The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-05-07
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
Washington, April II, 1867.

Dear SIR: 1t gives me pleasure to
acknowledge the receipt of yours Of
the 1st. l am much gratifed to see
in it an evidence of your appreciation
Of the frankness | endeayored to *
hibit while on my pleasant trip
through your section during the holt
days. | viii cndeavor to treat the
subject matter Of your letter in the
same spirit.
Without circumlocution, you will
permit me to proceed at once to answer
your enquiries.
1st. The Military Reconstruction
Bill, with the Supplemental Bill,
passed at the late session of the For
tieth Congress, is regarded by the
leading Republicans as a finalitk.
ID. Whenever any State, IMP good
faith, establishes a constitution and
government in conformity with the
provisions of the bill referred to, and
elects members of Congress of I'm
doubted loyalty, that State will surely
be admitted to all the rights and priv
ileges of any of the States now repre-
scented, upon terms of perfect equality.
81. All members of Congress are
required to take the oath prescribed
by the act Of 1862. There is nothing
either in the Constitutional Amend
ment or in the provisions of the act
passed by the Thirty-ninth Congress
changing the law.
4th. No confiscation bill will ever
pass either House of Congress, unless
public sentiment is goaded thereto,
either by hostility to the %reconstruc
ton bill or by violence to the loyal
men of the South.
Having replied thus specifically to
your interrogatories, | will add, that
all through the North there exists the
most kindly feelings towards the
South, and the most honest anxiety
that our fellow-citizens in that section
shall at once organize upon the terms
and conditions embraced in the bill
submitted by Congress. No n de
sires vengeance; all demand guaran-
tees of future peace. These they Will
seek in the cordial acceptance of the
bill in question, and the adoption I'M
der it ofsuch a constitution and gov
eminent as shall secure to all men,
white and black, equality before the
law. Such evidences of loyalty being
furnished, the old government will be
restored in its entirety, and we shall
at once enter upon that field of glory
and prosperity to which the hand of
Providence seems to be leading us.
When that happy hour dawns upon
our land, patriots everywhere will re
joice, and will endeavor to rival each
other in deeds of fraternal love and
brOtherly kindness.
No one who knows the temper of
our people can doubt that whatever
action the Government has seen fit to
take since the disruption of the ties
that for so many years bound us to-
gether, has been prompted by no
baser feeling than to promote the high
est interests of our beloved country.
The time will come, the time must
come, when all laws excluding from
participation in the Government any
now loyal will be either greatly modi-
fed or wholly abolished. Indeed, |
read but poorly the signs of the times
If | do not see a sentiment, too power
full to be resisted, to exempt from the
operation of the excluding clauses re
ferred to all those persons who ~evinee,
by their action, a determination to act
under and obey the laws of the land.
No country ever committed a graver
error than did the South in the rejec-
ton of the 14th Constitutional Amend
ment. Its ratification would at once
have secured the admission of any
State accepting the same. The refu-
sal to do so has cost the South what
ever of increased humiliation they
ascribe to the Military Bill. Without
calling back unwelcome results, may l
not ask of the considerate people of
the South to mediate well the proba-
bic consequences of the opposition to
the terms now proposed
AS their refusal to adopt the amend
ment secured severer legislation, so
will rejection of present conditions
encourage, if not justify other meas
ures already foreshadowed by some of
our leading men.
With respect, yours, truly,
A. ii. LAFLIN.