, 1866-04-11
WEDNESDAY, APRIL II, 1865.


The entire loyal people arc looking 10 Con-
grcss for a policy Of reconstruction. Not
impaticnt1y, for VIC realize the magnitude Of
the labor. Not blindly, for We hare very
intelligent general views Of the cardinal fea-
turea which sound aud wise policy Of recon-
stsuction would embrace. We are not dis
couragcd, for NC know that in the progress
thus far made, and especially in the Civil
Rights Bill, more real advancement has been
secured for mankind than by ten years of the
debates OF Webster, Calhoun and Clay. They
never had before them a mutter comparable
In dignity and importance, With the cmnnci-
patton of four millions Of men, the admission
TO citizenship Of the freed race, and the re-
construction OF the Union. Before such prob
lens the profound cAsuistica1 rhetoric that
gave them their fame would have
been -'dwarftd into silence. Fully con-
sclous Of the magnitude OF the work,
and Of the wrctehed botch already made Of
1t by tho presidcnt's haste and sclt.sutacicncy,
VIC arc content to have Congress devote as
many days, weeks, months, or II necessary
as many years flabor to 1t as may be neccs-
sary, to keep every step taken within the
limits of sound aud wise craftsmanship. OF
ono thing wc are certa:n-Con.,ress will never
lie really prepared TO perfect such system Of
1cco. strlctiou until, BY the same two-thifds
vote by which the Civil Rights Bill passed
both Houses, some measure can be passed
which shall rcorganize Johnsou's "pocket"
Governments, aDd extend the suffrage
In some form 10 some class Of freedmen. So
long as those Governments are permitted to
continue In existence With their present rot
inc basis, those States will be at war with
Congress, and will, in great measure, nulli-
f. It's laws. The power Ia those Stntes can
never pass wholly or In part into
the hands Of loyal anti-slavcry men, friends
OF freedom, Of education, OF free speech, free
press, nnd Of Northern ideas, until the
change is effected by the coiored vote If
any State be not prepared for thus, let it
wait. But the mere knowledge that this Is
required would be all the preparation any
Southern State would need. There Is no
earthly reason why they should regard the
extension Of The suffrage any more objection
able tbnn abolition, TO which they have as
scntad. Emancipation Is not complete, or
even secure, without it. Citizenship Il not
secure without II. The ballot Is essential to
liberty.
As soon as Congress shall be ready 10 cx
tend the suffrage, 1t Will be ready for recon-
struction-not before. But the people will
gi1c Congress Its own time In which to nc
complish the work. They will gladly, by
their votes, and, ifpeed be, ~ their contzibu-
ions, endorse The action Of CONGRESS in con-
tinuing In session until reconstruction, on tha
basls Of equal rights, shall be sceom-
plIshcd. But above all they will
earnestly entreat Congress not to
adjourn until such policy has be
come the law OF the land. To adjourn
leaving the reconstruction question in its
present chaotic condition, would endauset
defeat for our party, and What Is far more I'm
portant, for cur principles. No Congress
since the formation Of the Union, no Legisla-
tive body that ever convened, ever had Gu
trusted 10 1t problems 80 momentous, inter.
csts 50 important. We arc sure We utter the
eeutimenl Of the whole loyal people when we
express the earnest hope that Congress will
rise to the height OF this great argument and
allow no relaxation or respite in tts sublime
wurk until the Republican policy OF recon-
s,ruc,ion shau be embodied into the laws anG
constitutions of the land, and become 8 part
Of The panoply Of our liberties. 10 al futurt
generations.