The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-10-13
ReStoratIOp.

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lions on the President, the following article
from able New York paper called The
Natiop," on the subject of restoration
Much is already being said to whether
the Southern States will be able to return to
the Union by merely adopting the Howard
amendment. Our object is to keep our
readers posted, and not further to discuss
the proposed amendment. Our own views
are we'll known, but nothing we could say
or do would change the course of events
We expect to " stand in our lot at the end
of the days" of the rebellion, and do the
best we can in any condition in which we
NAV find ourselves. We shall neither aban-
don North-Carolina nor pander for popular
ity to the passing passio ns of the hour. We
were for the shortest road to peace during
the war, and we are now for the shortest and
straightest road right back to the Union ::
THE TERMS OF REcoNsTRUCTIoN.-Qu
an animated controversy has sprung up on
the question whether the faith of the Repub-
Iican party is pledged to restore the South
ern States to their former privileges, in case
they adopt the constitutional amendment
The question was hardly thought worth ar
guing by the so-called Conservative press
until very recently; but it now bids fair to
become the most important question OF the
day. There is no longer any doubt that the
terms of reconstruction will be dictated by
the Republican party, and that Mr.. johnson
is henceforth mere cipher, if, indeed, his
value to his allies is not better represented
by negative quantity-not merely adj
ding nothing, but actually diminishing their
strength. The rats who were tempted by
the prospect of Office to desert what they
supposed to be a sinking ship are rushing
back in droves with ludicrous panic. No
politician doubts the result outside of the
State of New York, and scarcely any sensi-
BILE johnson man pretends to believe that
this State will resist the general current.
Under these circumstances it is a matter
of the highest Importance to know what Is
the policy of the triumphant party; for If 1t
is pledged to admit the Southern States up
on their adoption of the new amendment, it
is quite possible, not to say probable, that
those States will yield. Indeed, if Mr.. john
son should advise them to do so, there can
be little doubt that they would promptly
comply; and thus reconstruction would be
close at hand. Mr.. Johnsons notorious OBJ
stinacy may prevent this result from taking
place but he will have had terrible lesson
before Congress meets again, and may be
wiser than he is now
On the one hand, the New York State
Convention and the National Committee
have pledged the party to receive any State
adopting the amendment. On the other
hand several distinguished Congressman
have declared their intention to insist upon
more stringent terms. The Reconstruction
Committee reported bill guaranteeing adj
mission to the rebel States upon the final
adoption of the amendment; but this bill
was lost in the House, every Democratic
member voting against it, together with all
~,
publicans
1t thus appears that there is no authorize
tive pledge for the admission of any State
on its adoption of the constitutional amend
ment: yet it is not difficult to see that the
Republican party is substantially committed
to a certain policy in respect to this matter,
and that the South has now, as it has often
had before, an opportunity to choose its
own destiny. If enough Southern States
ratify the amendment before next January
to make its final passage secure, and do this
in spirit manifesting good faith, we be-
lieve that they will certainly be restored to
their places in Congress. We believe that
the same result would probably attend such
a ratification at any time before next Febru-
airy; but if the South should remain obsti-
nate up to that time, we judge that its sub
sequent submission would not avail it. Ger
tainly we should hold Congress to be abun-
dainty justified in refusing to wait after the
month of January for the action of the
South.
Our reasons for this belief are easily stated.
The Republican party is generally fighting
its battles upon the basis of the amendment,
and on the assumption that it contains the |
terms of reconstruction Certainly no State
Convention and no national committee have !
authority to bind the whole party to any
particular course of action; but matter |
of fact a sufficient number of candidates for |
Congress are committing themselves to this |
policy to make it certain that it will be car |
ried out, if the South is shrewd enough to |
present the question in a practical FORM |
We do not see how the majority Of Congress |
can well refuse to admit any of Mr.. John
sons States upon the adoption of the amend |
ment by the requisite number of States. in
Guiding, of course, the particular State ask
ing for admission.
But when it is broadly asserted as it is by
some journals which affect peculiar knowl-
edge of the popular will Though they have
shown in the past an ignorance of it almost
ludicrous, consideriA. G their pretensions,) that
the party is pledged Internationally to the
admission Of every State ratifying the amend
ment, we deny it. Congress is under no OBJ
legation whatever to admit any rebel State
until the ratification of the amendment is
secure. 1t may waive this condition, as it
did in favor of Tennessee, but it is in no way
|
This, however, is unlikely to be practical
question. The amendment will probably be
ratified either by all the revolted States, or
by none, except possibly th-Carolina.
The more important question is, How
long is Congress bound to keep the offer of
admission open upon these terms ? In order
to determine this, it is necessary to consider
all the circumstances. Clearly there is no
sort of obligation resting upon Congress to
keep its offer open for an indefinite period.
1t has the same ri ght to retract its PROPOSE l
tons before their acceptance upon the other
side which any private person has in an or
binary business transaction. We suppose !
that the offer of Congress ought to be left {
open until the Southern legislatures Gas those
illegal and unlawful assemblies y are by ,
courtesy termeoD have had an opportunity :
% accept it. South-Carolina and Texas
nave had this opportunity, but have thrown 7
t away. Most of the other Southern legis-
atures will not meet until January. 1t ,
seems, therefore. fair that Congress should l
allow them until the middle Of that month |
20 decide upon their course 1t cannot we'll 6