The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-08-16
WHOLE NO. 1904.

ern Democratic leaders to slavery, the
history of the passage Of the Nebraska
bill, and hundred other political events
which have occurred in the last thirty
years that the demand will be promptly
acceded to.
The amendment is, therefore, impera-
lively required, by the sympathies, cow
ardice, and the habits of submission to
Southern men by which Northern Dem
ocratic leaders are distinguished. a
TO say that men who but yesterday
were in rebellion to destroy the Gov
ernment, having been yanquished last
night, may to-day, without conditions
or hindrance, resume their seats in Con-
gress and take part in the administration
of affairs, would be proposition OF
which we might say, in homely phrase,
"there is no sense in it." 1t would be
to destroy all distinctions between loyal
ty and treason; to confound all differ
ence between the support of the Gov
ernment and the destruction of it, 1t
is an old saying that treason is justified
by its success, but this would justify it
equally in defeat This proposition be-
longs to the class of vile s0phistries
wherewith the country was assailed at
the beginning of and throughout the
war, and which were the fiimsy and
transparent garments by which North
ern men sought to cover the hideous
nakedness of their sympathy with the
rebellion. They said "the Government
could not coerce a State; that was in
compatible with the nature of Govern
Inent to preserve its existence by force"
and that our government had no right
J by force of arms to preserve its life
against rebellious violence.
Mr.. Buchanan, in his message to Con-
gress in December, 1880, committed
himself to the inconccivably foolish par
adox, that States under the Constitution
had no right to secede, but that if they
: attempted secession, the Government
! had no power to prevent them from 80
i doing. And again, during the war,
J. when it became manifest to the world
y that the rebellion could not be suppressed
n and slavery preserved, Mr.. Lincoln was
II furiously denounced as usurper, tyrant,
i and fend for his great Proclamation Of
9 Freedom. And now as proper con-
+ clusion we are told by the authors of
J these infamous sayings that vanquished
IS rebels may, and ought to, without con-
IS dition, hindrance or delay, return to
L their places of trust, profit and power
.e in the Government, just as if nothing
p had happened. .
oi The right to protect itself against pub
a. lie or secret enemies and to punish or
d impose conditions upon traitors, is an
q essential principle in every form of Gov
4 ernment, and without it no Government
N can exist. In our Government the law
III has prescribed death as the punishment
ot for treason, but it is true in Governments
4 as in everything else, that the greater
le includes the less. The Government
le may commute the punishment of death
H. to imprisonment. 1t may remit the inn
'r prisonment and insist only upon the for
70 70 feiture of political and civil rights; and
III it may leave to the traitor his civil rights,
of depriving him only of certain political
rights, or it may forgive the crime in all
b. its consequences, and restore him to full
a citizenship, as living monument of
/ pardoning grace Every step that has
s. been taken in the work of reconstruc-
e, ton thus far has proceeded upon this
d principle And here may be allowed
T. to remark, that reconstruction consists
: of two distinct things which are in many
lie respects independent of each other: ~
or First T. The reorganization of the
lie State Governments, in the States lately
IN in rebellion. ... .-.
ne Secondly-The admission of Senators
ot and members of Congress from such
he States to seats in the Congress of the
ee United States.
be The first part was undertaken by
lis President Johnson, and whether proper
he ly or improperly, it is now hardly worth
at while to discuss, inasmuch as the Stats
b. Governments reconstructed upon bis
m plan are in operation, and the pro-
no gramme submitted by the Reconstruc.
lst ton Committee, does not, as | under
u stand it, contemplate their dissolution
Id or require their modification beyond rat
DIS flying the Constitutional amendment
and making their Constitutions andlawI
"a conform to its provisions.
ed President johnson in bis plan for re
" constructing the State governments
er- treated the rebellious inhabitants of thos
nd States as having by their treason forfeit
ny ed their political and civil rights, anC
ebt he granted them permission to reorgan
ny ize State governments only upon certaiI
OF conditions, and excluded from all part
cipation certain classes of persons spe
by cially designated, unless they should frs
the receive personal and specific pardon
eir He provided that no one should partici
the pate in the work Of reconstruction with
his out first having taken an oath, the term
the Of which he prescribed.
nal He then provided that the govern
os- ments which might be reorganize'
are should not be recognized until they hsf
ley formally abolished slavery in their sev
ent eral States, had ratified the amendmen
are of the Constitution of the United States
I'M which forever prohibited slavery within
1 r. q II 49,