The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-15

1T ~ 7.
Recsnseructisu u shs South no Nsvs-Ths
Lsss ana Flpai Psan.
The important bill for TIN, reconstruction Of
Nor.h Carolina from the very foundation, which
ME-. Stevens introduced in the Nouse Of Repre-
sentatives on Thursday is the last most
thorough and we think final plan Of settling
the whole question of Southern restoration. 1t
Is comprehensive and both liberal and conser.
vative at the same time. Illeaves no room for
quibbling about pretended rights based upon
state of things anterior to the rebellion and
subjugation Of the South. 1t deals frankly and
directly with the actual condition and status Of
that section of the country. 1t ID, we are per-
suaded, the surest and readiest way to re-
store the South within the shortest time prac-
ticable.
This bill, it is true, only provides for Gre
establishing civil government in North Caro-
lima, to enable it to resume its former relations
as one of The constituent States Of the American
Union;" but it is undoubtedly the plan in sub
stance which is to be applied to all tho other
rebel States. And although it was intro
duced In quiet, transformations manner, sat
the request as Mr.. Stevens said, "of several
gentlemen from North Carolina" it was evil
IDENTITY carefully prepared and endorsed
by the dominant party In Congress as
platform and basis Of general acton. In
introducing this measure, framed by the mind
Of statesman, Mr.. Stevens has abandoned the
r6le he sometimes takes Of an extreme radical
partisan, and is made the leader of . great
party for carrying out grand and compre-
hensive policy. The bill was referred to the
Committee on Territories, but we suppose il
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 sset 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 of reconstruction was founded. He
held that the functions Of the rebel States were
only suspended and not destroyed. But this
theory, whether sound or unsound, has no
practical value now. The Congress of the
United States, which alone has the powerto de-
fine the status of these States and to refuse or
admit them to be restored, thinks proper to de-
clare that, after having put down the rebel
lion, IL "fnds no government organized or OH
GERS qualified, according to the requirements
Of the constitution of the United States" in
the rebel States. 1t is then assumed that the
action of the President throughout in the
Southern States was under the war power and
martial law, for the purpose Of preserving
peace and order and of relieving bis
subordinate military officers from exc
cutting details Of civil regulations" and that
now sit is the duty of Congress by law to cause
to be organized q government, republican in
form, based on the civil and law-making power
Of the nation" zge
This is the whole argument on the part of
Congress upon which that body proposes to
act. 1t is not even said that the President ex-
ceeded his duty, nor is it assumed that what
he did was illegal. In fact the bill legalizes so
far everything he has done. But 1t is claimed
that he was not competent to complete the
work of restoration, and that, consequently,
the law-making power of the nation-the Con-
gress of the United States--has TO finish It. In
doing this that body, by the terms Mr.. Stevens
bill, deems It proper to begin de nouo--at the
foundation Of all government In this country
that is, by a regular constituent convention
chosen by the body Of the people. This con-
vention is to frame q constitution, republican
in form, under which, whom approved by Con-
gress, the State will be entitled to claim
admission and the people 'sall the privileges
and immunities 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 Slate govern
ment it is provided sthat all male resident
citizens of the age oftwenty-one years, without
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, compare
lively, will be qualified. So far, therefore,
it is both liberal and conservative. But
with regard to the whites the proposed
bill is very liberal; for IL provides chat 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 constituent con-
yention is the best, we think, for all the South
ern States to adopt in forming anew their
State governments. 1t is an excellent basis,
and would probably secure their prompt adj
mission to Congress and consequent complete
restoration.
As to the delegates TO be chosen to the con-