The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-09-26

and extraordinary was the situation. Consid7
er how utterly silent end blank is the Federal
Constitution tonching the treatment of insurl
gent StAtes, whether during their hagrant
hostility to the Union or after their discom>
4 6ture. Consider With hov may es1barrsssr
| ments and difficulties the problem is besas,
and you will not wonder that rhontts were
required to devise, perfect, and pass, BY .
tvp thirds vose 10 either Houss, . just and
safe plan Of reconstruction.
Yet that plan has been matured. Il hSs
passed the Senate by S3 to II, and the Hod1e
Try, having already bees Isti6e ~ the Legis
latnyes of ssvesal HATES and re3eetsa by none.
| Under it, the State of Tennessee has been for-.
| mally restoed 10 all the privileges she
forfeited BY rebellion, including representa-
ton in either House Of CDngreas. And the
door thus passed throakh stands invitin0ly
open to. al who still linger without.
| Are the touditions, thas pfescribed intoler-
able, or ever humiliatinsf They are in sub
sAace thsses ~ ~ s&
| /. All persons born or natualized in this
| country ore hencefsgth citisens of ths United
6saa,s, ssd aAall enjoy ~ s1ioAes # cirsens
ssRodss, and no 6tate shaE baSs power to
contTovene this most righteous and necessary
| provision.
Ii. while the States claim ana exercise the
power Of denying the elective fmsehiss to .
part of their people, the weight Of eaeb State
in the Union shall be measured By and hased
upon its enfranchised population. II any
STATE Shall choose, for no crime, to deny po-
liticsl rights to any race orcaste. it must no
logger count that race or caste - . basis OF
political power in the Union. =.
ILL. He who has once held Office on tb9
strength Of his solemn oath to support th9
Federal Constitution, and has nevertheless
forsworn himself and reasonably plotted to
| subvert thas Constitstion, shall hea6oforth
khoed 70 political Office snsit ceugrcso, BY q
tNo9 9mns q ~ss shall remove q nodisy the
Nv. The National Debt shall be nowise re.
pudiated nor invsldated, and no debt incur
red in support Of the Rebellion shall ever
be assumed or paid by any State, nor shall
payment be made for the loss Or emancipation
Of any slave. e
". Congress shall have power to enforce
these guarantees by appropriate legislation.
Such, fellow>ci.izens. are the conditions OF
reconstruction proposed by Congress and al.J
ready accepted by the loyal Legislature Of
Tennessee. Are they harsh or degrading?
Do yos discern thercis disposition to tram
pie on the prostrate, or pssh an advantage TO
the uttermoa? Do they smbody aught Of
vengeance, or any eonfscaion but that OF
Slavery? We solicit your candid, impartial
judgment
What is intended by the third section isI
simply to give Loyalty fair start in the re-
constructed States. Under the johnson pol
icy the Rebels monopolize power and place,
even in communities where they are decided
ly outnumbered Their Generals are Cover
nors and Members sseef of Congress; their
Colonels and Majors fllthe legislatures, and
oficiate a. Sheriffs. Not only are the stead
lastly loyal prescribed, but even stay at home
Rebels have little chance in competition with
those who fought TO subvert the 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 remove the disability, and will doubtless
make hasee to do so.
We do not perceive that the justice or fit
meas Of the fourth section-prsscribing that
the Union Public Debt shall be promptly
met, but that OF the Rebel Confederscy new
er-is seriously contested.
There remains, then. but the second section |
which prescribes in substance that political |
power in the Union shall hsnceforth be based !
only on that portion Of the people of ssoh !
Ststs who are deemed BY ib constitution &, |
repositories OF such power. In other words, |
. State which chooses to hold part Of its pop |
ulation in ignorsnce and vassaIage-power- |
less, uneducated, unfranchised-shall not |
count that portion 10 balance the educated, |
intelligent, enfranchised citizens Of other
States.
We do not propose to argue the justice OIL
this provision. As we'll argue the shape of |
cube or the correctness of the Multiplication |
Table. He who does not feel that this is |
simply and mildly just, would not be persua- |
ded though one rose from the dead to con
vince him. That there are those among US /
who would not have il rasi6ed, sadly demon
strates that the good work Of Emancipation
Is not yet complete.
But" say some. s'this seetion Is designed !
TO cosrcs the SoSth into according Suffrage to
her Blacks' Not 80, we reply; but only 70
notify her ruling caste that ue win no longer
bribe them to keep their Biecks in serfdom.
An arissocracy rarely surrendsrs It's privileges /
No matter how oppressive, from abstract de-
,otipn TO justice and right. 1t must have CO
gent palpable reasons for 90 doing. We say
therefore, TO South Carolina, ''f you persist
emily restrict all power TO your 30O,000
Whi.es, ws must insist that these no longer
bahnce, in Congress and the choice of Presi.
dent, 100000 Northern White ilesnen, but
ouly 300, 600. If you keep your Blacks ever
more In serfdom, it must not be becAnse we
tempted you so to do and rewarded you for
30 doing
Fellow citizens of every State, but especi-
ally OF those soon to hold electiobsl Ne en-
treat your earnest, constant heed to the grave
questions nov At issue. II those who wan
Be allowed by you to dictate the terms Of
reconstruction, you will have needlessly sown
the bitter seeds of future rebellion and
bloody strife. Already, you ere tAtestened
with recognition BY the President of sham
Congress made up of the factions which re-
cently coaeseed ct Philadeiphis ON = plat
@rm of Johnsonsm - Congress constituted
by nullifying and overruling . plain law OF
the land-a Congress wholly inspired from
the White House, and appealing TO the sword
aloss for support. So glaring IN attempting
at usurpation would be even more criminal
than absurd. Happily, the people, by elect.
ing au overwhelming majority Of thoroughly
oyaireprssent.tives, are rendering il inalis-
ton impossible.
We cannot close without most deserved
tribute to the general fidelity wherewith, in
view of the Presidents detection, the great
body Of thu people, and even uf the Federal
Office holders, stand fast by their convictions
and their principles The bonndless patron.
ake Of the Executive. though most unscrupu.
lously welded against those to whose votes
he ovesit, hes corrupted very few, either Of
those Who shared or Of those Who would glad.
" share in It's enjoyment. Not one u the
twenty-five States which voted to re-elect
AbraAsm Lncols has given il its adherson to
the Presidents policy; while New Jersey
the only free State that voted against him
Aas added herself TO their number.
Oar great var has taught imressively the
peril 81 injustice; and the lesson has snnk
deep into millions Of hearts. The American
people, chastsaed By suffering, are wiser and
nobierst than they were, with : quicker and
more open ear for every generous suggestion.
The fearful lessons Of Memphis and Ney, Or
leans hsys not besn lost on them, asis proved
by the result Of the recent eleetions 10 YER
Noqt and Maine. We cherish no aladov 81
doubt that Pennsylvanis, Ohio, Indiana and
lows FIRST, then New York, New jersey, llli-
nois, Michissa. Wiscoasis, Kansas end Min
nesota, will do iikswise, ast thst 4 sue restss
H(ts0n. Z ssanuthe, ahidiae peass, Wi taas Be
recured 70 our eoantsy--a pesse that will en-
dure. because based on the everlasting foan
dstioh Of Humanity, Justice and Freedom.
sFssS ; l