Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-10
The Reconstruction Plan.


members of the House are not all salts |
fed with ii. The report consists of two !
parts-one offering constitutional |
amendment, anta one two bills which |
will require the Presidents approval
and will no doubt undergo essenIlal
modification before they even pass the
House. The amendment offered by ME-
Boutwell, of Massachusetts,, on Tuesday,
fayoring Tennessee and Arkansas ana
admitting their congressman as soon as
they have given the suffrage to colored
citizens Of the constitutional amend
ment is adopted by three-lourths of the
States), and one by Mr.. Bingham Of
Ohio, to admit Senators and Representa-
tives from any State adopting the
Observation-Disclosures radical dissent
on the part Of those two distinguished
Republican members. And yet when
Thaddeus Stevens presented the report to
the House on Monday, he moved to make
the resolution proposing the constitu-
tional amendment and the two bills re-
storing the States, special orders for
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday OF
next week. On objection being made he
moved a suspension of the rules, and
the motion was sustained by the deci-
siye vote of 107 to 20. This is taken as
a strong indication that the House
means to accept the Committees re-
port.
Perhaps the most serious objection
among Republicans is the keeping out OF
the Union all the late insurrectionary
States that may even adopt the proposed
amendment, in the event three-fourths
of all the States do not adopt it, Hence
the amendments offered to the amend
ment by Messrs. Boutwell, and Bingham
as mentioned above. 1t is said that Sen
ator Wilson and others favor such q
change as will admit the Southern States
to representation as fast as they adopt
the proposed constitutional amendment,
instead of compelling them to wait out
in the cold until the amendment becomes
q part of the Constitution.
This feature of the report has caused
many to think the Committee never eX
pected or intended it's adoption, blu
rather designed it as scheme to post
pone the question Of reconstruction ant
keep the late rebel States out of Congress
until after another Presidential election
Others, more charitable, account for tn
report in it's imperfect state, on tn
ground that the Committee were force
to make It by an irresistible outsid
pressure, so great had become the publ
Impotence.
That the report is defective is paten
to all Intelligent minds, and the fact ma
rs well be admitted, for nothing can b
gained in policy or honor by denying
The lameness of the apology which tn
Boston Journal and some other Republ
can papers offer, is not fattering to tt
editorial profession. "All criticism
saws our Boston contemporary, "on var
ous points of the plan ought to be hel
subject to the further light which ma
be supplied by this report" meaning
report which the Journal says the "Con
mittee is yet to make, based on the slt'
alton and feeling of the South" II
Journal would have US wait till the ev
dence as to Southern feeling, &c, is
in and reported.
But does not the journal know tn
when resolution or bill is reported
Congress,it becomes an open question b
fore the body to which it is brought, I
discussion and criticism, and therefore
legitimate subject Of discussion al
criticism for every American citize
Out upon such reasoning lndividu
Republicans, in and out of Congre'
freely discuss this and all measur
brought before Congress, and where
the manliness or independence Of
press, that it, too, can not freely and
friendly spirit boldly advocate wi
may seem right, and oppose what 1t m
deem erroneous
The N. Y. Tribune, although not L
ing the report as cambrous and deie
i've, yet advises its support, ON
ground that something ought to be do
The country suffers by SO much Congre
ional dallying and delay. The Tribr
would prefer, and so would we, the
lowing Constitutional amendment;
"ARr.-. All persons born in the Uni
States, except Indians not taxed
children of foreigners who choose
remain subjects of some forei On pow
are hereby declared and are hencefo
to be regarded as citizens of the Uni
States.
Art. All citizen of the Uni
are citizens of the States wherein t
respectively reside; and none OF Ii
shall be disfranchised save by State il
or constitutional provisions which B
impartially On men Of whatever race
color.
Mr.. EDAUSDs has presented
the Senate a memorial OF Joseph
Oates and Aaron Il. Bradley, in be
An