Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-09-27
THE ISSUE PLAINLY STATED.

DtdtcS ~ lHeiI Olu pldCeS III inc CilCic VI
the Union. President JOHNSON, Secretary
SEWARD and good many newspapers ex-
pend vast amount of turgid rhetoric to
this end The facts 80 obviously point in
the opposite direction that we are con-
strained to conclude these distinguished
gentlemen, and those newspapers do not
believe what they affirm on this head
Congress has laid down the conditions
on which it will consent to the restoration
of the rebel States. These conditions are
embodied in formal proposition to amend
the Constitution in certain particulars Not
one of these conclusions look to exclusion,
for any period, long or short, of the revolt !
ed States from full and equal participation
with the loyal States iu the control of the
government The understanding is, that
so soon as any one of the eleven seeding
States shall ratify this amendment its dele
cations shall be promptly admitted to seats
in the Senate and House of Representa-
tiyes. One of the eleven, Tennessee, did
ratify this amendment, and its Senators
and Representatives were promptly sworn
in. No reason exists for believing the
same rule will not be applied to the re-
naming ten. These ten States, or any Of
them, can take places in Congress at the
opening of the next session, if they desire
to- by following the example of Tennessee;
and this is certainly as early as the adop-
ton of the Presidents Policy can possibly
get them in.
The actual point in controversy, then, is
not the precise or relative time when the
other States shall be restored, but the con-
ditions exacted as precedent to restoration.
Congress insists on the incorporation of
four new stipuations into the organic law
Il That all persons born or naturallzed
in the United States, and subject to the
Jurisdiction thereof, shall be accounted cit
liens, and that no State shall make laws to
abridge the privileges or immunities OF
any citizen in respect to HE, liberty or
property 2 That representation shall be
apportioned, not according to population,
but according to the number Of voters. 3.
That no person shall be a member Of either
branch of Congress, or pre- sidential cleo
tor, or hold any Office whatever under the
United States, who had previously, as an
office.holder under the general or any state
government taken an oath to bearl true al
legiance to the Union, and then violated 1t,
by embarking in the rebellion and, A.
That the public debt of the United States,
including debts incurred for payment Of
bounties and pensions for services in sup
pressing the rebellion, shall not be impair
ed and that neither the United States nor
any one of the States shall assume to pay
any debt contracted in support of the re-
rebellion, or to indemnify for the loss of
slaves emancipated
The Presidents policy declares each and
maintains that the revolted States shall
come back without conditions, and without
any changes whatever in the Constitution
designed to operate as guarantees for the
future.
When, therefore, the President, or any
body else, charges that Congress or the
Republican party are disunionists, in any
sense as implying opposition to the COM
plete and prompt restoration Of all the
States, and to equal authority, he or they
deliberately falsify. The question at issue
is-shall the Union be restored ? All are
agreed on that head. The only open ques-
ton relates to conditions On that ques-
ton the President has gone squarely over
to the rebels and sympathises with them,
and declares that no condition whatever
shall be prescribed or enforced The Re-
publicans, having fought the war to a sue
cessful conclusion, are resolved that such
terms shall be assented to as will guard
against trouble in time to come, as will
protect the just rights Of the emancipated
bondmen, and secure beyond all peradven-
ture the national credit This is the length
and breadth of the case.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE is the theme of all the