The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1866-09-27

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this power.
What, then, is the ground Of COM
plant against Congress2
Is it charged that the action of the
two Houses was tardy and hesitating?
Consider how momentous were the
questions involved, the issues depend
ing. Consider how novel and extra
ordinary was the situation, Consider
how utterly silent and blank is the
Federal Constitution touching the
treatment of insurgent States, whether
during their fragrant hostility to the
Union or after their discontinue. Con-
slider with how many embarrassments
and difficulties the problem is beset,
and you will not wonder that months
were required to devise, perfect, and
pass, by two-thirds vote in either
House, just and safe plan of recon-
struction.
Yet that plan has been matured. 1t
has passed the Senate by 33 to IL, and
the House by 1873 to 36. 1t is now
fairly before the country, having al
ready been ratified by the Legislatures
of several States, and rejected by none.
Under it, the State of Tennessee has
: been formally restored to all the priv
ileges she forfeited by rebellion, in
Guiding representation in either House
of Congress. And the door thus pass
ed through stands invitingly open to
all who still linger without.
Are the conditions thus prescribed
intolerable, or even humiliating p
They are in substance these:
/. All persons born or naturalized
in this country are henccforth citizens
| of the United States, and shall enjoy
all the rights of citizens evermore and
no State shall have power to contra
= vene this most righteous and necessary
: provision.
2. While the States claim and ex-
: ercise the power of denying the elec.
# tive franchise to a part of their people
e the weight of each State in the Unior
g shall be measured by, and based upon
its enfranchised population. If any
: State shall choose, for no crime, to de.
| ny political rights to any race or caste,
: it must no longer count that race or
caste as basis of political power in the
Union.
3. He who has once held office on
the strength of his solemn oath to sup
, port the Federal Constitution, and has
nevertheless foresworn himself, and
PERSONALLY plotted to subvert that
Constitution, shall henceforth hold nc
political office till Congress, by two
, thirds vote, shall remove or modify
the disability.
4. The national debt shall be no
wise repudiated nor invalidated; and
no debt incurred in support of the re-
bellion shall ever be assumed or paid
by any State; nor shall payment be
made for the loss or emancipation of
any slave.
B. Congress shall have power to en-
force these guarantees by appropriate
legislation.
Such, fellOw-citizens, are the condi-
tions of reconstruction proposed by
Congress, and already accepted by the
loyal Legislature of Tennessee. Are
they harsh and degrading? DO you
discern there n a Ci position to tramplc
on the PROSTATE, or push an advantage
to the uttermost? Do they embOdy
aught vengeance, or any confiscation
but that of slavery? We solicit your
candid, impartial Judgment.
What is intended by the third sec
ton is simply to give loyalty fair
start in the reconstructed States. Un-
der the Johnson policy, the rebels mo-
nopOlize power and place even in com
munities where they are decidedly
outnumbered. Their Generals are
Governors and members-elect of Con-
gress; their Colonies and Majors fill
the legislatures, and officiate as Sheriffs.
Not only are the steadfastly loyal pro-
scribed, but even stay-at-home rebels
have little chance in competition with
those who fought to subvert the Union.
When this rebel monopoly of Office
shall have been broken up, and loyalty
to the Union shall have become gem
eral and hearty, Congress may remove
the disability, and will doubtless make
haste to do so.
We do not perceive that the Justice
or fitness of the fourth secti0n-pre-
IoSllbiiS OihtO VIC CIlOn l.uDllC DtDl
shall be promptly met, but that of the
Rebel Confederacy never-is seriously
contested. ....
There remains, then, but the second
section, which prescribes in substance
that political power in the Union shall
henceforth be based only on that por-
tion of the people of each State who
are deemed by its constitution fit de-
pOsitories of such power. In other
words: A State which chooses to
hold part of its population in ignorance
and vassalage-powerless, uneducated,
T unfranchised-shall not count that
portion to balance the educated, in.
, telligent, enfranchised citizens of other
States.
We do not propose to argue the jus.
tice of this provision. AS well argue
the shape of cube, or the correctness
} of the multiplication table. He who
does not feel that this is simply and
, mildly just, would not be persuaded
f though one arose from the dead t.
, convince him. That there are those
among us who would not have it rati
fed, sadly demonstrates that the good
/ work of Emancipation is not yet com
plete ff Nn