The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-02

that of the South by deduCting the whole negro
population unless the adult male negroes are
allowed to vote. There was surely no need OF q
Eve months investigation into the condition
of the South 10 decide on u proposition like
this. Whether such an amendment to the
Constitution IS polite or impoltic, depends on
nothing which has been elected by the COM
mittee's tedious inquiry. Its areumeutatjve
defense, 50 far as II has any, rests on the dis.
proportion as the - Const tuition now stands,
between the number OF Southern representatives
and the number OF Southern voters. But
this dIsprnportiOn Is mere matter OF aritb
net1c, having no connection with the com
mttee's five months labor 1t was lust as
ascertainable without examining a single WIT
ness as after the examination ol FIVE hundred.
The disproportion is no more an objection to
the immediate restoration OF the South than
1t was TO the or ginal formation OF the
Union. The South has always had representa-
tives for its negro population; and is entitled
to no more, till after the census OF 1870, than
1t would have had If slavery had continued.
But whether many or few, it is a point
which has no relation TO the endless exami-
nation of witnesses kept up by the commit
tee. And yet this is the main (permanent)
feature OF their reported plan of reconstruction.
Another OF the four sections Of the proposed
constitutional amendment torbids the payment
OF the Rebel Gebt Now, whether this part of
the plan guards against real or an unreal
danger, it is equally certain that 1t required
no protracted investigation to reach the recon-
mendation, which rests on entirely other
grounds than any ascertained by the inquiry.
Another section Of the proposed amendment
declares that all citizens OF the United States
shall enjoy equal protection OF the laws. II the
Civil Rights bill is constitutional, this is AN
eScrescence; but be this as it may, II IS recon-
mendation which could have been as Intelli.
gently made five months ago, as at any time
since. It's defense will not be rested on any
tacs ascertained by the committee, but on its
alleged intrinsic justice. So tar as regards this
part of their plan, there is nothing in the con.
clusion Of the committee to excuse the tedious
length of their Investigation.
The only remaining part of the proposed Con-
sututlonal amendment is that which distran-
cbises till the year 1870 all who in any way
aided the Rebellion. This, so far from being a
legitimate result OF the testimony taken by the
committee, is conspicuous proof of the dis
honesty OF their report. What kind of testimony,
pay, would lead to the conclusion that the
Southern people cannot safely be allowed to
vote Tor Coneresfmen and President preUIots to
1870, and may be safely trusted to do SO there
after II the temper of the Southern people
gives reason TO apprehend a new rebellion, they
would be more likely to attempt it subsequent
than previous to 1870; since they need at least
iour years TO recover from the desolating
effects of the one just closed, and
TO recruit their exhausted means. Whatever
may be their present temper, they are, for the
coming four years, financially PROSTATE, and
Therefore powerless to rebel. Why put letters
on u man disabled by WOUNDS and the loss OF
blood. 20 be removed as soon as he RECEIVERS his
strength? Or would the committee have us
think that the measures they propose are so
calculated to soothe, that tour years trial of
them will win the South back TO cordial 10y atty?
The committee needed no testimony to teach
them that one and all OF their mea-
sures will be dlstasteful and irritating to the
South. They will perhaps inform the coun-
hy since when human nature is so
changed that provocation and insult have be-
come alurements to love. If the committee
learnt anything from their investigation. they
must have learnt that the South thinks iG has q
clear right 10 immediate restoration and feels
hn .lp.A
Unless injustice tends to conciliate whatever
alienation now exists would be constantly
deepened during the four years OF disfranchise.
ment. If, therefore, the unreconciled temper of
the South is the ground Of disfranchsement,
the reasons for it will be stronger four wears
hence than they are now. 1t is evident then,
that this part OF the committees plan, like
every other part OF it, is not founded on, and
has no relation to, the mountain of testimony
they have spent the winter and spring in
accumulatlne. They have consumed all this
time in pretending to lay foundation on which
nothing Just nothing, precisely neither more
nor less than nothing, is built.
The protracted investigation, then, since
nothing has come of it, since no part of the
proposed plan is founded on it, or has any rela-
ton to it, was dishones sham-a mere eypa-
dient for procrastination. The sole thing il has
accomplished is to afford a standing excuse
while it lasted, for the non-admission of the
Southern members to their seats. Having, in
this manner, worn away the greater part of the
session, and exhausted the public patience they
at last make a report, the materials for which
were as fully in their possession before they had
sworn single witness as after they had con-
Cluded their investigation. The report being in
no respect founded on the testimony, stamps
all their previous proceedings with irrelevancy,
and establishes against them the charge of dis
honest delay. The report is Just as dishonest,
and no more dishonest than the inVestigation-
both having the same dssmulated purpose of
postponing and preventing the restoration of
the Union.