The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-09-20

sentative in Congress, or elector OF Pres
dent and Vice President, or hold any Office
civil or military, under the United States, o
under any State, who, having previousl,
taken an oath, as member Of Congress, O
Us an officer of the United States, or as
member of any State Legislature, or rs al
executive or judicial officer OF any State {,
support the Constitution of the United States
shall have engaged in instruction or rebel
lion against the same, or given aid or com
fort to the enemies thereof. But Congress
may, by vote Of two-thirds Of each House
remove such disability
The effect Of each Of these utterly discon
nected propositions is made to depend upon
the acceptance or rejection OF the whole. II
seems incredible that those who insisted
upon thus connecting them could have ex.
pccted that they would he ratified. The
southern people. after following their politi
cal leaders into the late struggle and sharing
the risk of their fate through four years Of
terrible war are called upon TO aid the pro
scrption. Whatever punishment their bodies
may deserve at the hands of Government IL
is unintelligible that statesmen should have
dreamed OF asking their associates and fol.
lowers to inhict that punishment upon them
especially punishment Of lasting disgrace,
more terrible than any which the Govern.
mcnt itself is authorized to impose. II in
the midst Of their errors the people Of the
South retain the ordinary fidelity of com.
rades in arms to each other-the common
sentiment OF honor which rules all compan.
ionship-they will not voluntarily desert the
men whom they have voluntarily and stead
lily followed amid so many perils. They will
not accept this third section of the amend
mcnt, and they aro forbidden to accept the
other without it. We believe that the only
effect Of such q proposition will be n pro-
longed exclusion OF the South from the prac-
tce Of selfgovernment and the training OF
patriotism; but if they could be persuaded
or constrained to accept it we are at loss
to perceive the benefit to be derived from
it. because no act of Congress- nor any
thing contained in the proposed amend.
ment. gives any pledge or assurance that
the adoption Of those amendments will Sc
cure the admission Of loyal representatives
from the southern States now excluded,
or the recognition Of their constitutional re-
lations to the Government of the United
States. The preamble and resolution adopted
in the case Of Tennessee do not commit
Congress to the restoration of the Union
should their example be followed at once by
every other stated State. 1t is evident from
the course pursued by the extreme men who
urge these amendments, and from the senti-
mcnts enunciated by them, that II is their
fixed purpose, even if the amendments be
adopted, to still insist upon the political
equality of the colored race us condition
precedent to admitting loyal representatives
from the Southern States lately in rebellion.
The rartisans Of these conditions attempt to
excite the indignation and alarm of the coun.
try by declaring the readmisson Of the South
without them as an abandonment of all the
dear-bought fruits of war. 1t is not for the
soldiers and sailors of that war to shrink
from being wise, lest they should be sus.
pected Of insulting the graves of their CON-
rades, and forgetting the objects for which
they suffered SO much. They know that
there is a progress in the life of this nation,
and there is IL God who animates that life,
and they hold that fear to be as infdel as 1t
is cowardly. Nations never die in their
adolescence. The manhood which this peo-
pie has indicated i'll war will not sicken and
perish in peace. The South cannot, if il
would, cast off the obligations of events; and
under the good that has been done it has
shared already, and for law as irresistible
as time must continue TO share the common
development Of this season OF quick growth.
The North, with its sense of Justice,
its faith in true Democracy, its vigor
and industry and vast wealth, must inevita-
bly, rule this land; but it will secure and
benefcially exercise that rule only by the
same process which governs all true civiliza-
ton, not by force. If fear is entertained that
the Southern people may be insincere in what
they have done towards reconstruction, and
that they desire admission to the national
councils only that they may undo It and re-
pudate our national debt. Here is u con
tinued exclusion by means of the proposed
amendment which will not be ratified Their
exclusions cannot he permanent. This PEG.
pic will not suffer it TO he lasting, and they
will return ut last without those conditions
hut Till less inclined TO patriotism and good
faith. They are Americans, and they have
al least the weakness common to the nation
and to them us it would be to us. Exclu-
sion from the Union and from complete self
government is Reorganization. politically
and socially. The freedmen among them
and the rest of the nation must suffer by
everything which demoraizes their condi-
ton, and be benefited by everything which
cIcvatcs it. True, We do not believe the peo-
pie of the South will violate the good faith
which they have pledged TO us. In the Ma
tional Union Convention at Philadelphia
more than three hundred Southern delegates,
holding influential positions at home, claim.
ing to represent, and, as we believe, repre-
senting the Southern people, have pledged
us that the rebel debt should not be paid, and
that the rights Of the freedmen should be
protected. We believe that the men who
made those elections will keep them; espe,
cially us soldiers, who know the character OIL
their late opponents, we believe that the sol.
diers Of the SOuth-men who have endured SO
bravely and so constantly the trials and priva.
tons oifouryears ofwar-are, despite the error
Of their cause, men of personal honor and
sclfrcspect, and that they will never permit
the communities in which they dwell to VIC.
late promises given in the most solemn forms
We hold, then, that no reason has been
given which can justify an adherence to the
course which has been proposed by Con
gress, or for further continuance of the
present unhappy condition of the country
If the same class of men who have estab
lished this policy shall be returned to the
next Congress, that condition will grow
worse for two years longer. Who can est