Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-05-11
Ghe 6ree press.
GEO. w. & C. G. BENEDICT.
EDITORS AND PRoPRIETORs.
FRIDAY MORNING MAY II. Ist6.
The Report Of the Reconstruction COM
mittee.

1t is not possible to foresee what shape the
propositions Of the joint Committee Of Fif-
teen will take after they pass the ordeal Of
public discussion. They will hardly iall to
be altered less or more. Amendments are
already offered in the House for considcra-
ton, and others will be sure to follow. No
one pretends that they. in all respects, met
the wishes of all those who in committee vo-
I'd for them. They are the best which they
could agree upon, and as the result OF much
deliberation by men Of known ability and
patriotism, they are entitled TO candid and
dispassionate treatment. How much ere
dence is to be given to the reported opinions
Of members of the Cabinet respecting them,
we leave every ono to Judge for himself,
and how much effect they will have, IN
shaping the course OF Congress. remains to
be seen. The propositions Of the committee
embrace a proposed amendment TO the Uni
ted States constitution. and the recommend
ed enactment OF two laws ~ to the amend
ment, Section cannot be objected to by
anv patriotic and reasonable man. 1t is
right and proper that the privileges and
immunities of citizens of the United States
shall not be subject to the varying cipri 'e'
and pre- rtiudiees which may prevail in differ
ent States, and that all persons shall have
the equal protection of the laws. and that
their lives, liberty and property shall be pro-
tected by law.
Section . is meant TO hear on the suhj"tt
Of a faIr refentation in the House OF Re
presentatives and to provide a strong in
duceInent for those States which give the
right Of suffrage to white persons only, to
extend that right to those now deharred
| from it. The aim Of the section i, night, as
tar as it goes, and its adoption would I'M
prove the present condition Of the matter,
though it would not make it just what It
should be. We should much prefer SIM
pier provision, to this effect All male
citizens of the United States, Of q years Of
age or more, except such persons as are by
law excepted for Infamous crime or volun
tary participation IN the rebellion, shall be
lawful voters for President and Vice Presi-
dent and for Representatives in Congress
under such conditions as may be prescribed
By law of the United States, applicable
to all such citizens alike and the apportion-
ment of Representation shall be made ac-
cordingly ''
Section 3. If 1t were provided by law
that all persons who voluntarily adhered to
the late insurrection and gave 1t aid and
comfort, should never have the right 10 vote
FIR Representatives and for President and
Vice President, no injustice would be done.
By debarring them from that right, only
till after one choice of President and Vice
President shall have been made, 80 that the
operations o. government may be got fairly
under way without their pernicious inter
ference, they certainly are punished very
lIghtly-iar more lightly than they would
be under any other government in the world.
Sections / and are just and proper.
As to the bills proposed by the Commit
tee, the aim of the first 1t fair one. Is
precautionary in its nature, and no more so
than Is reasonable. Its provision TO defer
the collection of the direct tax already &C
crued and unpaid under the act of August,
1851, for ten years, under proper assurance
for its payment then, is a generous one,
made, OF course, in view of the great de-
| rangement OF business and destruction
of property by the war IN the rebel States,
AMI to lend helping hand to the suffering
pc Jple of those States, whether they have
been indirectly loyal or rebel
The second bill proposed. excludes GER
tain definite classes of rebels from holding
Office hereafter under the government OF tie
United States. Every man Of those classts
is guilty of leyying war against the United
States government, of adbering to lis
enemies and giving them aid and comfort
and as such has forfeited ell hs rights as
citizen, and is liable 10 be executed for
treason.
The men embraced in these classes com
passed the head and front of the armed rebel
IionW ithout their rebellivus acts there would
have been no rebellion. The common sense
of the whole civilized world holds such clas-
ses as the ones proper to he selected for pun
ishment In other countries they would be
muleted in all their property. and be BAN
ished the country, if not subjected to long
imprisonment, and in many cases to
death BY the ezecutioner. Treason is the
greatest of crimes under all government,
and rightly so and to debar the chief men
engaged in it from holding Office for the :u-
ture under the government which they sought
to destroy, is the least punishment that
ought to be inflicted on them.