The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-05-17

ought to receive the assent of every Union
man, especially of every northern Union
man. The Opposition do not dare to dis
cuss their merits. While some deny that
We have any plan of reconstruction, others
assail it with insidious and deceptive
objections. Some of these 1 propose TO
notice here. ~
First of all, they complain of the con-
sumption OF time. Five months have
passed, and not rebel admitted, is the
complaining accusation. The Opposition
are Impatient. They cannot wait. Come
In at once, say they, to the 'eerring breth-
reu Do not wait to drop your side arms
or exchange 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 pen
slons and equalize bounties to the soldiers
you have MANNED and the widows YOU
have made; your advice and votes will be-
needed. A bill to give bounty land tn the
"boys In blue" could not be defeated nor
the 'butternuts" included without YOU.
A bill to lift the burdens of taxation from
the industry of the country and place it
upon your foreign confederates, through
exported cotton, will need your attention.
hurry ur your organizations. Do not
wait to heal lips bIistered with double
oath OF broken fealty before YOU kiss the
Holy Evaugelisrs with another. We have
buried our sons and are languishing to
clasp the hands of their murderers. 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 complainants have only themselves
to blame for much of this delay. Except
Tor their persistent opposition the amend
ments would have been submitted months
ago to the Legislatures then in session in
the loyal States, and been assented to, NO
doubt, by the constitutional number
Except tor their own opposition they
might now be welcoming back their long
mourned friends to seats in these Halls.
But they would consent to nothing that
did not return them greater in numbers,
and more male7olent in purpose. Hence
the delay. Hinc iMas lacrinaae.
Next we are told that it conflicts with
the PRESIDENTS policy" What is tbs
Presidents policy? L aver, first, that the
President, when last authoritatively heard
from, was in favor of the principle en-
bodied in each of the proposed amend
ments Of the first one, because he
required the confederate States to adopt
it; of the second one, because he has re-
peatedly declared himself in favor of
making the number of voters the basis of
representation. I aver, second, that he
does not consider the status of the States
such, that their assent to constitutional
amendments cannot be required as condi-
TONS precedent to their restoration be-
cause he directed Mr.. Seward to inform
these States that their assent to the
amendment proposed in the last Congress
was indispensable" to restoration and
because he has not himself dealt with
them as if they were States already
in the Union. When the confederacv fell
they were in fall operation under govern
ments originally organized in the Union.
Governors, Legislatures, judges, and a full
set Of county and township officers were at
work under constitutions once declared to
be republican in form by the United
States. These governments were regular
unless you assent to the doctrine of for
feiture, for they had political continuity,
what the church people call apostolic sue
cession. Yet they were destroyed by the
Presidents order and new ones extempo-
rized in their stead.
From that time to this, in the States,
the breath of the President has been the
law of the land. Mr.. johnson went much
further in this direction than his prede-
cessor. Mr.. Lincoln established govern
ments only 10 States where he found mono
existing before, but Mr.. johnson first
destroyed existing governments and then
supplied their places with these of his
own creation. So, both by words, and
actions which speak louder than words,
the President assents to every principle
involved in the congressional policy of
reconstruction. Indeed, the two policies
could not well conflict, because they re-
late to different subjects. The one Gre
ates or revives State organizations, the
other renews their Federal relations
When these organizations were complete,
and the States ready to apply to Congress
for return to the Union, the Presidents
policy was ended His work was all
done The rest was for Congress- So he
directed his Secretary of State to inform
Governor Sharkey, July "A, 1865, Gov.
Marvin, September II, 1865, ard so he
informed us in his annual message. Ifhe
has changed his policy since then it is
hardly worth while to inquire what it is
now, for his principles are written in va
ter.
lCOncIUsion merit tceek
L.