The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-09-18
UNION POLICY OF RECONSTRUCTION

"REsoLvEr, BY the Senate and House of Rerre-
sentaives of the United States Of America, in Con
gcss assembled twOtAirds of both Houses cOncurng,
That the following article be proposed to the Legiss
lures of the several States an amendment to the
Constitution OF the United States, which, when rati
fed by threeOurths OF the said Legislatures, shall be
valid a part of the Constitution, namely
Article - SECTION l, All persons born or natural
lied in the United States. and subject to the jursdic
ton thereof citizens OF the United States and OF
the State wherein they reside No State shall make
enforce any law which shall abrd5e the privileges
immunities of the citizens of the United States
Nor shall any State deprive any person ofiife, liberty
or property without due process Of lazy nor deny to
any person within it's jurisdiction the equal protec
tOu of the laws,
"SECTIoN 2 Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States according to their respect
i've numbers counting the whole number of persons
in each State except Indians not taxed but when
the right to vote at any election for electors OF
President and Nicc-PreSideut, or for United States
Representatives in Congress, executive and Judicial
officers, or the members of the Legislature thereof:
denied TO any of the male inhabitants Of such States
being twenty-0ne years Of age, and citizens of thC
United States, or in any way abridged, except tol
participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis o
representation therein shall be reduced in the proper
ton which the number of such male citizens shal
bear to the whole number of male cltlzens twenty
one years of age in that State.
'SECuoN D. opersOn shall be Senator or repre-
sentative in Congress, elector Of President and Vice
President or hold any Office, civil military under
the United States, under any State, who, having
previously taken an oath as member of Congress, Oh
an officer of the United States, a member o
any State Legislature or as an executive or judcla
oihcer OF any State to support the Constitution OF th'
United States, shall have engaged in insurl ecOn Of
rebellion against the same given aid comfort L
the enemies thereof; but Congress may, by vote OF
twO-thrds of each House remove sach disability.
'SECTION t. The validity of the public debt of tht
United States authorized by law, including debts in
Cured for the payment of pensions and bounties fo
service in sUppresSing nsurrectiOn rebellion shaI
not be questioned, but neither the United States no
any State shall assume pay any debt obligation
incurred in aid ofinsurrecion rebellion against th'
mi tod SfaF TIA any
ton of any slave, but all such debts, Obligations anC
claims shall be held illegal and void"
This amendment is the reconstruction
plan and platform Of Congress, and there il
no good reason, we say, why it should no
have heen adopted also by the President
inasmuch as he stands committed in some
shape to all its provisions. It is not th'
platform of Thaddeus Stevens, Sumner, O
any Of the noisy radicals of Congress. They
can do nothing. 1t was adopted agains
their remonstrances and in spite Of thei
threats. 1t emit odies substantially, in fact
the Presidents original programme, and i
carried in these October and Novembe
elections-as we predict it will be, from
Massachusetts, and New York westward
we trust that the Administration, in defer
ence to the will of the people, will come
back to it. Why not Surely this amend
ment engrafted upon the Constitution vii
be amply sufficient for the restoration o
the Union, internal peace, sectional harmo
ny, and the security Of the government anc
the treasury for many generations to come
against all disturbing factions Of either sec
ton. ParSon Brownlow,in leading off will
the State of Tennessee for the ratification
has shown that good thing may be done
by bad man aud for a bad motive; bu
that Tennessee should thus lead off for this
amendment is very remarkable and sig
niticant fact-that New Jersey should mex
follow is almost as strange; but from gooc
or bad designs, thus started, the amendment
will surely 90 through.
The Presidents quarrel and rupture witt
Congress was an unfortunate mistake. From
recent events, South and North, it is clea
that it will prove a fatal bunder to his ad
ministration, unless he abandons it as the
issue before the people. The old contests
in England between King and Parliament
are full of instruction on this subject. Had
Mr.. Johnson taken our friendly advice, and
made the Distinguishing features of bis ad
mlnlstratlon vigorous foreign policy anC
a sound financial system, he might ere this
have become as popular a President a,
Andrew jackson He has yet fair field
before him in which to retrieve his miSfor.