The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-06
The Terms of Reconstruction.


Quite an animated contro versy has sprung up
on the question whether the faith of the Re-
publican party is pledged to restore the Southern
States to their former privileges, in case they
adopt the Constitutional amendment. The
question was hardly thought worth arguing by
the so-called conservative press until very re-
Gently; but it now bids fair to become the most
important question Of the day. There is no
| longer any doubt that the terms of reconstruc-
! ton will be dictated by the Republican party,
and that Mr.. johnson is henceforth a mere
cipher, if, indeed his value to his allies is not
better represented by negative quantity-not
merely adding nothing, but actually diminish
ing their strength. The rats who were tempted
by the prospect of Office to desert what they
supposed to be sinking ship are rushing back
in droves with ludicrous panic. No politician
doubts the result outside the State of New
York, and scarcely any sensible Johnson man
pretends to believe that this State will resist the
general current.
Under these circumstance it is matter of
| the highest importance to know what is the
policy of the triumphant party for If 1t is pledged
| to admit the Southern States upon their adop-
| ton of the new amendment, it is quite possible,
not to say probable that those States will yield.
| Indeed, if Mr.. johnson should advise them to
do so, there can be little doubt that they would
promptly comply; and thus reconstruction would
be close at hand. Mr. Johnsons notorious
obstinacy may prevent this result from taking
place; but he will have had a terrible lesson
before Congress meets again, and may be wiser
| than he is now.
On the one hand the New York State Conven.
ton and the National Committee have pledged
the party to receive any State adopting the
amendment. On the other hand several dis.
tinguished Congressman have declared their
intention to insist upon more stringent terms.
The Reconstruction Committee reported
a bill guaranteeing admission to the Rebel
States upon the final adoption of the amend
ment; but this bill was lost in the House, every
Democratic member voting against 1t, together
with all the very conservative and very radical
Republicans. ..r
It thus appears that there is no authoritative
pledge for the admission OF any State upon its
adoption of the Constitutional amendment; vet
it is not difficult to see that the Republican
party is substantially committed to certain
policy in respect TO this matter, and that the
South has now, as it has often had before, an
opportunity to choose its own destiny. If
enough Southern States ratify the amendment
before next January to make its final passage
secure, and do this IN a spirit manifest ting good
faith, we believe that they will certainly be re-
stored to their places in Congress. We believe
that the same result would probably attend
such a ratification al any time before next Feb
ruary; but II the South should remain obstinate
up to that time, we judge that its subsequent
submission would not avail it. Certainly we
should hold Congress to be abundantly justified
in refusing TO wait after the month of January
| lOI Iu6 dCllOu VI tue SOulu.
| Our reasons for this belief are easily stated.
! The Republican party is generally fighting its
| battles upon the basis of the amendment, and
on the assumption that it contains the terms of
reconstruction. Certainly no State Convention
and no national committee have authority to
bind the whole party to any particular course
| of action; but as matter OF fact sufficient
| number of candidates for Congress are commit
ting themselves 10 this policy to make it certain
that it will be carried out If the South is shrewd
enough TO present the question in practical
form. We do not see how the majority of Con-
gress can well refuse to admit any OF Mr.. John
sons States upon the adoption of the amend.
ment by the requisite number of States, in
cluding, of course, the particular State asking
for admission.
But when it is broadly asserted as ii is by
some journals which affect a peculiar know.
ledge of the popular will Though they have
shown in the past an ignorance of it almost lu
dicrous, considering their pretensionsl, that the
, party is pledged Internationally to the admis
sion OF every State ratifyng the amendment, we
deny 1t. Congress is under no obligation what
: ever TO admit any Rebel State until the ratidca
uon OF the amendment is secure 1t may waive
: this condition, as it did in favor of Tennessee
but it is in no way bound 10 do so in favor O
I South Carolina. This, however is unlikely Il
| be practical question. The amendment viii
2 | probably be ratified either by all the revolteC
States or by none, except possibly North Caro-
| lima. ..r+ -
! The more important question is How LONG is
| Congress bound to keep the offer of admission
open upon these termsg In order TO determin,
this, it is necessary to consider all the circum
t stances Clearly there is no sort OF obligation