The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-20
Mr.. Stevens Plan of Reconstruction.
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SOUTH DE Novo-
THE LAST AND FINAL PLAN i

| THE LAST AND FINAL PLAN.
The important bill for the reconstructlo
of North-Carolina from the very foundation
which Mr.. Stevens introduced i'll the Hous
of REPRESENTATIVES on Thursday, is the last
most thorough and we think final plan Q
settling the whole question of Southern res
toration. 1t is comprehensive and both lib
eraI and conservative at the same time.
leaves no room for quibbling about preten
ded rights based upon state OF things an
terror to the rebellion and subJugatlon OF tn
South. 1t deals frankly and directly will
the actual condition and status of that sec
ton of the country. 1t is, we are persuaded
the surest and readiest way to restore TIT
South within the shortest time practicable
This bill, it is true, only provides for re
establishing civil government i'll North-Car
DINA. to enable it to resume its former rela
tions as one of the constituent States OF the
American Union" but it is undoubtedly the
plan in substance which is to be applied t.
all the other rebel States. And although ii
was introduced in quiet, unostentatious
manner. at the request, as Mr.. Stevens said
"ofseveral gentlemen from North-C Carolina,
it was evidently carefully prepared and en-,
dorsed by the dominant party in Congress
as a platform and basis of general action
In introducing this measure, framed by the
mind of a statesman, Mr.. Stevens has aban-
doned the role he sometimes takes OF an ex-
IRENE radical partisan, and is made the lead
er of a great party for carrying out a grand
and comprehensive policy The bill was re-
ferred to the Committee on Territories, but
we suppose it will not lie there long. In all
probability it will soon be brought before
Congress again, when the whole question of
restoration Will be discussed and disposed of
for all the other rebel States as well as for
North Carolina.
The preamble of the bill declares that the
citizens of North Carolina did rebel and vio-
lently g set aside and destroy the organized
constitutional government of the said State"
This is directly in conflict with the theory
of the President upon which the whole of
his programme demonstration was founded.
He held that the functions of the rebel States
were only suspended and not destroyed
But this theory whether sound unSOund,
has no pactical value now. The Congress
of the United States, which alone has the
power to define the status of these States
and to refuse or admit them to be restored,
thinks proper to declare that. after having
put down the rebellion, it 6 finds no govern
ment organized or officers qualified, accord
ing to the requirements of the constitution
of the United States,' III the rebel States. 1t
is assumed that the action of the President
throughout in the Southern States was I'M
der the war power and martial law, for the
purpose of preserving peace and order and
of relieving his subordinate military officers
from executing details of civil regulations
and that now it is the duty of Congress
by law to cause to be organized a govern
ment, republican in form, based on the civil
and law making power of the nation
This is the whole argument on the part of
Congress upon which that body proposes to
act It is not even said that the President ex-
Ceeded his duty. nor is it assumed that what
lie did was illegal. In fact the bill legalizes
so far everything he has done. But it is
claimed that he was not competent to COM
pcte the work ofrestoration. and that conse-
qucntly, the law-making power the nation,
the Congress of the United States-has to
finish it. In doing this that body, by the
terms of Mr.. Stevens bill. deems it properto
begin de noco--at the foundation of all gov
eminent in this cOuntry-that is, by regu-
lar constituent convention chosen by the
body of the people. This convention is to
frame a constitution, republican in form, I'M
der which, when approved by Congress, the
State will be entitled to claim admission
and the people all the privileges and i'm
munities appertaining to the citizens of the
other States of the Union
We are struck with the broad and liberal
provisions Of this bill with regard to the suf-
frage. In the election of delegates to the
sovereign convention to form State govern
ment it Is provided THAT all male resident
citizens of the age of twenty-one years, with
out distinction of race or color, who can read
or write, or who may own in fee real estate of
the assessed value of one hundred dollars or
MORE shall be allowed to vote. This is
more liberal than the suffrage law of New
York for the negro. Yet we know that few,
comparatively, will he qualified. So far,
therefore, 1t Is both liberal and conservative
But with regard to the whites the the DrnpO-
sed bill is very liberal; for it provides THAT
no one who has heretofore exercised the right
OF suffrage shall be disqualified from voting
at said election" This Congressional basis
Of suffrage for the election of a constituent
convention is the best, we think, for all the
Southern States to adopt in forming anew
their State governments. 1t is an excellent
basis. and would probably secure their
prompt admission to Congress and cOnse-
quent complete restoration.
As to the delegates to be chosen to the
convention, they will be required to take an
oath prescribed in the bill, that they did not
willingly, after the 4th of March, 1864 sup
port the rebellion-that is, that they wished.
II they had had the power, to accept the
terms OF President Lincolns proclamation of
December, 1863, to end the rebellion and re-
turn to their allegiance to the United States
and also that they will hereafter faithfully
support the constitution and government of
the United States. This, we take it, after all
is not such terrible oath. We do not see
anything ''iron-clad' about it. None but
the most determined and incurable rebels
would be debarred from taking it. By far
the larger portion of the Southern people
must have become disguised with the REBEL |
ion and desired to return to their allegiance
to the United States by the 4th of March,
1864. Every reasonable Southerner will say
it is only right that the delegates to form
new loyal State government should have as
much original loyalty about him as that.
The bill provides for an election of dele |
gates on the list of next May, and for the as
of the convention on the goth of
the same month. 1t is to be hoped that Con-
gross will report a bill or bills for all the
rebel States to be put through the process
of reorganization at the same time and in a
similar manner.
In the concluding clause of the bill the
President is authorized, and it is made " his
duty so to dispose and employ the military
and naval forces as to enforce the prompt and
efficient execution of the provisions of the
act"
Thus then the late rebel Statec arn RI he