, 1866-05-05
DAILY, TRI-WEE61.E AND WRRkLY,
SATURDAY, MAY S, 1865.

soec1:v va, edItio rou sate-week1y Td.w.cklyo or
Daily. Also Etsr yonr rr<s<Ef ano future address-
sF-Acarrss CHICAGO IR1EESE,'' Chicago, H.
SATURDAY, NAY 5, 1866.
ROW TO AMEND THE AMEND.
MEET.
The report Of th7 Reconstruction Commit.
Ice oi Coi.grcss has been long enough before
the public to demonstrate that while nobody
in the North Is psrtisrlarly opposed to it, no.
body is particularly In fnvor oft. The Cop
rerheads have offered feeble resistance to it,
and the Republicans feeble support. The
inference Is that il Is feeble thing itself. We
have given, and shall continue 10 give, our
SUPPORT 10 it, 80 far as It goes, insisting, how
ever, that il docs not reach the root OF the
matter, aud hopiu:. that 1t may be amended
hv Congress in such a manner as to hold out
thc rrasonallc hope OF an extension Of the
Suffrage to some portion OF the colored race
at Il tNy not far distant. The proposition as
it stands embraces recfusctment Of
;hc Civil Rights law In the
form Of ! constitutional amendment, and
re-snactNeat of the existing test oath in the
form Of 4 iH Of Congress. Both Of these
provisions are surp1usagc, and the latter is
calculated 10 irritate the Southern people
vith~ut producing any corresponding benefit.
TheTcoyislons relating TO the basis Of repre-
senlation. and the payment OF rebel war
debts, arr wise and just, and no reasonable
man can object 10 them. They sbould con-
s:isutc rart OF any plan Of Reconstruction,
which may be finally adopted by Congress.
Tue proposition to .disfranchtse~ the rebel
population ceaerally, until the 4th of July,
l>7a. We make bold TO say, should be changed
into . proposition 70 eniranchise all citizens
OF lawful age, who can read aud
write, whether white or black.
The rebels have certainly forfeited their
right to vote, or to hare any part In
the government OF the country, either now
OF hereafter. They arc conquered. and they
c"1lldhaye nothing to complain OF, under the
law Of ,'ations, even though the conquering
powcr should govern them with procopsuls
and 4 standing army. Yet, TO secure the.cx-
tension Of the suffrage, and The establishment
OF equal political rights for. all classes, VIC
would gladly consent to the Immediate en-
franchisemeut of the cx-rebe]s, without any
educational or other test. Such proposition,
We arc convinced, would carry with it more
strength than the pale report Of the Recon-
strl,ctiun Committee. It would give Repub-
carry anytkfug in opposition 10 Andrew
.fohusou's policy, something to work for,
II would give them The inspiring ideas
OF the Declaration Of Iudepend-
dencc q Their platform in tic coming
campajsn, It would signify an advance in
tllc great work which America has to achieve
for mankind. Tie Republican party is tie party
OF PROGRESS. It will be successful only so far as
it slndicates its right to this Title So long
rs any public grievance re1nains to be re-
drcssed-so long us any pnblic wrong remains
to be rishted-lt is the mission pf the Rcpub-
lican party to redress that grievance, and to
right that wrong. Until then there can be
no more dangerous condition for the party
.nan 5tbat of inertia. Giye US something
which looks like forward movement, md nc
sha1l move with an Irresistible impulse to
victory.
We do not look upon plan OF 'rcconss1uc.
tion which contcmplatcs the dlstranclliscmen
OF u1l rebels for four yeers, and the disability
of their leaders to hold offices under tht
United States for all time, IS whit NOR
likely 10 receive the asscnt OF the Soutl
than one to extend the suffrage. The on
q is as easy aud rs dilicul, Is the othc.
It is selfstu1tifyipg position for the Gov
States to soy that they shall not return int
The Union except upon certain conditions
and yet that the Government has no const1
tt.ioual power to enforce those condition:
for this would be equivalent to saying thu
the Government has no power to enforce tt
iue restoration Of the Union.
Il Is to be assumed, therefore, that the Coy
crrment has the power without any constit1
tiu..al amendment to enforce universal su
lraEc in the rebel1ious States il It choose
dc 50. President johnson had the sau
power to say by proclamation that blac
men shall vote as to say that dtsloyal whit
men should not, without taking the annest
oath. # he possessed the pows
to regulate suffrage, far more dot
Congress. Hence Congress has IL
power hv reorgunizing the territorial eover1
mcnls OF the South to confer the right
, suffrage. II is not to be taken Us waiver
this power that they choose 10 submit tt
question 10 the people in j manner that o
tains their more solemn and authoritati
) voice In every State Of the Union, aud mnk
:. j, part Of the Constitution ITSELF II Congrc
!; Lave The same right by enabling acts to Ct
!; who shcIl vote ID the Southern States, rs Il
President had to say the same thing
proclamation. they hare also the rie
Ii 10 leave the question TO te determine
by tilr people Of ali the States By Constit
fional amendment. There may be some quo
tion whether, having the power to reorenni
the rccoustructing State Governments in sn
manner as to extend the suffrage, th
ought to leave those eleven States under tht
present organization, which will cause the
to vote agnlnst The reconstruction amen
4 amt .r1,r t-1}nc of y,f he