The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-17

Immediate Restoration of the South
Under the constitutional Amendment
OF Congress.
Prom the Herald.
The fogs and clouds in which the great ques-
ton of Southern restoration have been covered
up since the adjournment OF Congress are at
length breaking away. We know now what to
do. We have been taught by the famous mari
neT Daniel Webster, after drifting about for
many days in thick weather and in an unknown
sea, TO avail ourselves of the firstIgmpse of the
sun for an observation and reckoning, in order
10 ascertain how far the winds and waves have
driven us from our true course. We thus find
from the bearings of the Maine election that the
true course for the Southern States and the
Administration is laid down in the Constitu-
tional amendment OF Congress. In other
words, we are convinced from the significant
results of the Maine election that tins amend
Dent VIII carry all the Northern States yet to
come, and that against the solid North any fur.
ther resistance from the Administration or the
excluded Southern States will be waste OF
time, foolish and suicidal to all concerned.
We would, therefore, urge upon President
johnson the statesmanlike policy of q truce
with Congress, and an active cooperation with
the fixed and predominant public opinion of
the North, in behalf OF the immediate restora-
ton OF the South on the basis of this Consttu-
tional amendment. We have shown that there
is nothing in 1t which the President has not
himself at one time or another recommended
at essential to the security of the Union. 1t IS
not the radical plan; it IS not so near, in fact,
to the Rebel disabling and contsCation plan of
Thaddeus Stevens as the propositions put forth
from time TO time by Andrew johnson. II is
compromise which the President ought to have
adopted in cooperation with Congress, and
which he ought now tO adopC at all events, be-
cause his conflict with Congress, If persisted in,
will be most emphaticaly decided against him.
n ruiG 70 hIn
as clear to the searcher for the true situation
o. things as the light OF the sun through the
breaking clouds. Not one OF the States which
voted for Lincoln and johnson will fail to adopt
this Constitutional amendment since New Jer-
scy, the only Northern state whose vote was
against them, has led OF for the North in the
ratification.
The policy aud the duty of President Johnson,
therefore, are as clear as mathematical de-
monstration, and equally clear is the policy of
the still excluded Southern States. We have
earnestly advocated the Presidents policy; but
alter the verdict Of the jury the argument is at
an end. The example OF Tennessee in the ratid-
cation OF the amendment is now the only alter
native for the other Southern states. Tennes-
see, in ratiiying the amendment, opened the
door to the admission OF her members into both
houses or Congress. She, by that simple act, is
reconstructed and restored. Certain individuals
of her people who violated their oaths to sup
port the Federal Constitution in gong over to
the Rebellion are disabled from holding any
Federal Office hereafter until absolved by two
thirds vote of each house OF Congress; but
by that vote they can be reinstated even in Con-
gress itself, if duly elected by their people.
Next. in regard TO the rights of suffrage to the
blacks, this amendment simply provides that
when in any state the right OF suffrage 'is de-
MED to any of the male inhabitants of sucn
State, being tWenty-One years OF age, and cit-
.zens of the United States, or when this right
is in "any way abridged exception participation
in Rebellion or other crime, the basis OF repre-
sentation therein shall be reduced in the proper
tion which the number of such male citizens
shall bear to the whole number OF male citizens
ABOVE the age OF tWenty-one years in such State.n
In other words, II you give all your males,
whites and blacks, above the age of tWenty-One
years. the right 10 vote, you shall count themiall
in counting your people for Congress, but
neither they nor the families to which they
belong shall be counted If you deny them the
right to vote, whether because Of their particu-
lar color or because they do not own certain
amount of property or because they cannot
read and write. An abridgment of the suffrage
on any of these grounds entails corresponding
reduction IN counting the people Tor representa-
tion in Congress.
Universal suffrage and universal representa-
ton, or limited suffrage and partial representa-
tion in proportion, Just as each State, from
Maine to Texas, may Tor itself elect, is the con-
dition of this Constitutional amendment South
Carolina, Tor instance, has population OF
700, O,OOO-of which 100000 are whites and 400,0 900
are blacks. Taking 100000 as the number re-
quired Tor each member of Congress, she will
have seven members If she grants universal
suffrage; out ii Sle GUS OH all ner OldCkS sue
loses four members, and proportionatey as the
suffrage is restricted by qualification or color,
property, OF education to whites or blacks This
may seem pretty severe upon the South but it
applies also, more or less, TO every Northern
Slate, including New York, which has negro
property qualification 1.-TWO hundred and nifty
dollars), and Massachusetts,, where they have a
reading and writing qualification. Ali the States
will have to modify their laws to universal sut-
frage under this Constitutional amendment, or
be cut down to greater or less extent in their
Eumerations for Congress.
This amendment is going through. There is
no other settlement for the South. The Cover
nors of the Southern States ought therefore, to
cali their legislatures together at once, and
ratify this amendment, so that with the meeting
of Congress in December they may be all re
stored to both houses In this way they can al
once secure the balance of power in Congress
and put an end 10 any further attempt of the
radicals to apply new restrictions of State resto
ration. The Southern States, too, wl'l thus DC
put in position TO take their ground, and shape
Their course to some purpose in view of tht
Presidential election. What has been done il
the case of Tennessee amounts to the adoption
OF a rule of admission. The way is plain, tn
door is open, and in this simple act OF ratiaca
tion the South will be restored 10 its balanc
OF power IT is the ultimatum of the victori al
North and the South will lose much and gail
nothing by delay in its adoption.
Cabinet Councils.
From the Tribune. I.....