American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-10-10
he .erans Of Recommendation.

sprung up on the question whether the
faith of the Republican party is pledged
to restore the Southern States to their
former privileges, in case they adopt the
constitutional amendment. The q les-
,ion was hardly thought worth arguing
by the so.called Conservative press until
very recently but it now bids fair to be-
come the most important quet ton OF the
day. There is no longer any doubt that
the terms of reconstruction will be die
tateG 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 a negative guam
tity-not merely adding nothing, but ac-
tually diminishing their strength. The
rats who were tempted by the prospect
of ofies to desert what they supposed to
be sinking ship are rushing back in
droves with ludicrous panic. No politi-
clan doubts the result outside of the
State of New York, and scarcely any
sensible johnson man pretends to believe
that this State will resist the general
current.
Under these circumstances it is mat.
ter of the highest importance to know
what is the policy of the triumphant par
ty, for if it is pledged to admit the South
ern States upon their adoption OF the
new amendment it is quite possible, not
to say probable, that those Statos will
Weld. Indeed, if Mr.. johnson should
advise them to do so, there can be little
doubt that they would promptly comply /;
and thus reconstructiog would be close
at hand. Mr.. Johnson's notorious OBJ.
stinacy may prevent this result from ia
king place; but he will have had terri
BILE lesson before Congress meets again,
and may be wiser than he is now.
On the one band the New York State
Convention and the National Committee
have pledged the party to receiye any
State adopting the amendment On the
other hand, several distinguished Cong
ressmen 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
amendment; but this billwas lost in the
House, every Democratic member voting
against it, together with all the very con-
servativo and very radical Republicans
1t thus appears that there is no author
ative pledge for the admission of any
State upon the adoption of the constitu
tional amendment; yet it is not difficult
to see that the Republican party is sub
stantially committed to certain policy
in respect to this matter. and that the
South has now, as it has often had be-
fore, an opportunity to chosse its own
destiny. If enough Southern State rat
ify the amendment before next January
to make Its final passage secure, and do
this in q spirit manifesting good faith,we
believe that they will certainly be restor-
ed to their places in Congress. We be-
lieve that the same result would proba-
bly, attend such a ratification at any time
before next February; but if 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 for the action of the South.
Oar reasons for this belief are easily
stated. The Republican party is gener-
ally fighting its battles upon the basis of
the amendment, and on the assumption
that it rontains the terms of reconstruc-
ton. Certainly no State convention and
no national committee have authority to
bind the whole party to any particular
course of action; but as a matter of fact
a sufficient number of candidates for
Csngress are committing themselvet to
this policy to make it certain that it will
be carnrd out, if the South is shrewd
enough to present the question in prac-
tical form. We do not see how the ma
jority of Congress can wei refuse to ad-
init any of Mr., Johnson's States upon
the adoption OF the amendment by the
requisite number Of States, including, of
course, the particular State asking for
admission.
But when it is broadlp asserted, as it
is by some Journals which affect pecu-
liar knowledge of the popular will
(though they have shown in the past an
Ignorance of it almost ludicrous, coasid,
ering their pretensions), tina, the party
is pledged Internationally to the admis
sion of every State ratifying the amend
ment, we deny it. Congress is under nc
obliSation whatever to admit any rebel
State until the ratification of the amend