The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-23
CHARLES TON.
SATURDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 2s, 1867
THE NEW REcoNsTRucT1oN BILL.

| M.ssrs wilson and SHEILADARGER. Inc bu
passed the Senate on Wednesday night the zotn
inst. by vote of s5 yeas to nays, MIR. REvERDY
JOHNSON voting yea. The following voted nay
Nlessrs BucKAIEw, CowAN, DAVIS, HENDRICKS i
NEssurH. PATTERSON and SALISBURY. Absent anu
not voting: Messrs. ANTHONY, DIXON, 1[s DooL1TT1E'
Gp,,Fs GurHD1E, HARRIS McDouaALL, NORTON,
NYE, RIDDLE and SPnAeUE.
It will be seen that this Bill establishes military
rule in the Southern States, confers sutfage npon
the negro, and disfranchises many OF our clszens'
e. all those who are designated in the third sec
ton of the Constitutional Amendment. =. is:
Said third section reads as follows: "No person
shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress-,
or Elector of President and Vice. President or hold
any Office, civil. or military, under the United
States, or under any State, who having previously
taken an oath as member Of Congress or as an
officer Of the United States, or as momber OF any
Slate Legislature, or as an executive or judicial Of
fcer Of any State, to support the Constitution OF
the United States shall have engaged in insurrec-
ton or rebellion, or given aid and comfort to the
enemies thereof. But Congress may, by vote OF
two-thirds Of each House, remove such disability" !"
This clause,it would seem, was drafted With
special reference to Article VI Of the Constitution
Of the United States, which reads asfollows: "The
Senators and Representatives before mentioned,
and the members Of the several State Legislatures,
and al executive and Judicial officers both. OF the
United States and Che several Slater, shall bo
bound by oath OF affirmation to support this Con-
stitutien.n. This provision has reference only to
Governors, Judges, Chanoellors, etc. and to
such only it would seem to us the above section
Of the Constitutional Amendment refers. ;.E,.
OF State officers, therefore, this would diafraE-
chise members of the Legislature, the Governor,
Iieutenant- Governor the several Judges and Chan
cellors but would not affect any one else. = i.
There are, however, various opinions as to tile
meani e Of this section. The Washington corres-
pondent of the Baltimore Sw, writes az follows: %
GAS now constituted, fully onethird Of the white
mon Of the Southern States VIII be disqualified,
not only from sitting IN the constitutional conyen,
tions to be, called hnt even from voting for the
members thereof Mr. sHERMAN said it would dis
franchise, about 10000 only. Mr.. Bu1KAIEw
thought 60, ,00O but the real number will not fall
much short, il any, ef ECO 600. The debate, which
|iensued ON the motion to concur, was lengthy but
not generally of much interest: two Massst.
chusetts" Senators took directly diverse groutr1
MI: SUMNER NM wanted all the rebels dsfanchised,
Mr.. WILSON wanted every man, white and black,
to have the ballot, an the rebels and all the me-
eroes. a Mr.. CowAN and MIR. HENDRIR1ss. 1 s !, again
stated their, objections to the Bill, NJ: JoaNsoN,
in brief but most affecting speech on The sad and
desolate condition Of the Southern states and the
utter hopelassness Of their being restored to the
Union except through the consent and on the
terms OF Congress, expressed his entire disap-
proval of every feature OF the Bill, but SO anxious
was he to owelcorne these States back, and dispalr
ing Of any other method than that indicated by
thew will or the majority, he announced his inten"'
tioniof voting for the Bill. His remarks prodrced
profound impression, and Mr.. WILSON and lf
other Senators came up and pressed bis hand q
80. = !
insi}ence. - - 80 =..-.--
We do not think the number disfranchised by
the Immediate working Of the Bill will be much:
over 5ooo but this, after all is Of no real impor-
tances as; blythe spirit both of the Constitutional
Amendment and the Bill just passed, all who.
have in any way participated in the late war
1,o<3 orr
Truly this: lis "a sad hour for the: South; of
humiliation and Of bitterness. We can do moth
Fling but submit. HR yicsis is row at last coming
home to us. .:,.,.. ::.F...., -; ,.Sa'a 80
There is now naturally great speculation as to,
the probable course Of the President Upon q
careful survey Of events at Washington, and con-
sideration Of the various conflicting statements
that have i eimanated from that quarter within the
past few weeks, we have come to the conclusion
that Mr. JOHNSON will give his sanction to this Bill.
It is understood that Messrs. SEWARD, STANTON
and MoCu1hooH are in favor of it, basis Of set
| tement of the national difficulty. It is known
| that o number of Democrats voted for it; among
them Senator REvERDY JOHNSON, who Is believed
to be entirely in the Presidents confidence. The
President, it is said, will do this to secure the
peace Of the country, while he, at the same time,
rids himself of the impeachment spectre, that has
SO long been 5harassing him. few days will d.
termine the question.
The following is the Bill:
Whereas, No legal State Governments or ade-
quate protection for life or property now exlsS in
the rebel States Of Virginia. North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama Mississippi, Louisi-
ana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas; and whereas it
is necessary that peace and good order should be
enforced in said States until loyal and Republican
State Governments can be legally established;
therefore,
BE 1t enacted, &c., Tlat said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made SUD-
jeet to the military authority of the United States
as hereinafter prescribed. and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South Carolina the second district;
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district
SECTION 2. That it shall be the duty Of the Presi-
dent to assign to the command of each OF said
districts an officer of the army not below the rank
of Brigadier- General, and to detail sufficient
military force to enable such officer to perform bus
duties and enforce his authority within the dis
trict to. which he is assigned.
SECTION 8. That it shall be the duty Of each OFF,
Ger assigned as aforesaid to protect all persons IN
their rights Of person and property, to sup
press insurrection, disorder and violence, and to
punish or cause to be punished all dsturbers OF
the public peace, and criminals; and to this end
be may allow local civil tribunals to take jurisdlc-
tion Of and try offenders, Or when in his Judgment
it may be necessary for the trial Of offenders, ne
shall have power to organize military commissions