The national Republican., 1866-05-16
THE RECONSTRUCTION PLAN OF THE


THE RECONSTRUCTION PLAN OF THE
COMMITTEES.
The New York Tymss Of Monday makes cleal
statement Of the Questionable features Of the
amendment 10 the Consultation proposed BY III,
committee of Aftsen:
We stated on Saturday the manner In which the
hvs amendments reported BY the reconstruction
eommittee were forced through the House in q
lump by = coalition Of the extreme radicals under
Mr. Stevens, Of Pennsylvania, and the extreme
coppsrheads under Mr.. Harris, Of Maryland. FouI
Of these amendments met no opposition In the
Union ranks. Every member Of the Union party
had declared himself In favor Of the section guar
teeing an equality Of civil rights Of that basng
representation on voters Of the one repudiating
the vebei debt, and Of the last, giving Congress
power to make these amendments elective by
legislation. But upon the third section there was
serious difference Of opinion among Union men.
That section read as follows
Sec. 8. Until the 4th day Of July, In the year
1870, all persons who voluntarily adhered to the
late insurrection giving II aid and comfort shdiI
Be eucuded from the right 10 cote for Representatives
in Corgres aud for electors for Prssdsnt and Vice
PrssidsEt Of the UNited Staies."
or the Union member, HIfyons desired this to
be stricken OUT but the remaining seventy, with the
cid Of fourteen Copperhesd Democrats, ordered the
previous question, which rendered II impossible to
take . separate vote upon this section. They were
ail therefore, passed together. IL may be we'll
enough to examine the effect Of adopting this clause
and sending Il to the States to be ratified as an
amendment Of the Constitution.
The section, It will be seen, disfrsnchses the
great mass Of the people In the southern States
only In voting for Federal officers. They will still
vote fof the members Of their Legislatures, and
those Legislatures will represent the interests and
wishes Of the great body Of the people Of their
spective states-thoss who did ''adhers to the in.
surrectionn a. we'll n those who did not. Now
those very Legislatures arc 70 decide accepting
or rejecting these amendments, and In regard to
this section they 10 decide whether they will or
very men who elected them Certainly. In the ab-
senoe Of some very strong induoement they cannot
bs expected to do so. What inducement is offered7
It Is proposed to admit their representatives into
Congress II they will ratify these amendments.
But they not permitted to vote for representa-
tives In Congress II this section is ratified They
are expressly dlsfranehised by Its terms. II they
do not ratify 1t, therefore, they are not to have
representation II they do ratify II they may have
representation, but they cut themselves Of from
being represented Is It not absolutely certain
that such proposition will be instantly and con-
temptuously rejected?
But this Is not all. The other proposed amend
ments turn on the same condition. All must be
adopted and become parts Of the Constitution, or
none take effect. These rebel Legislatures must
not only disfranchise themselves in Congress, but
they must also concede equal rights TO their ooored
population, surrender part Of their political power
BY oonseuting to change the basis Of representa-.
ton, repudiAte the debt Of their Government and
abandon all claim to compensation for their slaves;
and in sIcsnge for all this they get representation
IN tchteh they are not to Be Tepresented!
It is difficult to believe that any single member
Of the committee which reported these amendments,
II he knew the meaning and effect Of this one,
could have believed for . moment that there was
the faintest shadow Of q chance Of their adoption.
The passage Of the "Plan In this form secures be.
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