The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-24
The LOYAL South.

While the great debate upon the report of
the Congressional Committee of Fifteen at
tracts all eyes to Washington, it is neverthe-
less instructive to glance aside and see what
the Union men of the South are doing. II to
us this question is momentous, to them it is
vital. We look for security against future re-
volts, for such wisdom and prudence in legis-
lation as may fairly promise long years of
peaceful growth to the country for which we
have sacrificed so much. They look for i'm
mediate protection against the vindictive pas
sions of their personal enemies, of the men
whom they resisted at the ballot box, to whose
CONSUMPTION laws they refused submission,
whom they met upon the field of battle, and
who have now returned to their old haunts
embittered by defeat and threatening to pro-
scribe all who remained faithful to the Union
during the four dark and bloody years of the
war.
The instinct fselEpreservation teaches men
so situated, as it taught Andrew johnson when
he was identified with the Union men of the
South, that political power must not yet be
suffered to pass into the hands of rebellious
citizens-that "traitors must take back seats"
while the work ofrestoration goes on. When
Andrew johnson was Military Governor Of
Tennessee, in his proclamation directing an
election to be held for the purpose of designat-
ing electors for President and Vice President
of the United States, he required every voter
otherwise qualified to solemnly swear that he
twas an active friend of the Government of the
Uni ;edStates and an enemy of the so-called
Con iederate States" The Legislature of Ten
ness ,e has recently passed law excluding
ever otherwise qualified voter from the polls
in hat State, unless he can swear that he has
never "given aid, counsel or encouragement
to the rebellion, or to any act of hostility to
the government of the United States" The
test oath in Missouri and the registry law in
Maryland are designed to secure the same re-
sult-to carry out President Johnson's "poli-
cy" of assigning back seats for the time being
to the late rebels of the States which have adj
opted these measures.
Virginia is coming up to the same position.
We publish elsewhere the resolutions adopted
by the Union Republican convention held at
Alexandria last week. The first resolution
declares that no recognized State govern
ment should be recognized by the Congress,
which does not exclude from suffrage as well
as Office, at least for term of years, all per-
seas who voluntarily upheld the rebellion
The resolution goes farther, and declares that
another essential condition should be the i'm
mediate Acknowledgement of all Union men,
without distinction of color.
To those Republicans who have looked up
on the Congressional proposition to disfran-
ehise rebels for four years with disfavor land
they are many, we commend these express
sions of the feeling among Southern Union
lists. They feel controlling necessity urging
them to this course as the only means of safe
ty. 1t is not for us, sitting aloof from tho
struggle in which they are engaged, to say
that they are wrong. 1t may nevertheless be
wise for Congress to leave Acknowledgement
to the States, and for its part take the higher
ground of Acknowledgement.