Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-09-25
A JOHNSON PAPER GIVES IT
UP.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
NOTHING OBJECTIONABLE IN IT AFTER ALL
TT HAS ALL BEEN ENDORSED
BY THE PRESIDENT.
HIs QUARREL WITH CONGRESS AN uN-
toRTu NATE MISTAKE.
Llrom tha Nov Yarh IIeralA. sept 10 !

lFrou tho Now YORK lorallscp 10
1t is historical axiom that reVQ-
lutions never go backwards. Its
truth has been affirmed in the great
political events of this country since
the Adjournment Of Congress, and es-
pocially in the recent State elections.
It was reasonable to suppose that
tho Jacobinical violence, rccalcssness
and terocity OF such political roiol-
mers ~ Ben Butler III the East, Sen
ator Chandler in the West, and Par
son Brownlow in the South, Won d
have damaging effect upon their
party when bro't to judgment be-
fore the people bat it is strrllngl ~
apparent from the result of the late
elections in Maine that the popular
mind is controlled by larger question
against which the savings or doings
ct this or that tanatical politician go
for nothing That great body of the
American people to which we are
indebted for the suppression OF the
most formidable rebellion in the his,
tory Of mankind, are evidently deter
lnined to have substantial securities for
Tie future before they pronounce The
good lr0rk al the restoration ofthe Uni
az compl tc-tbdt, IN short, Southern
reconstruction shall rest apoR the S0tid
Foundation Of the Federdi constitution,
regardless of the disturbing forces of
radicals, copperheads, ruttians or
fanatics, North or Sou h.
From the elections which have oc-
cured since the constitutional amend
ment was adopted by Congress for
the reconstruction Of the Southern
states, we are satisfied that that a
amendment is to become the basis of
Southern rcstoration-that it will
carry and be carried by all the North
ern State elections yet to come, and
that with New Jersey leading off it
will be ratified by them all and be-
come part and parcel of the supreme
law OF the land, Nor have we any
Scar of the consequence. There is
nothing, after all SO very Objectionable
IN this misunderstanding ,chich Pres
idcnt johnson himself has not, at one
tinc or another, recommended to some
Southern Sta or to Congress, and
nothing upon hich there should
have been dis; grecment between
the President and Congress. Let us
for moment look at this amendment
again. 1t provides
Fu'St-That all persons born or
naturalized in the United States are
citizens thereof and of the States in
which they reside, and on footing
of equality IN regard to their civil
rights.
Sscond-that the enumeration of
the people for representation in Con-
gross shall be abridged in proportion
to tho abridgcment of the right of
suifrage-males above the age of
twenty years-in any State on
account of race or color.
lhird-that q large schedule of
persons, civil and military, engaged
in the late rebellion, shall be ineigi-
BILE to any office hereafter until absolv-
ed by two thirds vote of each House
Of Congress.
FoWth-ThQt the national war
debt shall be held sacred, and that
all rebel debts and obligations shall
be utterly repudiated and held illegal
and void.
FEJth-That Congress shall have
power to enforce the provisions of
this article.
This amendment is the RECONSTRUCT
tion plan and platform of Congress,
and there is no good reason Wo say,
why it should not have been adopted
alsoby the President, inasmuch as he
stands committed in some shape to
all of its provisions. 1t is not the
platform of Thaddeus Stevens, Sum
ner or any Of the noisy radicals of
Congress. They can do nothing
( II tcas adopted against their renlon-
StraAceS and IN spite Of their threats.
1t embodies substantially, in fact, the
Presidents original programme, and
if carried in these coming October and
November elections as ace predict it
viii be, from Massachusetts and New
ork westward trust that the
administration in Difference to tho
will Of the people, will come back to
it. Why not? Surely this amed-
ment cnerafted upon the Constitu-
tiou will be amply sufficient for the
restoration OF the Union. internal
peace, national harmony and the Sc
cwity of the government and the
Treasury Tor many generations to
come, against all disturbing factions
OF either section. Parson Brownlow
in leading off with the State of Ten
/ nessec for the ratification, has shown
that q good thing may be done by a
bad man and for bad motive but
that Tennessee should thus lead off
for thi, amendment is very remark
able and significant tact-that New
Jersey should next follow is almost
rs strange; but from good or bad de
signs, thus started, The amendment
,rU surely 90 through.
The Presidents quarrel and rup-
ture with Congress was an unfortunate
mi>t9kf. From recent events South
and North, it is clear that it will
prove fatal blunder to his admins
tration, unless he abandons ii as the
issue before the people. The old con-
tests in England between King and
Parliament are full Of instruction on
this subject. Had Mr.. Johnson taken
our friendly advice, and made the
distinguished features Of his admin
,aa ssap --s.r1r.D,ru