The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-01-31
Form the Cincinnati COmmsrcial.]
Congress and Reconstruction

LA I
construction have reported, and they re.
commend the adoption ola Constitutional
Amendm ent basing representation and
direct taxation upon votes. The amend.
is right. It simply provides for
the equality Of voters. 1t is not necess-
airy to talk about it. The arguments in to-
yor Of its adoption are conclusive. The
fault we have to find with Congress is
that this amendment was not proposed
and adopted before the holidays. The
friends Of the measure should not conde-
scend to debate it. Let them press 1t to
a vot at once, and have done with it
And that will be o good place to stop
in a line Of Legislation that seems popular
with Congress. The financial questions
are becoming the great questions. Let
them be attended to. The reorganiza-
ton Of the army is imperative. Let us
have the requisite Legislation on that sub
ject without delay. We hope, above all
things connected with this Congress, that
the whole winter will not be spent in
talking about various aspects Of the negro
questions, and theIeally important meas
Tres crowded into ! few of the last weeks
Of the session. That, we are aware, is
the regular course, but let us have irreg-
ular. The public business needs a varia-
ton from the usual routine.
1t is unfortunate that the President
has not had the hearty cooperation of
Congress in his work of pacifcation and
restoration. There is no question but the
radical leaders in both Houses are work.
ing at cross purposes with him, and that
they have done mischief by doing So
The President has been disbanding the
armies, cutting down expenses, and con.
ciliating the defeate rebels by acts Of
kindness. The Southern people respond
ed with grateful hearts, and reciprocated
with his confidence. They needed the
ALTERNATIVES advice he gave them, and
passed ordinances, of reputation of theil
debts contracted in making war upon the
Government, and abolishing slavery, and
they adopted the Constitutional Amend
ment.
The Sumner and Stevens policy ha'
checked the good work. The effect il
the South of the measures proposed an(
speeches made by these gentlemen ha
been highly ~uuiayorable and if thei
policy is to prevail, the President was do
ing wrong when he disbanded Sherman'
army.
The President means peace, but Their
| is no peace ssin the Sumner and Steven
programe. If we are to govern the SOutl
as Austria rules Venetia, and as Russi
maintains order in Poland, we have no
troops enough to 40 it, and it wonld b
well to have another call for men, en-
) prepare for a draft. 80
!, As to enforcing negro suffrage in tn
Southern States, it can not be done
/ The President is opposed to it, and ha
t nine.tenths of the country at his hack
1t is a waste Of Radical raw material t
/. insist upon that.
r Much issaid, and Justly, about secarin
r the welfare of the negroes. We are !
favor of taking the most effective secarit
Y that the freedmen shall have fair play i
the future. But that security will not B
found in legislation restrictive and pro
t scriptive toward the Southern whites, nc
. in a great standing army, nor in Free'
c mems Bureaus and a multitude of sem
military Office. holders, but in obtainin
for the negroes the good wilfof their fol
mer masters, who have far more pow
over them this day, than all the agents
the Government, and will hold it in spi
n of all the la w.making aud police System
possible.
n We hear Of outrages upon the negro
d in the South. Certainly, the army CT
n not prevent them. 1t is not practical
to have the bayonets everywhere. III
i. Freedmen's Aid Bureau can not rrote
the blacks at all pcsnts. The weak al
Or tho strong are dwelling together, and Il
it weak will be oppressed if the good will
the strong can not be secured and tn
kindly sentiment, which would make
d real peace between the races, can not
ATTAINED through such legislation as Su,
e. ner proposes, or manufactured by su,
* speeches as Wade and Stevens make.
"a, Those speeches are full and flaming wi
the war spirit, and will cause in those
d, fercely denounced--the fallen foes,
violently stamped upon passionate |
tired and zeal for bloOd.shed, that will
a the more intense because iucaplc Of op
development that will fud vent II
4. thousand stealthy and deadly ways, a
especially 10 the persecution ofthe blac
A With the submission Of the consti
A tional amendment Of the basis OF Rep
ii sentation to the States, Congress shol
~. open its doors 10 the Southern Repres,
be %tatives, liberalize the laws in their appli
or ton to those engaged in the rebelli
~ with exemplary exceptions Of "leadars
m. giveng the people of the beaten and de
late South a fair chance to repair
tu- errors Of the past and rebuild their 81
he tered fortunes. In q word, CongI
should second the efforts Of the Presid
re. to restore the Union. If this Cong
&c. does not do il, be sure the next will
nd the dangers is will go to the opposite
au treme.