The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-01-09

upon which the bills are based, zoe ts"" ~ y.
easier "a to tacor Mr.. Stecea's plan than ma9ht
BE- supposed. There are no really fatal legal
objections to it-none that may not logic
aliy be avoided. 1t is certainly the most
practical. feasible and inofensive plan that
has vet emanated from radical quarter.
The Buffalo Couafer( DemO while obJec..
ting to the bill as based ON the theory Oh
State suicide, admits even more In regard 10
the terms proposed, than is claimed by most
Republican papers. saying:
1.-THE bill exhibits, in certain important
features. leaning toward conservatism. In
the first place the bill legalizes everything the
President has thus far done in the matter OF
provisional governments, which was unex-
pected from such source. In the second
place the bill requires that the members OF
the Convention take an oath that they dld
not willingly, after the 4th of March, 1854,
support the rebellion and also that they
will hereafter faithfully support the Consti-
tuition and Government of the United States.
This is a very mild oath to be prescribed by
Stevens. With regard to the choice OF the
delegates to this Convention, the bill cannot
be considered radical. Its provisions in this
respect are certainly, for their author, ex-
tremely liberal"
The Erening Post regards it as certain that
as soon as Congress is satisfied that the
Southern States will not have the Amend
ment it will proceed to other measures, and
it says:
lit is useless to argue against such a
course the people in the recent elections
have demanded and justified it. tits of no
use to show that the whole preceding is
extra constitutional, for the people reply
that defiant and UNPUBLISHED traitors shall
not take advantage of constitutional forms
to gain unfair advantages; they will not
have such condition Of things as makes
vote in the South represent twice as much
as a vote in the North; they will in some
way exclude from power the leaders and
originators of the rebellion. 1t is said the
measures necessary to obtain such legisla-
ton are extra constitutional, and to that ex-
tent revolutionary, the people reply: Weac-
cept the risk. Justice is to be done, safety
secured, and treason punished, at all haz-
ards.
The North Carolina bill, so far as it as
serts the power of Congress, rather than the
President, to reestablish the State Govern
ments overturned by the rebellion, the Post
regards as in strict accordance with the
Constitution, and with the will Of the people
as expressed in the late elections. But in
its provision declaring the qualifications of
voters, it thinks the bill makes dangerous
blunder. On this point the Post says:
at DEGREES that only those shall vote who
can read and write, or who own real estate
of the assessed value of one hundred dollars
Now if Congress may decide who shall vote,
in the reorganization of an overthrow State
Government, it may decree general as we'll
as partial suffrage; and We trust it will not
commit the blunder and wrong of excluding
any class from the polls, If the State Gov
ernments in the South are to be reorganized
under Congressional supervision, it is the
highest duty of Congress to see to it that all
the people take part in that important and
fundamental act.
The Trenton On. j. State Gazette prefers
Mr.. Stevens bill to those introduced by
Messrs. Sumner, Stevens and Julian, if eth
er of the proposed bills is to become a law,
as the one most likely to accomplish its pur-
pose, and because it fixes definite period
for the formation of State Government,
and evidently looks to as briet continu-
ance of the territorial system as possible
But it says:
1--WE are of the opinion, however, that no
such measure should be adopted by Congress
until after the separate States have had full
time to consider and act upon the amend
ments to the Constitution now pending We
think that Congress is bound by the obliga-
tons of good faith to give the policy adopt
ed at the last session fair trial, which it
has not yet had. Congress is bound to give
the insurgent States ample time to act, and
if they shall persist in their present course,
and reject plan so just and equitable, then
we hope that Mr.. Stevens bill may be adop-
ted, and extended to all the disorganized
States. The present abnormal condition of
affairs cannot be permitted to continue much
longer, and if the people of the South-un-
der the lead of men who brought all this
disaster upon them-persist in their obsti-
nate refusal to aid in the work of reconstrlc-
ton, it ought to and must be completed
without their aid, and without consulting
them"
The Medina Tribune urges the adoption of
Mr.. Spaulding's resolution, declaring upon
the adoption of the Amendment by any
State, its loyal representatives will be con-
sidered, as in the case of Tennessee, entitled
to immediate adm;ssion-this to be the
last of the olive branches to the South. If,
it says, the rebel leaders still prove potent
and powerful-if the refusal to adopt the
Amendment is persisted in, as it no doubt
will be-then proceed to declare the exist
ing Governments illegal and unconstitution-
oil md al
proposed in Mr.. Stevens plan in regard to
North Carolina. In doing this the Tribune
claims
Congress need not and will not declare
that North Carolina is or ever was out of the
Union, or has ceased to exist as State. She
will simply be regarded and treated as
State without Government; as State in
the hands of disqualified rebels, who are
as really opposed to the Union now as when
engaged In the active enterprises of war for
its destruction. And in meeting this issue
the disloyal will be set aside, while the loyal.
will be invited to assume the places which
they alone are competent to hold. Of course.
the perpetual exclusion from political action
of all who have taken part in the rebellion
it not for moment to be thought of I; but
the advantage of such plan is that it will
bring them back, when they do come, in an
attitude of perfect and submissive loyalty"
The Milwaukee (Wis.) Sentinel opposes
the bill because of the reading and writing
and the property qualifications, which, It
says, reduce it to the level of the johnson
policy, and ought to insure for it the en-
phatic negative of every. Republican in Con-
gress." This objection it expresses further
as follows:
This qualification would practically dis
franchise nine out of every ten, and veiy
likely ninety-nine out of every hundred Of
the colored people of the State, while il
would not disfranchise single white man
however poor or ignorant he might be. Ii
it is claimed that no one can be chosen 8
delegate to the convention unless he car