The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-05-09
RADICAL RECONSTRUCTION
PLAN,

PLAN. ...
Our readers have been fully advised of the
inception, character, and tendency of the plan
of Reconstruction reported by the Committee
of Fifteen to the Congress OF the United
States, which contained the conditions precs-
dent to the admission of the Southern States
to representation in Congress, and their conse-
quent restoration to the Union. The question
of its passage is now before Congress; and al
though we deem some of the conditions utterly
unworthy of attention at the South, and i'm
possible of acceptance by our people. we
watch the progress of this plan through Con
gress with much interest; because, being only
one of series of measures which we regard as
revolutionary in their character, and utterly
subversive of constitutional liberty, the
whole together deeply affect our future status,
peace and tranquility, and threaten the vio-
lent disruption of civil government in the
United States. o
When tho subject was taken up in the
House of Representatives yesterday, Mr.. Thad
Stevens, the leader of the Radicals, of the
House, and of the "irrspressble" majority of
the Northern States and people, announced
the DOGMA, settled and determined by the
Radicals under which the amendments to the
Constitution and the bills reported by the
committee were to be passed by the applica-
ton of whip and spur He utterly scorned
nd ,op,1io+od tho ;1ao fbat tbo yiamc Of rho
States lately in rebellion should be counted in
the adoption of the amendment ~ Under this
view, the disfranchisement of eleven Southern
States would be absolute and complete, and
in the construction and remodelng of the
organic law, they are to have no voice at all.
Completely powerless now, they are to be
kept SO, until every condition the conqueror
chooses to impose has been imposed, and they
are brought under despotic organic govern
ment, the provisions of which they are not al
lowed to discuss, but are required, uncondi-
tionally, to accept
Now, when we remember that Mr.. Stevens
is the representative man of his section, and
the chosen mouth-piece of the Northern ma
jority in Congress-when we remember the
potency which his position gives him, and
the majority with which, for six months in
the House Of REPRESENTATIVE, , he has been ,S
conUInuaHy UacKed u p--ano oheh WIG "aPPoi'
ne VIII assuredly receive in the Senate,
purged, as it has been Of "copperheads' sup
posed to be friendly to the South-what room
is there left for us to doubt the success of the
principle so boldly and impudently enunci-
ated by him We deem he must have been
confident of his strength, or, experienced as he
undoubtedly is, he never would have ventured
upon the cutter scorn and population to
which he gave utterance He believes that
he is backed by the Northern people; and if
so, the Reputation - of President johnson
and his policy follows, as matter of course.
Now, what concerns us most,-and it is a
vital question,-is, can President johnson
although his position is impregnable, founded
on i'm mutable public and constitutional law,
sustain himself, against majority so despotic,
so regardless Of law, so fatally bent upon
mischief and oppression? He is deprived Of
the counsel and support Of ele, EN- States, now
disfranchised, and apparently to be kept so
the people of which States, as one man, sup
port him and his polcy,-but their support
is ineffective now, practically; for their moral
weight alone is in his favor, their political
voice being silenced. He is the President,
elected by the North-but events have
changed Northern sentiments-we fear for
the worse, so far as the condition of the South
is concerned. Where is any hope that the
North will repudiate Stevens, Sumner, and
the rest, and endorse the policy of President
johnson