Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-05-17
Report Ofthe RECOMMENDATION
Committee.

Committee.
From the Indiana Journal.
Il has been charged against the Congressional
Committee on Reconstruction, that they had ne
intention OF reporting any measure for the restora
ton Ofthe revOtcd States to their former relation
to the Union. that their appointment was scheme
Of "thc Hadicals" to prevent any steps beng ta-
ken to that end and that il the determination
OF the majority in Congress 10 hold those States
as conquered provinces, and t-est them terrific
ries merely. The deliberate caution Of the Com
mittce and tie time they havo tsken to elaborate
a plan of sacihcation ard pFo,d proper securities
for the future peace of the country had led TO pre-
diction. tina. they would be unable 10 agree upon
any proposition, and that Congress would fail in
the end to present any line of policy on the ques
lion Of reconstruction.
, Copperhe..i and partially reconstructed reh-
els have asserted for months past, that unIvsrsA
negro suffrage would be insisted upon az condl-
ton precedent tn the admission of Southern KEEP
resentai:res TO Congress- and thu. no plan oi set
Element would be agreed to by the dreadful Radi
Gals, that did not include the extension Of the right
Of suffrage TO the negroes of the South. The re-
sult of the deliberations and lsbors of the com
mittee has falsiied all those predictions, and pre-
sented basis of recoDstru ction so just and modet
at e. that il has excited no less surprise than dssat
i.Gaction among the enemies ofthe Union party.
Bv the unanimous vote Of every Union member of
the committee, a series of constitutional amend
ments vas agreed upon and reported TO The two
Houses in which there is no mention OF negro
suffrage, eonfiscaiion project. nor, in short.
thing dennanded Of tso Southern States that was
not deemed essential to the future peace and safe
,y Of the nation. The amendments propoIed are
four in number, as follows:
"SrcrIox l. No State shall make or enforce any ilw
which shall abr1ge the privileges immunis of citi
gems Of the United States; shall any State deprive
off. liberty or property without due pro-
him 0tfsu
the equal protection Of its laws.
This section Is as app 'icable 10 the loyal State
20 those lately in rebellion against the Govern
ment, and contains nothing that the most captious
zealot of State rights can rsa.onaby object to-
The first clause prohibit. tho violation by the
States of an existing provision OF the Constitution
which has heretofore proved inadequate to protec,
the rights of citizen of one State while Temporal
rily soournipg in another. The second clause re-
strains the States from dspriying any person OF
life, liberty or property without due process of
law, and the third is intended ID secure the equal
protection OF the laws 10 all the nhabitant. OF the
Republic. That it should he necessary at this pc
riod OF our national history, to provide for the pre-
seryation of those natural rights, by c0nstitu-
tionsl amendment, i. reproach that can no. be
too soon removed. lt is claimed that thi. rropos
ell amendment Is q tacit admission Of the uncons.i
tutionality of the Civil Rights bill, but il mig ght
we'll be argued that the present constitution Of Iu
diana, which secures the right Of trial by jury,
virtual declaration that previous laws guarantee
inr that right were unconstitutional. Rights so
vital on ght not to depend upon the varying will Of
legislative mljOrtieS. but should be incorporated
into the constitution OF every representative gov
ernmcnt.
The second section Of the proposed amend ucnt
concerns the basis Of L 'esentaton. and is as
follows:
Src ? Representative III all bc arroranei a~to-,-
IN hp led il n
ion according thoir respective members. counting the
whole number o Ia each state excluding indians
not taxed hu Whenever in any state the elective fran
chie shall hs denied any portion Of its male citzns
ss than twen'y-on wears q" or in any way abridg
Cd except for participation in rebellion other crime
tc basis 0f rcprcS natiOn in such State shall be reduced
ia proportion which the number II slch male citiz'n
shall bear to the whole number cf male citizens not less
than twenf v-one years Of age.
While this section does not base representa- ton
the number Of voters il perhaps does more lin
partial Justice than ift apporsiOned representation
on that ratio alone. The complaint that New Eng
land will bs entitled to representation Tor its
plus of women, is sufficiently answered by the ad
vantag ges the Northw will receive in having rep
resenta,ion for its mmgran population before
their naturaliz ,tion Nor would failure TO adopt
this amendment deprive the older States Of repre-
sen.ation for heir voting inhabitants, they
have that now. We regard this amendment a.
due 20 the manhood Of Northern men whose votes
have heretofore been neutralized BY the double
representation gwen 10 tnS southern StaleS IOr
their di.franchiscd negroes.
The following is the third section.
Sac p Until the ith LAY of July. ls70 all perT7-s
who Voluntarily adhered - the late nSurrection giving
il aid and comfort shall De excluded from the right
ident and Vice President of the United States
This depriyes the voluntary participants in the
rebellion Of the privilege OF voting for members
of Congress- or for President for tour years; only
As long as they fought 70 destroy the right Of the
loyal people 10 vote for those officers. We think
the punishment ID exceedingly moderate especial
ly as it leaves the rebels TO vote for ali State and
local officers. and docs not interfere with their
election 20 official position within tho States.
The remaining amendment proposed, is intend
ed to protect the loyal people of the Southern
States as we'll a, the national Government. from
aay possible renal or partisan legislation for the
payment Of the rebel debt, any portion ihereof.
or OF anu debts uhich may hereafter be incurred in
aid OF any insuYrectou or ,rdr against The United
States. This is The text Of that section.
SEc L. Neither the United States any State shall
assume or pay any debts OF Obligations aesdy incurred
which hereafter he incurred in aid Of insurrecon
against the United States. or any claims for COM
pensation for loss nf involuntary service or labor.
The adoption of this amendment would be val
rshe security against future attempts to ince in
surrecton, rs parties contemplating such thing,
AS we'll "a those inclined 30 give il pecunary assist
anoe. would understand in advance that all debts
contracted for such unlawful purpose would be
absolutely void Had the people OF the South be-
| liered ihat the Government would compel them TO
repudiate their State debts, in the rebell
! ion Was ovesthrown, should have had peace much
sooner than it WAS reached. The remaining pro-
vision of the amendments reported, confers upon
Congress the power to enforce the apove provisions
when adopted by appropriate legislation.
Wsbelieve these amendments to be wise and
judicious, and trust they will meet the approv. oi
the Union party. and of large number Of moderate
| Democrats. Their unanimous approval by the
Union members Of ths Reconstruction Committee
is favorable indication that ther will receive the
requisite vote of tive thirds in both Houses Of Con-
gres. In that case, we believe We shall be strong
enough 10 secure their adoption by three fourths
OF the States We are told that none or the South
ern States will ratify them. That j. easily said,
and if they can get back without assenling 70
them they will unquestionaby refuse their ratif-
cation. But If the loyal States ratfy these amend
ments, we predict that the late rebel States will
| follow suit, and We further believe thai II the
Democratic party of the North takes stand
| against amendments reasonable and just.it will
be worse beaten than i. was in 1864 Il is inipos-
sibs that any party sustain itself in the North
that insists on giving FIVE thousand Southerners
the right TO choose member OF Congress or q
Presidential elector and 4 the iTna require ten
thousand Northern men to elects single member
| of Congrsss or one elector for President and Vice