The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-02-17
Another Plan of Adjustment.


Another Plan OF Adjustment.
Plans for the adjustment of the
yexed question of ''North and South
are as thick in Congress as the most
ardent could desire. We hope one
will be hit upon after awhile to re-
heve the anxieties Of the people. The
Washington correspondent of the
Baltimore Gazette writes:
If the announcement of Mr.. Banks.
on Friday, that a plan of adjustment
was in embryo which could meet the
sanction of the President, created in
the mind of every one hopes Of sin
cerity, even on his part, such hopes
were utterly dissipated upon its in
PRODUCTION on Saturday. The project
of Stevens, with all its audacity and
atroclousness, possessed at least the
virtue of honesty-that of Banks, "a
synopsis of which [ append, while it
is equally violative of the Constitu
tion, while it equally subjects the
Southern States to the worst form of
military rule, while it equally ignores
the Executive and judicial branches
of the Government, yet sneakingly
attempts to veil its purposes, and,
avowedly, is a mere snare to entrar
the President, SO that his pre-ordainea
expulsion from Office may fall with
less appalling force upon the public
mind.
The bil1of Mr.. Banks is in direct
conflict even with his own speech,
delivered Immediately preceding its
Introduction. In that harangue, he
distinctly declared that the plan he
was foreshadowing was based upon
the constitutional amendment. y
which he gratuitously assumed had
already been adopted by three-fourths
Of the represented States, while his
own State yet stubbornly rejects it.
Yet his bill violates every provision
even Of that amendment. 1t will be
seen that it, in terms, RENTS the un-
represented States to the condition
of the Indian Territories, and con
templates a form of government.
even for Il .faco7ed section, substan-
TALLY the same as that repudiated as
totally uncomfortable by the wild tribes
Of savages themselves, who have Just
been mercifully placed under the con
troll of the War Department, to save
them from the still more horrible rule
of civil agents and commissioners,
whose tyranny has been enforced by
the bayonet.
The bill sets forth that the form of
government now existing in Louisi-
ana has never been recognized by the
Congress Of the United States, and
that it fails to secure rights to loyal
citizens; and provides for n commits
sion Of three persons-one to be APP
pointed by the Senate, one by the
House of Representatives and one by
the Secretary OF War-who shall be
authorized to proceed to the State OF
Louisiana, with authority to replace
the political organization now exist
ing there.
The commissioners shall, without
delay, secure Il registry of all male
citizens over twenty-one years of age
without distinction of class, color OF
former condition Of slavery. All st
registered shall be allowed to vote,
provided they have estates valued al
Sl0o or upwards, or can read or write
or were born within the State, OF
have contributed, by payment Of
taxes, to the support of the Govern.
ment. Exception is made in the
next section against every person
who, as q member Of Congress OF
other officer of the United States, ol
member Of a State Legislature, o.
Governor of State, or had held
judicial Office, had taken al oath tc
support the Constitution of TIN
United States and had subsequent,
engaged in rebellion against th
United States, or had held offic
under the late Confederacy, or hat
participated in any pretended seces
sion convention, but Congress may
by vote of two thirds of its mem
bers, remove such disability.
After the registry shall have bee
completed, the commissioners shall
by giving thirty days notice, call q,
election for delegates to convention
to be composed of number equal t