New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-19

power utterly collapsed aud vanished. What then
The claim of the insurgents that thoy either nov resc-
oured OF hal meyer forfeited their constitutional nights pa
the Union including that Of representation in Congress,
stands in pointed alike to the REQUIREMENTS pf
Congress and u those Of thsactng Presldel IL WA pc
Executive alono who, after the Rebellion no mote.
appointed Provisional Governors for the new submissive
uGarmed Southern States, on Tie assumption
that the Rebellion bad been nvolutionary,
and had deprived the people under tssway oil civil gov
ornment and who required the assembling ga ConVen-
ton composed Of delegates TO be ehosen by that portion
of the people Of said State who are loyal 6 the United
States and no oGcrs for tho purpose Of altering and
amending the Constitutional said State II was Pro'
dent johnson who. 80 late az October last-when all
shadow of overt resistance TO the Union had long since
unprecedented that II was not enopgl that state
which had revotcd must recognize her Ordinance OF
Secession null and void from ths beginning and
ratify the Constitutional Amendment prohibiting
Slavery evormore but she must also repudiato
every dollar Of Indebtedness created to aid in carrying
on the Rebellion II was no who ordered the dispersion
by military force OF any legislature Gibson under tho Re-
bellion which should Fowcr to mako laws after
thst Rebellion had fallen II he who referred to Con-
gress all nqurcrs as the probability OF Representa-
tives from tho States lately in revolt beng admitted TO
seats in either House, and suggested that they should pre-
gent their credentials not at tho organisation Of Congress-
but sfterrsrd And finally IL he and not Congress-
who suggested to his Gov Shsrkey Of Mississippi that
III you could ertsud tho elective franchise to all persons
English and Ss their and % all Of color who
own real estate valued at no. less than & and pay sIs:
an example that othee States Will follow"
IT, then there DO any controversy to the right Of the
loyal States TO exact conditions and require guarantees OF
those which plunged mady into Secession and Rebellion.
the Supporters respectively of Andrew johnson and OF
Cougrcss csnnot be antagonist parties TO that contest
since their record places them on the same sids.
II being thus agreed that conditions Of restoration and
guarantees sgsns; future rebellion may be exscted Of tho
States lately in revolt the right of Congress to voice In
prescribing those conditions and in shaping those guam
ties is plainly inconestible Whether It take the shspe
of law or Of constitutional amendment, the action OF
Congress is vital. Even if they were 10 DO settled by
treaty. the ratification Of the Senate by twohirds vote,
would be Indispensable There is nothing in tho Federal
Constitution in tho nature Of the case that coun-
tenancos an Executive monopoly Of this power.
What then is tho ground Of complaint against Con-
gressi
Is il charged that tho action Of the two Houses was
tardy aud hosatingi Consider how momontOus the
questions involved the depending Consider how
novel and extraordinary the situation Consider how
utterly silent and blank the Federal Constitution touch
ing tho treatment Of nsurgent States whether during hor
agrant hostility 10 the Union ser their discontinue.
Consider with how many cmbauassments and difficulties
the problem Ia besc and you not wonder hat months
we're required 10 devise, perfect and psss, by two
thirds vote in either House. just and safo plan Of recon
struction.
Yet that plan has been mstured. II has passed the Sen
ate by 81 to H. and the House by l3s TO 36 II is now
fairly before the country having already boon scdby tho
Legislatures Of several States and rejected by In
der H. tho State Of Tennessee has been formally restored
all tho privileges she forfeited by Rebellion including
representation in either House OF Congress- And the
door thus passed through stands nvitny open 10 all vho
still lingcr without
Are the conditions thus prescribed ntolsrAbo even
humilAingl They are in substance these
l. All persons born naturalized in this country are
henceorth citizens Of the United States, and shall enjoy
all tho rights Of citizens ovemore and State shall have
power to contravene this righteous and necessary
H. While the States claim and eKsrsi~s power Of
denying tho elective franchise part ~ their people, the
OF each state In tho Union shall be measured By
and based upon its enfranchsed population II Stat,
shall choose for crime. deny political rights 70 any
CASTE II must no longer count that race or caste as
a basis Of political power in the Union.
Ill. He who has held Office the strength OF his
solemn oath support the Federal Constitution and has
nevertheless fOrSworn himself and reasonably plotted TO
subver that Constitution shall henceforh hold polit.
cal Office till Congress- by two-thrds vote, shall remove
or modify tho disability
Nv. The National Debt shall be nowise regulated
invadated; and debt incurred in support Of the Re
bcllion shall be assumed paid by any state
shall payment be made for the loss or emancipation Of any
slave
V. Congress shall have power TO enforce these guaran
tees by appropriate legislation.
Such Fellow. Citizens are the conditions Of reconstruc
ton proposed by Congress and already accepted by the
loyal Legislature Of Tennessee Are they harsh degad
ing Do you discern therein disposition TO tsmple
the PROSTATE push advantage the utterost Do
they embody sught of vengeance any confseon but
that Of Slavery We solicit your candid impartial judg
msnt.
What is intended by the third section is simply to give
Loyalty fair start in the reconstructed Staei Under
the johnson policy, the Rebels monopolize power and
place in communities where they decidedly out
numbered. Their Generals are Governors and Members
elect Of Congress- their Colonies and Majors fill the egs
laures and ofciOe sheriHs. Not only thOstead
fasty loyal prescribed but even stsahome Rebels have
little chance in competition with those who fought sub
vert tho Union. When this Rebel monopoly Of office
shall have been broken up and loyalty to the Union shall
have become general and hearty, Congress may rmoyo
the disability and will doubtless make haste to do
We do not perceive that the justice or fitness the
fourth secton-prescribing that tho Union Public Debt
shall be promptly met but that of the Rebel Conodency
neyer-iS seriously contested. 4
There remains, then but the second section which pre-
scbes in substance that political power in the Union shall
heneefoh be based only that portion Of the eops Of
each State who deemed by it's constitution deposi
tories of such power. In other wordsf A Sas which
chooses 10 hold part Of its population in ignornce and
vassalage-powerless uneducacd unfranchsed-hal not
count that portion balance the educated intelligent,
enfranchised citizens Of other States.