The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-07-17

ers with power TO send for persons and
Papcrs.
bill was introduced extending the pro.
visions OF the Homestead net 10 Alabama
hrkansas, Mississippi. Louisiana and Flori
! ia. IL was refc,rcd to tho demonstration
Committee. Tho Committee on Forcir,
Relations was directed to imGuiro WI. ,,ho,
any American citizen had been conyicte,
IN Groat Britain for words spoken in Amcri
ca
| wilson stated that the Judiciary Commit
tee had requested him to state That thcv
| were not roadyto report on Impeachment.
Boutwell, offered " concurrent resolution to
| adjourn TO October next, clcting warm
| debate, which was interrupted by tho an.
nounoencnt Of Dcnnison's death Altercu.
logics the House adjourned.
SENArE.-Thc consideration of tho judi
ciary Committees Reconstruction bill was
resumed. an amendment giving Commnn-
dcrs power TO fill vacancies by the appoint.
ment Of citizens or detailed soldiers was
adoptcd--nycs 20, nays, 10. The following
was added to the sixth section "Whclhcr
holding such Office at tho time OF tho ru,,i.
lion or before"
Dcnnison's death was denounced and
after enlogics tho Senate adjourned.
Important Letter from Gen. Siokles to
Hon. Lyman Trumbull.
General Sickics has adul esscd tho follow
ing letter, says The Charleston Mcrcury, to
Tho honorable Lyman Trumbull, Chairman
Judiciary Committee, United Statos Senate ::
CHARLESTON, S. c., July 8, 1867.
iIy Dear Sir: | havo decided not to bcpin,
registration this District until Congross
determines who shall be registered trust,
Ia lnI =
Congress to extend the time for tho complo.
ton of my registration, uutil-.say October
or Novcmbcr. Ii proceed ncw and dis
regard the wishes Of the President, my ac-
ton would be regarded rs insurhordination;
If lwould follow his imitation many would
probably be registered not e. ible accord.
ing To the true Interpretation OF tho Acts Of
Congress.
If it is meant at all w ravo hcld any
office-Fedol !, State, or municipal -.hay
ing taken an oath Of Office to support the
Constitution Of the United States, and after
words engaged in rebellion, or give MD
and comfort, etc, aro lisfranchiscd, this
should bo expressly declared, otherwise, if
otier officer. 20 incladed than those class
es enumerated i'll Artcle,YI Of The oonsti-
tuition, and that ovun ns 10 those, q full par
49,
If IL is meant 10 exclude lawyers, thcy
should be expressly mentioned, or else lo.
Scrihcd by somo c)ac"'ication; us Gor exam
pic, after tho word ''oiiicc," add "any IL
Gcnsed oaiingor employment orprorrssion."
Otherwise, if tlikibility Of lawyers DO
Lett To construction, it may DO hello that II
lawyer is not public officer, although "a
iunntionary oi y court OF other judicial
body. i9j
Tho truth is, we have now in operation
Two distinct systems Of reconstruction, ori-
ginated By Congress and cngraitcd upon Tho
ProSi.r ATS p Of nc obstruction. Tho
hrst Congressional plan is expressed in tho
Howard Constitutional Amendment, leaving
snin"Ge 70 b> regulated by tho several
states. aud Imposing upon certain classes
OF persons disqualification for Office, as Il
for rebellion and rs safeguard
for tho future. THAT plan having bectr ro.
FUSED by tho rebel States, Congress passed
'he Reconstruction acts, which form o. So
cond scheme Of Reconstruction, entirely dis
tinct in principle and plan from tho former
In ia" second plan, CcngroSo nssumcu con.
troll of the question Of suffrage, which is
extended to all who can take q prescribed
oath, and also cnforc"s tho disqualification
for oiilcc, which would have boon tho penal
and conservative feature of tho first plan.
tive guarantee against reaction Is in tho nd.
dilion made to the loyal yoto by The cnfran-
ohisomont CT tho colored people. That TO-
ing done, the occasion for the disqUalifea-
lion clause ceases. JIcncc, the truo solu.
ton, believe, is to doclare, with universal
suffrage. n general alnhesty--nnninr the
exceptions. * moro liberal amnesty is, IL
my Judgment, essential TO the SUCCESS of the
Congressional plan OF reconstruction. ]:
will cnl&rge the range Of popu,hr clIoicc for
tho important judicial, executive md leeis-
iatiVo departments Of tho State govern
mcnts, otherwise inconYoniontiy conGucl to
Glasses very few OF whom nrc Gt TO hold
office. Tho people can surely bo entrusted
to judge and select from those who took
part in tho rebellion, tho mon at once quail
fed Gnd sincere iu tbcir adhesion 10 tho
new order Of thihYs Such mon, being eli
giblo to Office, viii havo motives to identify
themselves with reconstruction, and to sup
port the ylcws OF the majority Now, moro
than ever, mon Of ability md experience in
public business arc needed for tho State
governments in Tho South; and IL il truly
unfortunate that at such o moment nearly
oil who know anything of public ailairs ana
especially those who could Gil judicial sta.
lions, aro 'disfranohised. This exposes the
experiment Of genera, suffrage to needless
haHafds. IL tho experimentlail, il is most
likely TO fail from tho inability Of the people
to put in ofiloo those who could and wn"l
assure success. IT would have been advnn.
tageous perhaps to hayo removed many dis
affected persons, especially Judges, S!eriffs
and Magistrates, inftho execution OF tho
sixth sootioiio Of the act Of March, II coulpe.
lont successors GOULD hsNo bcen found
,emong those @io oligiDl01o ofiioe. And
Iwpuld pegard tho possession now Of q Wild
or field Of choice for civil Offices. ns one Of
the most effective Observation-Disclosures in Tho
execution Of The military authority confer.
red upon District COMMANDERS Nsit Is, I
find myself prevented, as viii tho people
by and by, from securing for tho public
service mcnF Of aptitude and character,
whose repentance is as certain rs the devo.
lion Of the most consistent loynlist. In
truth tho zealSof como Of tho converts out
hsti,o discretion af msHy Of tiie faithful
sWitllrcfTence y 10 other practical ,sugges.
iions, 1t might bc useful If Congress, BY ono
Of ats committees, intorrogated the Com.35
'manding officers Of tho several DISTRICTS
upon the operation Of tho Reconstruction;
acts, and the furtherlogisld required Is
.sSs3 Very respectfully az. y "a