Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-06-28
WILMINGTON. n. c., JUNE %, 1866
Reconstruction.

| Reconstruction.
! We have refrained thus far from any discussion
of the amendment to the Constitution contained
in the final report of the Reconstruction Commit
tee. and which has passed both Houses OF Con
gress by the required majority. We regarded such
discussion as useless and possibly hurtful 1t has,
however. been discussed at length by many OF our
State and other Southern exchanges That 1t
would pass Congress whenever it was reported, we
were confident but we felt that all we could do
was to refuse to accept the terms of degradation
offered to u.s. if it caused the failure of the poiti
cal reconstruction of the government for aye.
North Carolina and her SO uthern sisters may as
we'll remain in the political uncertainty they now
are. OF even revert back to the Provisional Gov
eminent, as to go voluntarily into compact not
only shorn of their strength, but through a sur
render of their honor and manhood. .r..
The amendment passed Congress by o strict
party VOTE which transfers it from that body to
the Legislatures of the several States for their rat
ifcations. 1t requires the approval OF three
fourths of said Legislatures to make this amend
ment part and parcel of the supreme law OF the
land. But whether by the Legislatures OF all the
States of the Union, OF Of those only represented
in Congress, is question about which the admin
istration and Congress differ as widely and fadi-
cally as thew do in reference to other matters
touching the reconstruction of the government
The amendment provides that all persons born
or natulalized in the United States, OF all colors,
Except Indians, not taxed, citizens thereof,
and of the State in which they live and shall have
equal protection under the laws: that the basis OF
representation in Congress shall be regulated &C
cording to the restrictions which the States may
severally impose upon the right of suffrage; that
all citizens of the States, who have at any time
taken an oath to support the Constitution OF the
United States in Il civil military capacity, and
who afterwards gave aid and encouragement to the
rebellion shall he excluded from all Federal and
State offices her eater> subject to admission by q
two-thirds vote of each House of Congress; that
the national debt and soldiers pensions and boun-
ties shall be held inviolate and that all debts Of
the rebellion and all claims for losses of slaves
shall be everywhere and utterly repudiated. These
we think contain all the points of the
proposed amendment, and which the Legislatures
are called upon to ratify
If the amendment is to be submitted only to
those States now represented in Congress, it will
pass with but very few negative votes. and the
Brownlow Legislature of Tennessee, will swell
Union be permitted to vote the result will be very
doubtful unless the complexion of some of the
Northern Legislatures is changed, as has doubt
less been done in Oregon But to prevent any
such contingency, the oficious Governor of Penn
sylvania, even before its passage, has opened COM
munications with the Governors of all the North
ern States asking that they convene their respec-
tive Legislatures Immediately after the adoption
by Congress of the amendment, evidently afraid
that the decision of the people in the approach
ing elections may be adverse to the Radical plan
Of reconstruction, and that the political status of
many of these bodies may be changed.
The propositions in the amendment are simple,
md will operate they intended, for the dis
ofninety nine one-hundredths of our
people, throwing the State Governments and Fed
,ral representation entirely into the control of
hat class of our population who were lately our
slaves, or worse, with those who have been and now
ire our avowed secret enemies. Should this
amendment be submitted to the Southern Legis-
atures and they should ratify it, what is gained
hereby? By ratifying it they will voluntarily
make it part and parcel of the Constitution, by
which they will be prohibited from all partcipa-
ion in the Government, until they shall have
complied with all of its provisions and with
uch legislation Congress shat adopt to gioe it effect
Even should the propositions be accepted them
elves, in view of the consideration at stake, this
ause, handing over its operation to the interpre-
alton to Radical Congress, is enough to warn !
Legislatures OF the danger of its &C
,eptance.
We are frank to say, that if we supposed for one
moment that the great body of the Northern peo- |
Die entertained the feelings towards the South |
in the report and the amendment, so |
Universally voted for by their representatives in
Congress, would despair of ever beholding the |
restoration of the Government Every feature |
condemns it inimcal to the true spirit of recon
iliation and fraternal union 1t is Intentionally
hamefully offensive to the Southern people and |
vantonly disrespectful to the President
We feel confident that it will not move the Presi-
lent title from the path which the Constitu- |
ion and his oath have marked out for him, and it |
viii fall harmless and dispised at the feet of the
Southern people. Never once reaching to the |
lelght of the great argument, the deplorable con-
,eside many other acts of legislation by the |
resent Congress, as founded in partizan bitter
less and passed for party success
Agricultural Matters New Hanover.
The Farmers Club of Spring Garden and Rocky |
Point, in this county, held their last monthly /
neeting on Saturday last, at the residence of Mr..
DEL Hines. Members attend with much reeulari-
,, and manifest much interest in the object of the
,lub-the advancement of the art and science of