Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-09-26
The Issue Plainly Stated.

| The Conservatives labor to create the i'm
preston that the radicals are opposed TO the
| speedy restoration of the revolted States to
their old places in the circle of the Union
President johnson, Secretary Seward and a
! good many newspapers expend vast amount
Of turgid rhetoric to this end The facts so
obviously point in the opposite direction
that we are constrained to conclude these
/ distinguished gentlemen, and those news
papers, do not believe what they affirm on
this head.
Congress has laid down the conditions on
which it will consent to the restoration of
| the rebel States. These conditions are en-
| bodied in formal proposition to amend the
| Constitution in certain particulars. Not Cne
of these conclusions look to the exclusion, for
any period, long or short, of the revolted
States, from full and equal participation
with the loyal States in the control of the
government. The understanding is, that so
soon as any one of the eleven seeding States
shall ratfy this amendment its delegations
shall be promptly admitted to seats In the
Senate and House of Representatives. One
of the eleven, Tennessee, did ratify this
amendment, and its Senators and Represen-
tatives were promptly sworn in No reason
exists for believing the same rule will not be
applied to the remaining ten. These ten
States, or any of them, can take places in
Congress at the opening of the next session,
If they desire to, by following the example
Of Tennessee and this is certainly as early
as the adoption of the Presidents Policy
can possibly get them in.
The actual point IN controversy, then. is
not the precise or relative time when the
other States shall be restored, but the con-
ditions enacted as precedent to restoration.
Congress insists on the incorporation of
four new stlpulationS into the organic law
|. That all persons born or naturalized in
the United States, and subject to the juris-
diction thereof, shall be accounted citizens,
and that no State shall make laws to abridge
the privileges or lmmunities of any citizens
in respect to life, liberty or property. 2.
That representation shall be apportioned,
not according to population, but according
to the number of voters. g. That no per-
son shall be a member of either branch of
Congress, or Presidential elector, or hold
any office whatever under the United States,
who had previously, as any office holder un-
der the general or any state government,
taken an oath to bear true allegiance to the
Union, and then violated it, by embarking
in the rebellion; and, f. That the public
debt OF the United States, including debts
incurred for services in suppressing the re-
bellion, shall not be impaired; and that
HeiJief tne Onlteu StateS nor any one OF the
States shall assume to paw any debt contract
ed in support of the rebellion, or to indemni-
fly for the loss of slaves emancipated.
The Presidents Policy declares each and
all of these stipulations to be wrong, and
maintains that the revolted States shall
come back without conditions, and without
any changes whatever in the Constitution
designed to operate as guarantees for the
future.
When, therefore, the President, or any
body else, charges that Congress or the Re
publican party are disunionists, in any sense
as implying opposition to the complete and
PROMPT restoration of all the States, and to
equal authority, he or they deliberately fall |
sify. The question at issue is-shall the u |
nion be restored? All are agreed on that |
head: The only open question relates to
conditions On that question the President |
has gone squarely over to the rebels and |
with them and declares that no
condition whatever shall be prescribed or
enforced. The Republicans, having fought
the war to asuecessfulconclusion are resolv-
ed that such terms shall be assented to as
VIII guard against trouble in time to come,
as VIII protect the just rights of the emapci-
pated bondmen, and secure beyond all per-
adventure the national credit. This is the /
length and breadth of the case PitsJuro
Gazette.