The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-02
The Reconstruction Abortion.

FROM the Wortd.
The plan of reconstruction reported by the
Central Directory" bellies every pretense
whether promissory or apologize, put forward
during the winter by the advocates of delay.
The appointment of such committee implied
that reconstruction, in some form, was the
appropriate business of this Congress. If the
Southern States are not to resume their Federal
privileges until after the year 1870, they will
have no voice either in this Congress or in the
next, or in the next after that next. The Con-
gress which succeeds the present will be elected
in the autumn of 1866, and ats successor in 1861
so that the proposed disfranchsement of the
Southern people till after the 4th of July, 1870,
would exclude them from representation for
three successive Congresses, or the full period
of six years after the close of the war. If this
scheme is to prevail, all action might as wei!
have been deferred till this long period has ex-
pred. II there Is to be no immediate result, a
future Congress would have the advantage of
acting on fuller knowledge and ripper appre-
citation OF still undeveoped facts
The Reconstruction Committee, during the five
months they have had this subject in charge,
have employed themselves, or, at least, have
proiessed TO employ themselves, in making in
qulries and collecting information respecting
the actual condition and present public senti-
ment OF the South. The witnesses they have
examined have been either Southern residents,
like General Lee, Alexander III. Stephens, and
Governor Sharkey, or military officers whose
service in that section, since the war, has given
them opportunities OF observation. But what
good end is served by all this osentatious hustle
OF examining countless witnesses, if reconstruc-
ton is to be so long deferred? The ascertain
ment OF the present state OF Southern public SEN
tlment implied an intention to devise scheme
OF reconstruction adapted to this present
sentiment. On any rational mode of Judging
TINS could lead only to one OF these two results:
either that reconstruction is, at present, mex
pedlent, and th6t nothing ought 10 re done; or
else the proposal OF some plan VIII ch all these
protracted inquiries into the state of Southern
public sentiment afforded areasonable presump-
tlon that the South would accept. Either nothing
should be attempted, or else something which
has, at least, some faint chance of success. If
the inquiries of the committee have brought
! them to the conclusion that, in the present
! temper OF the South no mode of reconstruction,
! at once acceptable to it and safe for the coun.
! try was possible, the committee should have
| concluded their labors by report to that effect
! 10 propose plan whose certain and decisive
| rejection by the South no sane man can doubt
! Is 10 trife with the subject. If, in the opinion
| OF the committee, reconstruction is impossible
they should have frankly said so.
Certain it is, that neither they nor any body
can honestly hold such an opinion. 1t is not
only known, but notorious, that the revolted
! States have been ripe for reconstruction ever
! SINCE Congress met. There has been no neces-
| slty Tor doing aught to coax them in; the great
trouble and task OF Congress has been to shut
them out. This wGs the sole business of the
| Republican caucus held before the organization.
| The Reconstruction Committee, agreed on in
that caucus, was notoriOusly a conIiVance for
| exclusion. The Southern members were on the
| ground, eager for admission. The Committee
could not, therefore, without flying in the teeth
| of well-known facts, ave reported that recon
structon is not yet possible. They we're con.
strained to report, ii they reported at all, some
thing which might be held up to the public as a
| plan OF reconstruction.
But what logical, nay, what possible, connec
ton has the plan reported with the previous
labors OF the committee? How can it be made
to appear that 1t is founded on, adapted to, ol
that IL in any way results from, the testimony
which the committee has so laboriously taken
Why could not this plan have just as well been
formed previous to the testimony as since? One
leading feature of the plan is the proposed
| change in the basis OF representation reducing