The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-14
What the Endorsing of the Presidential
Plan of Reconstruction Involves.

What the Endorsing of the Presidential
Plan OF Reconstruction Involves.
WE take it for granted that the Convention
which assemblies in this city to-day will, among
its other proceedings, pass resolution endors-
ing the reconstruction policy of President
JOHNSON Indeed, considering all the circum-
stances attending the inception and assemblage
of the Convention, it can do no less. Assuming
this to be so, 1t is a question of some interest
whether the conservative theory of reconstruc-
ton and President JoHNsoN's actual eoork of
reconstruction can be harmonized.
The conservative theory, a, we understand it,
is, that the Rebellion did not in the least change
the relations of the States in which it occurred
70 the Union, nor IN any sense destroy or
impair the rights which said States had as con-
stituent parts of the Union. Such relations
and rights remained valid ana intact during the
entire course of the Rebellion, and are so at
the present moment. AS a conclusion from
these premises, the right of representation in
Congress legitimately follows.
AS this is a point of some importance, we
prefer to let eminent conservatives themselves
state it. The minority of the Joint Congress
sional Committee of Reconstruction, composed
of Messrs. REvEBDY JOHNSON, A. J. RoGERs and
HENRY GRIDER in their report lay down and
support the following proposition in regard to
the Rebel States, viz, that "such States, during
the entire Rebellion, were as completely compo-
nent States of the United States as they were
before the Rebellion, and were bound by all
the obligations which the Constitution imposes,
and entitled to all its priudeges."
The Hon. III. A. NELSON, temporary Chairman
Of the Conservative State Convention at Sara
toga, which elected the conservative delegation
from New York to the Philadelphia Convention,
aid down the following proposition with refer
ence to the Rebel States:-
''No State can dissolve its relations with its
sister States. Once a State In the Union, it is
entitled to all the rights and privileges guar.
anteed by the Constitution. 1t Is entitled to be
Represented not only on the flag but IN the Con-
gress of the natOD."
But the clearest statement of the conservative
theory that have yet met with, and the boldest,
because carrying that theory out to some of its
logical conclusions is that made by the Hon.
THOMAS EWING, Sr., in very long and elaborate
letter to Secretary BROWNING, dpropoS of the
Philadelphia Convention. In that letter he says:
"I assume, therefore, that the laws of The
Union enacted pursuant to the Constitution are
permanent, neither weakened nor affected by
the laws OF the State; that no State can secede
from the Onion, either temporarily or perma-
nently; that the ordinances OF seces ession, though
bearing the names oil the States, were the acts
of unauthorized men who temporarily usurped
power; that during the whole contest from its
beginning to its close, each and all the States
notwithstanding their ordinances of secession
were States of the Union and in the Union and
at the close OF the contest the usurped power
was Withdrawn, and the supremacy of the Union
acknowledged by the authorities of the States.
VI fOUO1CS q onen
the heat and 0i0!ence of the Rebellion, States in
aD1ch hebeL U10ence most prevailed l1ere each and
an of them as States entitled to their representation
an the t1oo Houses of Congress.
1t cannot therefore, be nationally contended
that State in which the Rebellion has been
suppressed, the ordinance ofsecession rescinded
and annulled, and the power of the Union
acknowledged, can be denied its representation
in the two Houses of Congress because IL has
been for a time controlled by men IN state of
revolt t1hen that UeTy condition, 1ohite II eriSted
did not depTtUe IL OF the r1ght Of representation"
We need not point out the error of fact in Mr..
EwNG's assertion that 'at the close of the con-
test the usurped authority was withdrawn" !"
when, in truth, it was violently overthrow;
nor is it necessary to call attention to the start
ling but necessary consequence" he deduces
from the conservative theory. He might have
added that, as necessary consequence also, the
Rebel States seven in the heat and violence of
the Rebellion" were entltled TO cast their votes
for President and Vice.PresIdent. Fortunately,
the common sense of the country in that hour
of supreme difficulty and danger saved it both
from this theory and all its necessary conse.
Quenoes."
1t will be seen that we have quoted almost
entirely from what may be pre-eminently called
conservative" authority, and of Republican
antecedents. OF course, the theory maintained
by that political faction commonly known as
''Copperheads," and by the late Rebels them.
selves, is quite as emphatic as to the monitor.
feiture of State rights on account of Rebellion.
Now, the question is, how can this theory be
harmonized with President JOHNsoN's plan oi
reconstruction as it has actually been carried
out9 That plan involved the entire oDerthrolo oil
the various State Governments of the Rebel
States. II the States, as the conservative theory
maintains, lost none of their rights on account
of the Rebellion, how does it happen that they
were lawfully deprived of that most sacred and
comprehensive right-the right OF having their
own chosen local governments3 This right In
Cludes all Others. II Is the fundamental right
OF @ State. When It Is overthrown nothing
% nf mt President