Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-07
A Programme of Reconstruction.

resolution recltlng the course taken by tne
citizens of Tennessee to resume their rela-
tons with the United States, and announ-
cling that upon certain conditions, 9TH
State Of Tennessee is declared to be one o.
tie United States, and on an equal footing
with the other States" If this resolution
passes, the obvious result of it is the i'm
mediate admission of all the Tennessee
members who can take the test oath; and
another result will be the announcement
by Congress Of a definite policy Of recon-
struction, and definite terms upon the
adoption Of which the southern states
will become entitled to re-admission. If
adopted,it will doubtless become the model
for all future resolutions reestab1ishing the
relations between the United States and
the several rebellieus states, just as the
Presidents proclamation of May 10Th,
1885, for the reconstruction of North Car
olina, became the model for all subsequent
reconstruction proclamations. 1t marks
an era, therefore, in the legislation of the
present Congress, and should be scanned
with critical care before it is adopted.
In several respects the resolution sub
United by Mr.. Bingham meets our hearty
approval. In the first place 1t definitely
recognizes heright Of Congress to pass upon
the claims Of the southern states to real
mission. It declares expressly that the
people Of Tennessee can only exercise
the functions of a state by the consent of
the law-making power of the United
States. This position has been the one
uniformly announced by the Republican
party, since the close of the war, whether
by its most distinguished speakers, by its
state platforms, or by the action of the
majority in Congress. We have too fire.
guently argued in its favor to reiterate
our arguments now.
In second place, Il rests the rcGdnis-
sion ofAA rs5eIious state, not upon the per-
sonGi loyalty of its Representation, but upon
the condition and relations Of the state IT.
self. In both these positions it is in d.
rect opposition to President Johnson's
policy. The President assumes as the found
alton of his theory that the rebellious
states are already readmitted, OF rather,
that they have never needed readmission.
Hence he holds that Congress has moth
ing to do with the states themselves, and
that all the right it has in the matter is to
decide, under the provision of the Consti-
tuition which makes zach House of Con-
gress the judge of the election and
qualifications of its members, whether
the representatives of these states are
loyal. Congress, on the other hand, holds
that the southern states are not in their
proper relations to the Union, and that
they annot be restored to these relations
without Congressional action. They
therefore make the condition of the state
and the qualifications of its representa-
tiyes two very different matters, the first
of which must be decided before the sec
ond can be considered. This policy was
announced in the Stevens concurrent reso-
luton, and is carried out in the one now
under consideration.
The subject which Mr.. B~ingham's reso-
luton introduces is therefore the condition
of Tennessee end her right ITO exercise
the functions of a state" The qualifca-
tions of her members elect is a subsequent
and minor matter. The resolution pro-
poses to readmit Tennessee because GER
tain conditions nave in her case been full
filed. By a parity Of reasoning, any
other state which fulfls the same condi-
tons will have the same claim to read
mission. What then, are these conditions ?
As recited in the preamble, they arc:
/. That the people Of the state desire
rs-adaissioa. @Whereas," runs the doeu-
ment, 'the people of Tennessee have made
known to Congress their desire that the
constitutional relations that once existed
between them and us should be once more
established" This is a condition prece-
dent to the admission of every new State
and ought to be no less insisted on in tn
present case.
2. That the statehas a republican form Of
government. The document recites that
the people of Tennessee "did, on the 22d
day of February, 1865, by a large popular
vote, adopt and ratify a government re-
ublican in form, and not inconsistent
it'll the constitution and laws of the I
United States" The Constitution grants
o Congress the right to impose this condi-
on, not merely on rebellious states, but
n every state, in the fourth section of its ,
fourth article: The United States shall
guarantee 10 every state in this Union a
republican form of government"
3. That the state is loyal. The pream- &
lie reads: "and a state government t
eng organized which proclaims and de-
notes loyalty to the Union" '
These conditions, the resolution de- q
lares, have been fulfilled by Tennessee. t
But it proceeds to lay down certain other 5
onditions, which must be ratified by the 1
eople or legislature of that state before t
its admission. The existing Constitution t
nd laws, excluding rebels from fran ]
hise and from Office, must be enforced a
the state must never assume any rebel Z
ebt; aud it shall never claim from the {
United States, or make itself, any allow
anee for the emancipation of its slaves. G
These conditions are ample. They aE q
ford a ground upon which the Republican :
majority in Congress can stand together j
in deciding the claims of the rebellious I
But does Tennessee fulfil them? I
Do her people desire readmission? Is her '
form of government republican And !
are her people loyal2 On these questions +
it becomes Congress to deliberate careful t
and well. 1t mast examine the evil !
dence with careful attention. And it be- :
sl to wait for that evidence before
ectding the question. Z
One suggestion is, however, patent to =,
every thinking man. Tennessee, accord =
ing to the census of 1860, contained $685. y
722 white, and 2s3,oIo black inhabitants :,
Her present Constitution ~disfranchises all A
Of the latter class, now freemen and eiti- >,
gems. Does a state possess a republican j
form of government when under that =
government more than one-fourth of its =