Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-02-19

sal amnesty and universal suffrage, there 4
no hope for the country and as a Iepresen-
tatsye Ia this House, and representing an In
teAigent, thinking constituency, he Mr.
Banks was nstrafncd TO say that.if he were
placed iu- the position of these rebel represen-
tailyes he would be compelled to vote as they
und 0ubtedly would. 1t was not expected
that those who represented the South would
act differently from those who represented
the North if placed in asimiiar attitude and
he therefore denied the right of Congress to
place the power @ do these things in the
hands of the South
But, 1t was asked upon. the other side of
the House, Why not admit representatives
from the Southern States upon their taking
the test oath He Mr.. Banks1 said it was
imperative. because there was really no pow
er IN the oath, and no political oath had ever
saved peoples When the time came to act
tllere would hardly be found a man in the
South who could not subscribe to the test oath.
II was doubtful if any man would acknoWi.
edge that he had ''voluntarilY'' engaged in
rebellion. Mr.. Davis hjmseif woSIT ds4v
the fact, Tor when he was leaving the Senate
OF the United States he said he was OBLIGED
to take the course he was pursuing. He was
compelled to it by his State, and what a man
Is competed to do he does not do voluntarily:
aud they could, therefore, with due sense Of
honor, take the test oath if they believed
their State action could compel them to
course OF conduct. 1t is the policy of the
rebel leaders to mako the late rebellion
honorable; and it is our policy to stamp it
as an lndelible disgrace and crime. But
II 1t IS necessary, all sentiment in the South
would accord the highest honor to their lead.
ers, and ecclesiastical aud political conyen.
tons OF the South would declare all stain of
honor, by reason OF engaging liz rebellion,
wiped out. The test oath was, therefore. OBJ.
jectionable because it was of no effect and
gave no security.
Others ask why not admit good men who
are sent here as Representatives {? 1t is not
question OF men, but question of constit-
uencles, and representatives must reflect the
sentiments of those who invest them with
representative power. In this view of the
case no course will be effective except such n
method OF reconstruction as will overturn the
present political authority Of the South, and
place no dependence upon those who have
been recognized as the leaders of the South.
and such measure, he believed, was to be
found III the constitutional amendment which
was proposed by Congress at the last session.
When three-fIurths of the States in CONGRESS-
ratifed that amendment it will be part of
the Constitution of the United States. and II
should be the base of all reconstruction
But the idea of enforcing a constitutional
amendment differed here from what it did in
Europe. In Europe a statute was enforced
by the army against the will of the pecple
but III this country it is public opinion that
must entirely control. But even this amend
ment should be guarded, for when the South
ern representatives came here they would iu-
terpret the amendment to suit their own mr.
poses; but the military should not be neces-
sarlly employed to enforce the amendment
1t was not the province of the military thus
to interfere in enforcing the law.
Mr.. Thayer, of Pa, asked Mr. Banks ifin
the Burns case in Boston law of the United
States was not enforced by the military.
Mr.. Banksreplied that the law was enforced
by tho mayor, with the cooperation of the
Executive and the army of the United States.
lie wished to stand by the Constitutional a.
mendmcnt, and to pass such bill as would
make it really effective. We must change
The politics Of the South, and this can oniv
be done with the earnest cooperation of all
branches Of the government, and he believed
bill could be framed, which would embrace
all the propositions OF the most radical, and
at the same time not contravene to any great
extent any act of the Executive II this can
be done, it is most desirable If not, then
renewed prosperity and all hope of liberty,
demanded that all fruitless contests over We.
toes should be abandoned and Congress should
drop legislation and consider the condition of
the country in another sense. A body with
out head is monstroSity, and something or
other than mere legislation is required.
MIR. Highly asked if we had not gone on thus
far without head
Mr.. Banks said 1t was duty to obtain one.
Mr. Highly desired to know where sc could
fad ore
Mr.. Banks said it would be at least two
years and half before an adequate remedy
could be reached by the legal course, and, in
his opinion, it was impossible for the govern
ment to go as at present for two wears
longer without approaching to the very verge
OF ruin. Even now business interests are de-
pressed, and everj thing is unsettled and in
secure, and it is impossible to look without
fear into future which is so full Of danger
He would repeat, that he believed it possible
to frame bill to embrace the exact doctrines
of the President, and at the same time to
meet the views of the most extreme members
of the House, and he believed the remedy
was to be found in the constitutional amend
ment. In connection with it let law be
framed to rsOrgaDize political society in the
South. Tie difficulty has been, and is, that
IN considering all these measures we view the
ConleGeraey as whole, and fifteen hostile
States (for he included the adheriDg South-
ern States) and twelve millions of hostile peo-
pie cannot be controlled when they are united.
The best course is to divide the South in such
manner as to secure unity, aud this can be
done by follow ng the great lines of nature.
Mr.. Il. then referred to the importance of
the States of the Ohio and Mississippi valleys
as, by reason of their geographical position,
holding commanding influence over the des,
tincs of this nation. The States bordering
on them. North. South. East and West mum