Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-02-21
RUiLA\U HERALD.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1867,
A New Rcoons,ruotiom Plan.

be able to keep our readers informed OF
the various plans Of reconstruction, so
speedily do they arise in Congress, and
so varied are their several provisions.
We had supposed that the Eliot-Stevens
ptan combined would finally prevail in
some form, and in this were in meas
ure correct, as Senator Sherman OF Ohio,
on Saturday last presented new bill
seeking this object which has been sub
st.tuted for the House Military Govern
meut bill by vote of % to 10. On Fri
day evening last, when the Senate ad-
iourned, the Blaine amendment, which
was rejected by the House, was under
consideration. At y o'clock on Satur-
day caucus OF Republican Senators
was held and the whole subject referred
TO committee consisting OF Senators
Fessendeu, Trumbull, Sumner, Howard,
sherman, Harris and Freinghuysen,
who, after a protracted session, agreed
upon a substitute bill which Mr.. Sher-
man offered in the Senate.
The preamble to this new bin declares
that no legal State government or ade-
ouate protection OF life or property now
exists in the States Of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Ala
bama Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida,
Texas and Arkansas, that as it is neces-
sary that peace and good order should
be enforced until loyal and Republican
State governments can be legally estab-
ltshed.
The first section Of this bill divides
these States into military districts. The
second section makes it the Presidents
duty to assign military officer to the
command of each district, and to detail
a sufficient military force to enforce his
authority within his district. The Off
Ger in command to protect all persons
in their rights of person and property,
80 suppress insurreCtion, disorder and
violence, and to cause to be punished all
disturbances Of the public peace. This
can be done by the civil authorities or
military committees, or tribunals may
be organized for the punishment Of
offenders Any interference on the part
OF the civil authorities to be null and
void.
When the people Of any one Of the
rebel States shall have formed a consti.
sutton and government in accordance
with the Constitution Of the United
States, made by convention elected by
the male citizens twenty-Oue years OF
age and upwards of whatever race, color
or previous condition, who have been
residents in that State one year previous
to the election, except such as are dis
franchised by participation in the re-
bellion or by felony, and when the con-
stitution of such State shall provide
such franchise as have the qualifications
above stated, and the constitution rati-
fed by a majority Of such voters, and
after it has been submitted to Congress
and approved and the Legislature of the
State has ratified the proposed COnstl-
tutiOnal amendment and that article has
become part Of the Constitution of the
Emitted States, said State shall be en-
titled to representation in both houses
Of Congress, on the Senators and Rep
resentatives taking the oa:h prescribed
ny law then and thereafter the provi-
sions shall be in operation in said State.
1t will be seen that the bill embodes
the military government project, nearly
as in Mr.. Stevens bill, but goes further
aud provides for the abolition OF this
rule and the admission of States to
Congress on the establishment of equal
suffrage and the adoption of the Con
stitutional amendment. They have the
power to disfrsnchise rebels, but it ID
not required.
The debate was an earnest one, and
caused a protracted session which wa,
not concluded until quarter past si1
on Sunday morning. The bill vii
pIOUdDlN pass GuC IOuoS bub Dc OppOSct
by Mr.. Stevens and Others, and wheI
passed the President will probably vett
it, which will bring on great struggl
near the close of the session, as tn
President can retain it for ten days. w
give the yeas and nays
T.os-Messrs. Anthony, Brown Cat
tell Chandler, Conness, Crsgin, Cress
well, Fogg, Frelinghuysen, Crime:
Howard, Howe, Kirkwood, Lane, Nor
@ln, Morrill,, Poland, Pomeroy, Ramsey
Ross, Sherman, Stewart, Trumbui, Va
Winkle, Wade, Wiley, Williams, Wilso
and Yates-29.
Nays-Messrs. .Buckalew, ,Cowan, ,Davi:
Doolittle, Hendricks, McDougall, Ne:
mith, Norton, Patterson and Saulsbur
10.
Absent or not yOting-Dixon, Edmund
Fessenden, Foster, Fowler, Guthri
Harris, Henderson, johnson, Nye, RiC
die, Sumner and Sprague-13.
Senator Edmunds is absent in a
tendance npou his daughter who is qui