The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-07
Here's Your Mule.

Tie Chicago Republican has undertaken the task of
mapping out destiny. Here it is:
Tie seeded States real territory of the United
Safes over which civil government exists The
so-callcd State governments merely provisional
military, and, if congress ordains, temporary.
Congress may therefore, pass enabling act some
what as follows:
Whereas The ten States recently engaged in the
rebellion have thereby lost for the tme their original
State governments and none butmilitary government5
exist therein; aud whereas, by the abolition OF slavery
four millions of citizens are added to the common
wealth of the several States and whereas, form of
government is republican in which SO large portion
OF It's citizens is excluded from the body polite and is
denied the ballot; and whereas, the duty OF the
national government TO guarantee to each State re-
publican form of government and hence to guarantee
to the emancipated the right to vote on the same
is given to all other citizens OF the United
States; therefore, be it enacted, etc,
j. That the right to for all federal and State
officers hold office under the State or federal
government, shall not hereafter be denied by any
State laws officers any adult male citizens OF the
Unitd States, on account of his color, or prev
Gus condition.
. No person who gave aid or comfort to the REBEL
ion SHALL either by voting holding office, partlci-
pate in recognising the State governments of the Sc
ccdef States.
g. The president Shall Immediately purge the pro
yisional State governments by removing from office
hereunder all pcrsons who gave aid and comfort to
the rebellion, and appointing in theF stead men who
were loyal during the
t. Localities in which no loyal men exist shall not
participate in the work Of reconstruction
> As soon as the present State organisations shall
have been placed IN the hands Of loyal men only, and
not exceeding three months from the passage OF this
act he people of each State who were loyal through
out the war; and who shall have returned atidavts OF
that fact to the governor in the mode prescribed by
him shal elect delegates corresponding to the num-
Der Of members to which they were entitled in the
State legislature by the constitution OF the State in
force in 1860 which delegates shall meet at a time
aud place to be designated by the governor, and shall
propose a constitution, which when ratified by
ority of the loyal people of the State aud by congress
shall be the constitution OF the State.
6. Immediately the adoption and ratification OF
such constitution by the people of the State and by
congress the provisional governor thereof shall order
an election for State officers pursuant to Che foregoing
provisions which, if found duly elected, shat be ad-
mitted to seats in congress in like manner members
elect from States whose governments have never been
destroyed
7. When the members so elect shall have been ad-
nittcd to the senate and house of representative bo
of the State from which they
come shall pass the government thereoE 10 the
officers elect under the constitution, and the said
State shall then be restored to its normal position M
the Union, and the president shall so proclaim
Congress has two constitutional grounds On hteh
to base its exercise of the power to extend taa sui-
frage The first is above indicated, and rests on che
fact that the seeded States are mere errtoues witt
out civil government, over when congress Is beHu 20
extend republican forms of government. The second
arises out of the right vested in congress by The con
sultion article one section four, ito make ar aItgr
by law" such regulations shall be presented in
each State by the legislature thereof as to tle maE
ner Of electing senators and representatives. 1t is
well known that when Mr.. Jefferson, who was absent
from the country during the framing Of the constitu
tion, charged Mr. Madison who drew the original draft
which grew into the document ultimately adopted,
with having by the above clause giving congress the
pow cr to pass uniform national suffrage law, and to
override the suffrage laws of the States Mr. Madison
admitted that the clause had that effect and claimed
that such Il power necessary to prevent State
from disranch>ng that portion Of her citizens whose
votes might be most necessary preserve the Union
Mr Madison had more to do with framing the consti
tuition than any other statesman, and his declaration
that the convention which framed the instrument de
signed to have it vest in congress the power to pass
uniform suffrage laws for the election of all federal Of
fcers is overwhelming But, the language of the con
stitution itself is plain, and needs no commentary