shall adopt these amendments and conform its
Constitution and laws thereto, it shall be enti-
tied at once to Senators and Representatives in
Uoupress provided they shall be duly elected
and qualified, and can take the test oath
..ffIf.tho Report could have been more siUpll-
fed and condensed, it would have been so much
the, better. But it embraces substantially the
ground that ought to be taken on reconstrnc-
,ion that on-which the loyal masses have al
ready agreed, and on which they will rally IN
irresistible strength for the permanent and en-
during settlement Of questions growing out OF
the rebellion. What possible objection can cop
psrhead malignity bring against these PROPOSE
tions, namely: Protection of life, liberty and
property to all equal representation ; voiun-
tary rebels not to vote for Federal officers for
four years; no payment of rebel debts, nor
compensation for emancipation 'leading and
conscious traitors" not to hold Office; aud with
these conditions the seeded States TO be re-
stored to their full privileges in the Unionl o'
What could be more generons, and at the same
time Just and safes We trust the substance OF
the Report will be speedily adopted by more
than two-thirds of both Houses, and as soon as
possible thereafter become part of the organic
law Of the Nation.