The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-10-17
The Radical Mode Of Restoration
from the Chicago Republican !

AAV 4VesuAVIuA AAVuO Va 4kONtUF1Ll0N
4 From the Chicago Republican,
The New Orleans Crescent, referrinc !.
DIR statement that in case the seceds -
Statee should reject the constitution amend
ment, Congress would reorganize them ~
a broader basis as to suffrage, makes t ~
following inquiry
"In what way it is proposed to reornn
ize the Southern States, so rs to excIul.
the white population from the local poyarn
-ments, the Republican does not informns
Probably the plan is to keep us out T.
Congress until We consent to buy our wss
in by surrendering our State government.
into the hands Of the blacks and Of the 81
called loyal whites, such men cs .IacL
Hamilton and Heistand. But to piye =
great d price for 10 small favor is mo,s
than can reasonably be expected, even Il
defeated rebels If there Is any otAs.
way Of accomplishing the object, We bes
the Republican to explain it to US. IN
by,,nothef constitutional amendment? Bnt
how is the amendment to be adpoted If ihs
Southern States refuse to ratifyit? l,ris
It simply by a bold usurpation Of power on J.
the part Of Congress? Will the Repub.
,lical be good enough tolexplain?"
The Crescent misrepresents the radicals
policy in saying it would exclude ths
white population from the local govern.
ment but as the Crescent is alta loss t. {
conceive how Congress could recogdizps tAa
seeded State governments, we reply: TIM
rebellion abolished all State governments
at the South. President johnson, il, his
proclamations of reconstruction, declared
this fact, and based his plan Of reconstruc.
ton on it. For this purpose he issiielI prO.
carnations ordering, among other things.
who should and who should not vote; AMI
ingcuiously framing his proclamation 50 d
to exclude blacks without mentioning them
in express terms. Had Congress recop.
nized these State governments, formed Fl
military proclamation, then they wouid
have become valid State governments !: bdt
Congress having declined to do 50, The
seeded States are really territory of the
United States, over which no civil govern.
merit exists. The so-called State govern.
ments are merely provisional military land,
ii Congress SO ordains, temporary.
Congress may, therefore, pass an enabling
act, somewhat as follows
WHEREAS, the ten States recently. en-.
gagged in the rebellion have thereby lost, for
the time, their ORIGINAL State governments,
and none but military governments exist
therein and whereas, by the abolition OF
slavery four millions Of citizens are added
to the commonwealth Of the several States
aud whereas, no formof government is re-
publican in which so large portion of its
citizens is excluded from the body polite
and is denied the ballot; and whereas, it is
The duty Of the national government to
guarantee to each State a republican form
Of government, and hence to guarantee to
the emancipated race the right to vote o.,
the same terms as it is given to all other
citizens Of the United States therefore, be-
it enacted, etc
|, That the right to vote for all federal
and State officers, or to hold Office under
the State or federal government, shall not
hereafter be denied by any State laws or
officers to any adult male citizens Of the
United States, on account ofhis color, raco
or previous condition.
2. No person who gave aid or comfort
to the rebellion shall, either by voting or
holding Office, participate in recognizing
the State governments of the seeded
States.
3. The President shall Immediately purge
tho provisional State governments by re-
moving from Office Hereunder all persons
who gave aid and comfort to the rebellion,
and appointing in their stead men who
were loyal during the war. -
4. Localities in which no loyal men exist
shall not participate in the work Of recon
struction. Sc s,.,s. 49, =.
5. As soon as the present State organi-
cations shall have been placed in the hands
Of loyal men only, and not exceeding three
months from the passage of this act, tho
people Of each State who were loyal through
out the war. and who shall have returned
affidayits Of that fact to the governor in
the mode prescribed by him, snail elect dele
gates corresponding to the number Of mem.
bers to which they were entitled in tho
State legislature by the Constitution ofthc
State in force in 1860, which delegates
shall meet at q time and place to be designa-
ted by the governor and shall propose
Constitution which whnn rof;Gad Inv n