Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-05-04

SB- L. +. SLIDER. Esq, Of the Mills House
is our AUTHORISED Agent. in the city q Charles.
ton, for soliciting advertisements, and receiv.
ing monies for the same.
REPORT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL RECON.
sTRUCTI0N COMMITTEE.
We publsh below the long .looked.for Radi.
cal scheme Of Southern restoration, which hos
at lsst been reported by the Congressional Re
construction Committee. It, will be seen that
IL does not directly make negro suffrage one of
the indispensable conditions uf Southern repre-
sentation, and in this respect it differs from the
schemes Of Stewart of Nevada, and Owen, of
Indiana. Stcwarts plan provides that there
shall he no Determinations OIL account Of race
or color, either in civil rights or the right of
suffrage. Each State is left free to attach
whatever qualifications it peases to the right
Of voting, whether Of intelligence or property.
but it must make discrmn ations in fuyor Of
one or against another class Of citizens In
Owens plan It is proposed to allow the States
to withhold the right of suffrage from the ne
gro for ten yeas; but after that period that h ,
shall enjoy equal rights of suffrage with the
whites. In the mean time, however. those
states which deny them the right suffrage,
snail have their electoral vote, and their repre-.
sentation in Congress. reduced to the white la
| sis. This latter feature. Of representation
restricted to the basis Of the voting population.
| twill be perceived, is embodied in the scheme
OF the Reconstruction Committee, aud is in.
tended to force negro suffrage indirectly upon
the South. since it pun shes State, W withhold
lhg the right with the penalty of diminished
representation. II is the same Objectionable
feature of the Constitutional Amendment
scheme which was before Congress a few
months since, and the injustice aud impoIicy of
which was so fully shown at the time.
The third Of the subjoined amendments de.
prives OF the right OF suffrage until the year
1870, all persons "who voluntarily adhered to
The late insurrection. giving it aid and COM
| for: This is tantamouut to a disfranchise-
ment OF nearly the whole white population of
the Soutl for four years TO come and wouId
| be virtual exclusion Of the South from all
Congressional representation for that period.
The fourth proposed amendment regulating
all debts incurred during the late war; and all
claims for compensation on account of the.
emanciPated slaves. is 2 leading provision in
the schemes OF Messrs Stewart and Owen, and
indicates that extreme jealousy of Southern in.
fuence, which is now the buebear of Radical
! isrn, and inspires its exclusive policy.
The fnt proposed amendment, among other
provisions, would deprive us of the services in
Congress, of all our distinguished political
leaders, since it renders Ineligible to Office un.
der the general Governm ent, all who were
prominent in the late war.
Such is the proposed Constitutional amend
ment which, after five months deliberation,
has at last been submitted to Congress, and
which to become part Of the Constitution
must receive the support of two.thirds of both
Houses, and be ratified by threc:fourths of the
States. Whatever may be its success in Con-
gress, we have no idea that it could ever re-
ce've the sanction of single Southern State.
we cannot purchase representation in the ma.
tional couucils at so great a sacrifice.
From the present Congress we have nothing
to hope. Our only trust is in the great popu-
lar appeal which President johnson is now
making to the conservatism of the American
people, and which will manifest its results in
the October elections. The President himself
and other prominent supporters Of his policy
seem to be hopeful. We can only await the
issue:
WAsHISoTos, April 90, 1865.
The Joint Committee on Reconstruction have
agreed-twelve against three-to a report
proposing the following amendments to the
Constitution:
FIRST. No state shall make or enforce opv
citizens Of the United States; nor, shall any
state deprive any person of life. liberty or
property, without due process of Ia ", nor denv
TO any psrson within its Jurisdiction equal pro-
lection Of laws
Second: Representatives. shall be appor.ion
population Of ths state, counting the wbois ole
number OF persons in each State, excluding In
aisns not taxed. Bat Whenever in any State
the elective franchise shall be denied TO anv
portion Of The male citizens, not Iess than
eS one ysals OF age or 10 any way sbridg
other crimes. tbs bssis of ieprsssntat;on.s A. hsiI
90 tedaced ip the proportion which he nnnH
Der oi suoh male citizens sirsli. 49, t =.
me Whole number Of nsls citizens not not is.s ~
thsn one years Of age. 80 - .ss' ~ |
Third Until the Fourth sof Jplu,y. !, o;,, -,
persons who yoiuntAsily adhered - ~ a.
ins9rrsct'ossgiy giving IL aid and ednSorf. "A stshs
excluded from the right 10 vote for
ppongSsss aad Electors for President aud Viss-
Fourth. Neither the United st.tes M, - -.
State. ahassnme or nav any dsbt 81 ot,,iaIys
tion Incurred 10 sid of the insurreotion. 3, -,
claim fcr :coppensatioh for loss Of involuntary,
service or l9bnr. s..i = ~
Fifth gsngtsss shstlb 5 power To- spfore.
81. 81 spRssRF1sss .ssIsls shs
ydPs lSss
sssli Rs ossss 3ss .a