New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-02
RECONSTRUCTION,

What the Republican party means by recon
struetion y is now before the country Tne scheme
is embodied in the shape of series Of proposed
amendments Of the Constitution Of the uniteo
States. and two supplemental bills. Nlth uo'
gree of righteousness entirely unparaieieu u sue
history of legislation, OF these hllls IS ehaUeu
an act for the restoration of the states ateiy III
rebellion to their full political rights oy the aa
mission of their delegates to Congress" In order
that il may be seen what the radical majority con-
slider full measure Of political rights, it IS only
necessary to observe that conditions are imposed
- tbe southern States which not only totally
destructive of State sovereignty, but which would
reduce the whole mass of the white population to
= state Of political subseryiency and degradation
without parallel in the history Of any civilized
country on earth.
The effect of the proposed amendments is in the
first place. to deprive the States entirely of their
exclusive control over those subjects which here
tofore have remained solely within the State juris
diction and thereby to change entirely the nature
Of the government; in the next place, to force
the acquescense of the States in uniform rule of
suffrage, under pain of diminished representation;
and finally, to vest the State government, so far
as their relations with the Federal government are
concerned in an insignificant minority, alien to the
majority in opinion, sympathies and aspirations.
Il is, therefore, plain on the face of the schenle
or programme, or plan, or whatever else i may De
Ncalled that the object of the Congressional ma
jorityis to assure their party supremacy auy
of even the ordinary contingencies Of potucs' -
fluctuations of public opinion. They aneicpase
accomplishing this object whether Their pan sue
coed, or whether it fail-that is to say Wnelllel
the constitutional amendments pc aaop'eu " 'le
required number of States, o. Wfether @ley "
rejected by the recusancy OF tfie fooueH'
\ If the Southern States persist II feiusihs y
ratify the proposed amendments 1ner represeu9a-
tives will be peTpetually excluded from Congress-
and as far as the Congressional majority can con-
troll the issue, their electors from the Fresaental
college. Iuthis way it is hoped mat permanent
Congressional majority will be secured, and the
success Of the Republican party at succeeding
general elections be placed beyond the reach OF
adverse contingency. If, on the other hand, anx
iety for the shadowy representation accorded by
the plan should induce the South to ratliy the
amendments. the supremacy OF the Repuphcan
party is equally assured by the diminished repre-
sentation Of the Southern states IN case they ex-
elude negroes from the elecuye FRANCHISE by the
force OF the negro Vote, should the African ltee
be enfranchsed, and finally by the total exclusion
from the polls Of nneteen-twenteths OF tne
Southern white people IN all elections for members
Of Congress and PRESIDENTIAL electors
1t IS to be presumed that TINS plan WI DC
adopted oy Congress nnat' taen, snoulo pe .ne
course Of the Soutnern states Lhes lauss snh,
ply leave the contest TO the naAas OF those VINO
have the power ana the dlsposlnon 70 wage y,
supporting the Irlenos Oh Justce, oi ioetsy' y
political equality, only by the mora! force o. an
energeacay persistent aoqulescence u 'iis ooiiso
quenees which may De en1aiieo on 'heis " 70
tusal TO pc oribed q Duilisu my Z
the kepuohcan programme ~ "sA 'lie
states 70 raluy
Whoh tneif eva peopie arg uep1lsea " rs,
ngh.s = eoo Ausuuu y ~
anyIg y. ~ p.osslsiS1 III
@oua e. gainsa 'iuel su0n a. L4as,on %o u,
&c INFINITELY moise elah ~ IeP,esenta.iOn = y,
me 9ou'ieih o'ases "oull piele
eAcluasa forever 1lSn psllA9, ps'iun = ~
government I4,net sna lb y, 1850 rs -
| 4be Afrcau;sed mass which would compose the
nrivIeped constituency There is, therefore, no