The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-12-03
s1r. GREELEY ON R11CoNsTRUCrIoN.

attention. Eolow wc give editorial Of his, pub
lishod in tho Tribune OF tho 27th ult., entitled
s"Tho True Dases of Reconstruction" which we
oomminoud to tho porusal of our roadors:
TIE TRUE BASES OF RECONSTRUCTION.
About to start for some weeks sojourn in the
Wost WHO &C cannot readily and constantly con-
Tor with thc gooral public, wish to leave my con-
tribution to tho general mass of suggo tion and
criticism touching the trno bases Of national rosto-
ration and concord 10 plainly set forth that it
not DO misquotcd Lor misreproSontod.
That haye long hold the main foundations of n
genuine, enduring rcsettlomont Of our disturbed
and upturnol National structure to be UNIVERSAL
AMNESTY and IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE, must he toler-
ably VOL known. 1t only romans to bo said that I
as common benefits. trust our groat diilcrences
arc to DO composed and onded by no grudging,
higg ing compromise no peanut dicker. 1t Is
oessontial to tho North that tho South should bc
Bthorou.hly tranquzod and reassurcd it is essen
tal to tho South that hor principal body of Agri-
cultural Laborcrs peasant cultivnl ors-sl0ultl
1.-Two and labor in contontmont based ON perfect
I trust that thor rights OF person and property
thoir earnings and their homcs-aro rs SECURE and
land. Thoro is 10 Northern, no Southern interest
i'm tho pr 'misos, bnt q common interest Of tho
)wholo American poople.
am for universal amnosty-so far as immunity
jfrom tcnr Of pln9lntunt or oontfscntion is con-
jcoTH6d -ovon though impartlat suffrage ahould Tor
itlB Present bo roslstod and defeated did think
iit desirable thtt Jefferson Dnvis should be mr.
raignod ail trod for treason and it still seems to
mo that this might propor.y have boen dono many
I boloye twond result in FIR moro OWL than good.
It would roki.idio passions that have nearly burn
cd out az bcel hu he'd to sleep; it would foarfuly
convu and uytltc tho Sou h; it would arrest tho
progress or5co citation nnd kindly fociing there
it would cos5 largo sum rectly and fir larger
indircctl:; and-unlcss the jury wore scandalolisy
verdict. Ican imagine no good end to bo subscrv-
cd by such trial. and-holding Davis Mother
better worso than thousands Of 9th rs-would
have him trGaul as they are
hupo to SEQ impartial suffrage established by
very neral consent: Many VII favor it because
Nthey Eoid it e!iinonty wise md just; others bo-
Nausp they arc t.rod Of contention about negroes,
Rnd wish to put al end to it, And the ono simple,
Fobyous mode Of taking tho negro out of politics is
object OF special intorost or championship from
tho hour that the law disrcgards tho immatcrial
circumstance of his color and treats him only as i
human being.
trust tho States will gonerally accord to blacks
the common right9 Of manhood irrespective of tho
agree to place those rights undo the protection of
| the Federal Constitution. This may not in one
senso DO IecosSary yot it is bost to leave loop
|absolute peaco and rest, Il am very willing that
each Stnte should impose moderate pol-fax on
every citizen, and allow no ono to vote who shall
not have seasonaby paid this tax" hold that u-
pers nave n9 nafuE1 rg6s I9te aud skaS They
as presume there are, who choose to pg9af over
ahoui6s.sks65 aiIaaad to yoto. But every honest,
ought to bo voter, and that State is Weakened
and imporilIod which excludes an, such from her
I dislike tho suggestion Of an intelligence"
basis for aufrago. Let us not be deluded by false
analogies and Vague distractions. In q State
school-h: usos whoroin he is more than welcome to
bo pupil, it is perfectly reasonable to prescribe
that those only who can road may vote. Where
lie facilities Tor education, but have grown up un-
der laws which made teaching them crmo, the
case is worry di0oront. L .tablish common schools
IN the South, and you may fairly prescribe that no
ono shall votc attor 1876 who docs know how to
road. But do not put out mans Dyes and thon |
punish him for blindness.
1t would be morally impossible to enforce G, rIv |
and uniformly ell Intelligence t2st in the South |
Just think OF Mayor Aluroe, with his chief of po-
evo OF an exciting ooction to determine how m INV
and which Of the blacks OF New Orleans we're H.
u rary as rs tLey should DO to mako them voters
passing on tho literary pretensions Of their late
sayes, from whom thoy feared defeat in an ex-
ssns ross ao fo 1T ~ Ihe bare attempt to
will bo iorborne.
tr commoad II impartial suffrage as required by tho
that it is matter in which tho North has no
rightful coneern. The blncks are portion not
only Of tho Southern but of the American people.
rhoy Played ain important and boneficent part in
our great civil war. We cannot ignore Tho obliga-
tons sprnging from our necessity and thoir loyal
constrain those who triumphcdin that struggle to
tako caro- that thoir humble supporters and bnck-
ers shall not be made to suor for taking tho side
OF tho Union. TO say now in view of the recent
past Lot tho Southern negroes have such rights
only us thor white Qate rebeD fellow-citiScns
and pertdy such as might well involo tho light
npgs OF holvon. No matter at what COST we OF the l.
Nofth must take caro- that tho Southern blacks oro
not lett at tho morGy OF that dabolic split which
m manif9sted self through the lato massacres Of
homphis and Now Orleans. -
"Ent thcro is tho Federal Constitution in your
way" hear objected. -
Perhaps do not comprehend tho force Of this
Objection. Lot mo illustrate my Wow of it by a
iamnar example, SUPPOSE Con. Grant, whom he
nIst Approached tho boundary of Tennessee-but
no, Iet us tuppose that Gen. Lee, when, in 1883
vania, had found his way barred BY a pompo1s.
Pany P9iy Parsonage, who accosted him as follows
SIr, lSiro you notice that this is the ssaered soP
~ ~ LennsylYanla; am ono OF her mag1strates and
N nor namo and authority, and in Virtue Of that
nten 6huef2i constitution which you have sworn to
possible that tho Genoral would have ordered the
!IstiGe .e 70 get out OF the way but moro probable
.nGt ne would havo simply kept on without youoh-
'"uhg Mg the Judicial magnate word.
mo nave boon engaged in q Force desperate,
konnho struggle for the very existence Of the
aShs s;dn knoy there were those nominaily on our
bt s,de VINO said thoy fought for the Constitution.
i, put never heard Of their hurting anybodvI r. |
al to progress Of that struggle it became necessary
W W gan tno blacks to the rescue of tho imporilied
onr oi nao wc made thoGn no promises whatever
Serviceag =; fesniting from our peril and their
IN arcrtS it would not have been essen-
ha 10y ,etssoneu. Had wo boon worsted they must
E NY shSfed onr misfortune and zone under the |
stSE W Tue t1ulnphRnt rohels. Had wo ended the