Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-06-13

UdlHlug unalneHued, wall hold more thar
one third OF its representative power and
the supreme control of at least thirteen
States,
3. They will be interested to use that DOW,
er tor the division of the Union: and, fail
ing in that, for the reputation of its mill
tary and financial obligations.
Now, what is to be done? IF these
States are denied representation, it violates
the fundamental principle of republican
government. If allowed double and hos
tile representation, the Union itself must
be destroyed or preserved at the expense of
another war
Three remedies are proposed:
l. Disfranchlse some portion of the reb-
els
2. Allow all the rebels to vote,, but neu-
tralize their disunion sentiments by enfran-
chising the blacks in these States
2. Equalize representation by taking as
its basis either the number of voters or the
population, minus the disfranchised classes /;
so that these States shall have no more rep
resentation in proportion to their represen-
ted people than the old free States have.
Either proposition would require an
amendment to the Constitution, to be ac-
cepted by the rebel States as condition,
precedent to their restoration. 1t is also
proposed TO couple with either proposition
a second amendment, prohibiting the as
sumption of rebel debts and claims either
by States or the United States
The third proposition has commended
itself to much the largest number of Union
members. and the amendments to that eff
feet have already passed this House by more
than two-thirds vote. This, then, SO far
as this House is concerned, is the Congress
=, n A III yva acy
of the rebel leaders, who are wrongly charg-
ing US with having no policy at all, but de-
signing to exclude them for an indefinite
period, is little time to put in form of fun
damental law these pledges of future peace.
For FIVE years they have been out upon
plague infected seas. Can they rot tarry
at quarantine for single session?
Stripped of all disguises, herein lies the
main disagreement. Shall these States be
recognized at once in their present temper,
without guarantees of any kind and with a
twofold representation 1t is not whether
they shall be represented at all to that we
all agree There may be a little question
of time; difference Of few weeks or
few months, and that is all. Shall they be
represented twice over, once In their own
names and once in the name Of the negroes?
Shall they come In upon representative
basis that clothes white man of the South
with almost as much again political power
as a northern man controls? That gives
two white voters in South Carolina as much
voice in the selection of President and in
the legislation of this house as five voters
in PENNSYLVANIA possess? That practically
gives to one seventh of your population, dis
loyal at that, more than one third of your
power? That, sir is the great question be-
fore this House and the American public
1t is an effort on the part of the Opposition
to carry into the politics OF the country the
old problem by which sixteen is made the
majority of foFty-nine. In England it is
called the system of ''rotten- -boroughs."
1t has long been the subject of political
strife between the free and slave-labor coun-
ties of Maryland, Virginia, and Tennessee.
And when it is everywhere else abandoned
as pernicious and anti-republican theory
of representation, We are asked to make it
the basis of reconstruction in the model re-
public.
The enactment of these two simple and
brief amendments, or others similar in pur-
pose, is so absolutely necessary for the pres
ervation of the Republic and the discharge
of its obligations to its soldiers and credi-
tors, and is so just and even generous to the
the insurgents, that they ought to receive
assent Ol every OulOu HAL. L NC oppo-
sition do not dare to discuss their merits.
reconstruction, others assail it with insidu-
Gus and deceptive objections. Some of
these l propose to notice here.
First of all, they complain of the con-
sumption of time. Five months have pass
ed. and not a rebel admitted is the COM
planning accusation. The opposition are
impatient. They cannot wait. Come in
at once, say they, to the ''erring brethren. "
Do not wait to drop your side arms or ex-
change your disloyal garments. Bills to
protect the loyal men of the South against
your pretended violence are pending now,
come and help defeat them. We will soon
have bills to enlarge pensions and equalize
bounties to the soldiers you have MANNED
and the widows you have made; your ad-
vice and votes will be needed. A bill to
give bounty land to the ''boys in blue.
could not be defeated nor the "butternuts'
included without you. A bill to lift the bur
dens of taxation from the industry of the
country and place it upon your foreign con,
federates, through exported cotton, will
need your attention. Hurry up your or
carnations. Do not wait to heal lips bis
tered with a double oath of broken fealty
before YOU kiss the Holy Evangelists with
anOtneG. w Z nave puTlcu Our SOuS anu siiS
languishing to clasp the hands of their muir
derers. When once admitted. deny that
YOU ever tried to break up the Government,
but swear on all occasions that the Lincoln
party were and are the traitors.
The com mplainants have only themselves
to blaine for much of this delay. Except
for their persistent opposition the amend
men.s would have been submitted months
ago 10 the Legislatures then in session in
the loyal States, and been assented to, no
doubt, blythe constitutional number Ex-
cept for their own opposition they might
now he welcoming back their long-mourned