The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-04

mittee- What Its Enemies Say OF It,
IT may safely be assumed that the enemies of
measure, or series OF measures, will attack
its most vulnerable points Hence, we have
watched with some interest the reception
accorded by the Conservative organs to the
report recently presented by the Reconstruc-
ton Committee in Congress. We were quite
sure these organs would find the weak points
in that report, if it had any. They have now
chad their say" Let us see, therefore, what
are the counts in the indictment they pre-
SEN.
We may premise. as 10 the report itself, that
it proposes an amendment 10 the Constitution
providing. first, for the equal protection
every citizen of the United States against any
infringement of his rights by the laws of the
several Stltes; secondly for the equalization
Of the basis of representation in Congress
thirdly, for preventing Rebels from voting for
members OF Congress or Presidential electors
until the 4th OF July. 1870; and, fourthly,
against any payment by the United States or
by any State of the Rebel debt. The report
also presents two bills to accompany this Con-
that when the amendment shall have become
part of the Constitution, and shall have been
ratified by any of the States lately in insur-
rectiOn, such State, having modified its Con-
stitution and laws in conformity Herewith.
shall be entitled to representation in Congress,
and the payment OF any unpaid portion of its
quota Of the direct tax under the act of 1851
shall ha pOsfpOnad far
bill provides that none of The prominent civil
and military officers of the so-called Confede-
rate States shall ever be eligible to any office
under the Government of the United States
Such, in briet, is the report. Let us see what
its enemies say oft.
The New York World, to which we gene
rally look for keen analysis and logical dis
cussion, devotes a leader OF column and
halt in length to the subject, but, strange to
say, deals with the shortcomings OF the Com
mittee rather than with any assumed faults
in the report. 1t thinks the Committee might
and should have reported earlier, and charges
that there is no connection between the re-
port as finally made and the prolonged
investigation which was a preliminary to it.
This may all be true, and yet the policy urged
in the report be the very best possible one for
the country.
The New York Daily NepS, which is the
radical Rebel organ, of course denounces the
report, but almost equally of course, for those
very reasons which CONNIE nd it to every
loyal heart. The fact that the Neacs opposes
measure is generally proof positive that the
measure is right, and ought to be adopted
The New York Herald, which always keeps
sharp eye windward, and can detect the
strong or weak points OF proposition quite
as surely as most of public observers can,
"draws it very mildly" on the report. 1t says:
''The plan is ingeniously contrived; it is con.
siderably miller than anything heretofore ema-
mating from the committee, and nearer the
policy and the views of President JOHNSON IL
may be unnecessary in some things superhuous
IN others, and unfair in its continued exclusion
OF The Southern States latter having on their part
fulfilled the conditions of the Administration
charged with iscretionarV powers over the
whole subject; but we have only now to await the
issue before the two Houses"
The New York Times, which grows more
bitter as it becomes less Republican, assails
the report with indiscriminate denunciation.
1t continually stigmatizes the Joint Commit
tee as the "Secret Directory" apparently for
getting that its editor voted to establish said
Directory" Its main point, however, is
one of those lne-drawn, metaphysical argu-
ments which seem to be its chiet stock in
trade in the discussion of the entire recon-
struction question. The following extracts
will show its Drift
I" We must begin by assuming that what were
STATES before the war are mere Territories now:
or hs attempt 10 dictate terms as the condition OF
becomes undisglliSed u5uypdtion. We
must assume, in fact, that the South is al this
moment neither more nor less than an aggre.
gate OF Territories, waiting for admission as
States, and from whose people Congress NAV,
theIeore, require compliance with certain pro.
posals. And yet the amendment on its face,
declares the existence, as States of all the States
recently in rebellion, and presupposes the exer.
else by their several Legislatures of the highest
constitutional attribute of State sovereignty.
Could absurdity 60 fur
ther? Could the folly OF this fauaticsm be
which the Committee have thus plunged there
is no logical escape. If the Southern States are
IN CONDITION by their Legislatures 10 rdtifu or
reject Constitutional amendment heg HIust of
Necessary Oe q,tall5ed TO send Senator's and Rep
resentatSces to Congress, subject only to the
judgment of either House as to the eligibility of
the persons SENT" I -
There is a show of argument in this, al
though it is not true that "the amendment,
on its face, declares the existence, as States.
of all the States recently in rebellion" The
amendment does no such thing. But what
ever of inconsistency or OF logical dilemma
there may be involved in this plan of recon-