The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-05-09
The Reconstruction Report

The report OF the Committee on Recon
struction, as given by Us in the lasl L.e1ao-
lican, is generally favored by the Republican
press. while it is violently opposed hy the
Democratic press and leaders. Il starts
out with the proposition that 10 STATE shall
abridge the privileges Of citizens OF tie
United States citizen OF the country
shall be and remain a citizen Of all parts 81
the country, and all the civil rights belong
ing 10 citizens shall everywhere be sacred.
Second, if the elective franchise j. denied
TO the male citizens OF any State who are
twenty-one years Of age then the basis OF
Congressional representation 10 that state
shall be reduced By just the proportion such
males bear 70 tho whole number Of male
citizens in such state over tweniy-ouc
years Of aye. Thus. IL Mississippi suail dis
franchise 100, 600 citizens ON account OF
color aud New YOrh the same number Oh
account Of want OF property then. both
States shall suffer by being repre- euted boz
the same proportion Tie eiiec, OF this
will, from the fear Of losing political iuiu-
ence, become - each al these states o
stimulus 10 The enlargement ct The night OF
suffrage.
The third clause excludes an those uhp
voluntarily aided in the rebellion from Tie
elective franchise until Juiy fih. 1870
This strikes "a a. the most Objectionable
proposition, and the one most likely 10
meet with the opposition Oi both Congress
aud tho President. The more radical p0r-
ton 81 Congress viii oppose il because il
is too lenient and the Democrats and con
servative Republicans because il is TOO
severe, while the President Will not favor
it, as opposed 10 his plan and policy We
DO not see how i can be enforced without
the aid OF military law. It is the mi.de
way Of making treason 0ilOus. Ii the
South Is stiil disiOyal as there Is every
reason 70 believe, and The people are stn
dislOy al 10 the government, actuateJ alike
by pride, passion and prejudice how shall
such law be enforced. Both the judges
at the ballot box, and the civil ofiicer-
under the present condition Of government
there, are rebels, and will without he-iia-
ton receive the votes vi those DISTINGUISHED
az well as extend ~ them their counsel and
sympathy. II will ef!ectually throw the
government Oi every Southern state into
the hands Of traitors. end we think, without
revolution, cannot be enforced. If the
provisions Of the collscatiOn bill had been
thoroughly carried cut, and The vast plan /
tations had been divided into small farms I
and given to loyal citizens and soldiers /
white or black who chose ~ occupy them
as homesteads, rebel leaders, deprived Of /
their wealth, would have been pOwerless 10
resist, while host OF loyal men, with the
will and the means, would have been ready
in every State 10 enforce such a law. Now
the strength Of the rebellion is broken, but
not is prestige aud The thousands Of rebels
who came within the scope oil the $50 600
clause, are to-day, % five years ago the
rulers Of the South. Certainly no state
should with such condition. be admitted 90
representation, until her legislature has
adopted the Constitutional Amendment,
and even then the approval might be more
Justly attributed to policy than 10 honesty
The fourth provision provides that neither
the United States nor any State, shall ever
pay debts Incurred in aid Of the rebellion.
or pay any claims as compensation for the
loss Of slaves This Is a just and proper
provision.
TTnop Of laazf ooa ~ fhaea nr1noSfffons I
undoubtedly the third, II is stated that the
eight Republican members ofthe Committee
were equally divided, aud II was c.1rriedby
the votes Of the Democratic members. 10
this is true, it Will be thoroughly ventilated
before il passes either branch OF Congress
Sumner has already stated, that il The Com
mittee had taken more time, they would !
have probably made more acceptable
report.
The line Of justice Is the only true line OF
policy. Had the freedmen been confirmed
in the possession Of the soil they cultivate,
the questions now presented would have
met comparatively easy solution. for The
land owners, both in the oil world and in
the new. control the dcstinies OF nations
Give men the soil, and there need be no
fears that they will not take care OF The
ballot The last will naturally follow The
rrst There is, ard can be no real security
for any class, who have no permanent right =,
10 the soil they cultivate. The history Of 4,
all nations confirms the truth Of this .,