The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-05-10
The plan of Reconstruction.

The Plan of Reconstruction.
The report eff the reconstruction COM
,nittee Is now before Congress. tits not
only engaging the attention OF that body,
but of the whole country. This report
will in all probability be adopted. 1t
does not 90 to the extent of doing exact
Justice; but considering the great diver
sity Of opinion concerning all the ques-
tions taken together it is very reasonable
and represents the average opinion OF
the Union party.
The report first introduces q joint reso-
luton proposing to amend the Consti-
tuition of the United States. The first
section of the proposed amendment Is as
follows:
See. l. No State shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privi-
leges or immunities of citizens of the
United States, nor shall any State de-
prive any person of life, liberty or prop
erty without due process Of law, nor de-
ny to any person within its jurisdiction
the equal protection Of the law.
This proposition is certainly just and
proper. For if the United States gov
eminent cannot protect its citizens, it is
not worthy to be called government
If the States can abridge the rights OF
citizens of the United States then 1t Is
of no advantage to be citizen OF the
United States. The next section is,
SEC. 9 Representatives shall be APP
pointed among the several States which
shall be included within this Union, ac-
cording to their respective numbers,
counting the whole number ofpersons in
each State, excluding Indians not taxed;
but whenever in any State, the cleo
tive .franchise shall be denied to any
person of its male citizens not less than
than twenty-one years of age, or in any
way abridged for participating. in the
rebellion, or other crime, the basis OF
in such State shall be re-
duced in the proportion which the num-
Der of such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number Of male citizens not less
than twenty-one years OF age.
Without such an amendment as this
the Southern States will have gained
political power by the operation of their
treason. Before the rebellion they count
ed in their representation three fifths Of
their slaves. And now since the slaves
are free they would, if there were no
amendment, be entitled to count all the
colored persons, whether they exercised
the right of suffrage or not. Thus, if
the negroes Of South Carolina were not
allowed to vote, 100, 900 redel Carolinians
would have as much power in the Ma
tional Legislature as 300, 900 loyal citizens
of Iowa. The proposed amendment is
designed to obviate this difficulty by
basing the representation on the number
of the voting class, which is the only
correct basis of representation. One voter
has no more political rights than anoth-
er, and consequently should not have
any more political power. The opposi-
ton claim that this amendment would
force universal suffrage upon the South
and South are both left in the same pc
.sition, and any State can DO as she chose
with reference to allowing negroes t.
vote. We believe, however, that as tn
State governments of the rebel State
were destroyed, Congress had a right t,
determine who should vote in the reor
.ganization.
SEC. 3. Until the 4th Of July, 1870, al
persons who voluntarily adhered to tn
late instruction, giving it aid and com
fort, shall beeXcluded from the right t,
vote for members Of Congress, and 70
electors for President and Vice Presiden
of the United States.
This section has the right sound, bu
does not reach as far as we desired. l
foreigners, who seek our shores for tn
purpose of becoming citizens Of our gov
eminent, are required to wait five year
before exercising the right Of suffrage
and then required to prove that they ar
attached to the principles ofour govern
nlent, it would certainly not be unjus
to allow rebel the same length of tim
to reconstruct himself. The man VIII
has never sworn allegiance is not as dal
-gerous as he who has sworn allegiant
and renowned 1t.
Sec. 4. Neither the United States, {
any State, shall assume or pay any .det
or obligation already incurred, or ma
hereafter be incurred, In aid of insul
rection or war against the United States
or any claim for compensation for til
loss ofinvoluntary service or1abor.
lVo WOULD hava NO nbiaction IN coA;p