The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-15
RECONSTRUCTION.
A Letter from Hon. John M. Bolts, or
Virginia, Explaining His Objections 90
the Plan OF the Committee of Fifteen.

A Letter from Hon. John M. Bolts, Of
Virginia, Explaining His Objections 90
the Plan OF the Committee OF Fifteen.
AsToR HOUSE, Saturday, May Ito the
Members OF the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiyes of the United States. s.-Gentlemen:-I
feel that If any one, strictly in private iie has
right without presumption to address the loyal
representative men OF this nation upon SUBJECT
we are all alike interested in, that might venture
to do so without offense and without rendering
myself obnoxious to the charge of vanity.
have no personal iavors to ask at the hands
OF any one | have no axe to grInd.n am a
candidate or applicant for no Office. | desire no
preierment. belong to no political organlza
tion. am entirely free to throw the weight of
any little influence l may be able to command
in favor OF such men and such measures as my
udoment may approve, and against such as that
judgment may condemn.
1 can, therefore afford to be honest, to be
truthful, Independent, and patriotic, and / may
be excused for saying that | occupy a stand
point, / think free from all prejudice and
passion, which are too apt to have their inlu-
ence, and to control the action OF those who are
surrounded by a constantly overheated poliu-
cal atmosphere But while belong TO no poll
hcal organization, my sympathies, atfinitles,
and cooperation are, as they always have been,
entirely with the unconditional Union men OF
the country.
May therefore be permitted to ask your calm
and deliberate attention to the views presented
below? The difficulty OF seeing and conv erSing
with each member IN private, is nv reason Tor
adopting this public modr OF communication.
Twelve years ago addressed myself, as now,
from this house to Congress agar nst the repeal
OF the Missouri Compromise, tue bitter fruits of
which we are now all tasting. / hope this will
not pass unheeded, as did my earnest entreaties
lhen.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN NJ Boris.
OBJECTIONS TO THE REPORT OF THE RECoNsTRUC-
TION COMMITTEE
First 1t makes no PROVISIONS for the relief o. the
Union wlnte men OF the Sou h, but leaves them and
the State Governments the hands of The unrecon-
structed Rebels Tor the next -four years wuo will i'm.
prove the to educate The people without
restraint to more embittcred spirit of dlsafect on
ana disloyalty to the Government of the Uuued
states; and, in four years. we shall hardly have
loyal man left in the south Sc r-prese vaton Will
drve them into the ranks of the other party and
the Southern States will constitute an eIemenT of
weakness rather than of strength to the Govern
meLt.
Secondly The disfranchisement proposed ls made
10 depend upon the grade of oic5 he d. instead of
the grade OF offense committed and Is limited to the
hlener classes Of officers, civil and military, the la
ter including all over the rank of Colonel, leaving
all the Generals chiefs and their subordinate Off.
have been gueras If they could; many of whom
too, committed @ greatest atrocities of the war
nation 1t also leaves hose who voted IN GOWN.
ton for ordinances OF seces ion which was a dec a.
ration against the United states, and III the alb
ot which there would have been no rebel ION like
wise tree.
1t imposes no disquafcauons upon those mis-.
chieVous politicians who or thirty years have been
stirring up disahectIOn and Iebe hon among tne
people Nor does IL in any degree affect the sYmpa.
timers with and cooperators in the Rebellion in the
Northern STATES, who are, If possible more guilty
and more obnoxious than those in the South.
Thirdly The bill proposed cannot receive the Pre-.
sidents sanction, nor ID the Constitutional amend
mem at all likely to receive the approval of tue
necessary number OF State Legislatures.
Fourthly 1t ls extremely improbable that any
southern state VIII adopt the conditions prescrbed
ana four years hence we shall be far from
strucuon as we are now.
suggest, therefore, that all these difficulties may
be remedled by single legislative enactne MT which
might probably receive the Presidents ass mt and
II not miglt he carried by two-thlrd vote OF bo
Houses. PROPOSE then, in substitution tor the re
port OF the Committee, that it shall be declared
That no person hereafter shall be capable of no d.
ing any ofce lepsiauve, executive, or Judicial,
the Federal or State Governments for ten years
from the pas age of this act, who the age
OF twenty-five at The breaking out of the Rebellion
without taking tie following oath in addition to tina;
now required OF all such officers by the Constitution
OF the United States:-
1, A Is, do solemny swear that I have not, since
the 10th cay o. December 1860 (the date OF the
ordinance OF secession of South Carolina vOlun arilY
taken up arms against the United States nor have 1
aGVlsed or encouraged others to do so; that have
not sought or held office under the Confederate
States Government. or that OF any State in rebellion,
with a view IN any manner 70 aid the Rebellion;
that have not said, written, done anything de.
slRned, or OF nature calculated to ALLEVIATE the
anecuons OF allegiance OF the people OF the United
to the Rebellion.
Let this enactment be accompanied with an abso-
lutte remission IN all cases OF the forfeiture OF hte,
liberty, and property for the crimes committed by
and under the authority or those in rebellion; and
let 1t also be declared that If 1t shall be ascertaned
thar any person has falsely to obtain or no
any office hereby prohOited, such Office shall be alb
soutely vacated and the party held liable to prose-
cUtlon for perjury.
Ii this plan should be adopted, every loyal citizen
would be subjected TO the test prescribed before he
could hold O legislative, executive or under Office
whilst those of thirty and under, who had borne
arms against the country, would be relieved of such
Obligations. 1t would be manIfestly proper, there
FORE that an oath should be provided for them
which would only have prospective operation, and
suggest the tOllowing:-
l, b, do soemnlY swear that recognize the
the Constitution the United States and all laws
made in pursuance thereof as the supreme Jaw of
the land, and that am bound thereby, any State
law, constitution or ordinance or convention to the
contrary Notwithstanding, and that regard all
laws OF the United States as binding on the citizens
thereof until repealed declared unconsttutIOnIl
By the SupTen Court of the United States. That
regard the first obligation of allegiance of tine
citizen as due to the United States, and not TO any
component part thereof and Will hereafter OBJ.
serve and obey the laws and protect the flag of my
country when lawfully called upon to do 50.
THIS would be what Mr.. johnson would call an
intelligent eason, not holding 10 responslDulty the
Doys and young men, VINO were mlsed ana dragged
in by older more experienced, and more wicked
men; nor those who were forced in by conscrlp lOn
and would leave all ROW thirty years of age and
under 10 fill the offices, state and Federal, VINO
win the Union men, would constitute a majority OF
the whole IN most If not ali of the Statesj and the
reRenerated, under thlrty -one, would naturally at
iach thems' Ives 10 the Government that had tnus
restored them, and aid in circulating spirit OF
loyalty throughout the South, and their um1eIs
would daily increase, while the other party would
decline in still greater ratio.
Twelve months ago every Rebel In the South
would have rejoiced at the proffer OF such terms IL
Is due to the nation, due 10 posteritY and to man
KIND that some penalty should be visited on them
who were wickedlY guilty, to prevent repetition of
the 0hense at future day Now is the time to esta-