The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-29
RECONSTRUCTION.
Great speech OF Hon. oliver p. Morton,
United states Senator, at Columbus,
Ohio, last Monday.

out Governments of any kind The officers
composing the Rebel State Govern ments were
either killed, captured, or had fed, and state
authority of all kinds had disappeared This
presented case expressly provided for by the
Constitution Of the United States which de-
clareB that the United states shall guarantee TO
each state a republican form of government.
State Governments had ceased to exist, and II
was the duty and the right of the Government
OF the United States to reorganlze new ones
upon "a loyal republican basis. Mr.. johnson re-
cognized this condition OF things ana Ine
power of the Government of the Unlted STATES,
but assumed the right TO initiate plan oI re-
construction himself, independent OF CONGRESS.
This, of COURSE was clearly without Ihe litnlJs
by him at the time, aud by Mr.. Seward Score
tary OF State, that these new Governments
would be provisional only, until Jhey We're
Sanctioned by Congress, and that the whole
business would be submitted to Congress Tor
President adhered TO This purpose, 1t is probable
all would have gone well at last, and the pre-.
1nSortunsteiy he failed to submit his work
TO Congress. He assumed the right to accept
their new State Constitutions without the
consent of Congress. He received and treated
their new governments as legal and republic
can, and thus actually exercised the power of
reconstruction without the sanction of the
people as expressed through their representa-.
lives in Congress. The power to form the gov
ernments of nine states that had been In
rebellion was too great to be exercised by one
man. The settlement we had TO make with the
Rebels and the readjuStm tment OF their institu-
tions ON a loyal basis which would give
security for the future, was a matter of the
greatest Importance, in which all the people
must be heard through Congress- AS
sell sell to fes5G Establish State gdvernme1ts, and and
as they were never sanctioned by Con
and are in that condition to-day. In the sum
mer OF 1866, Congress, still disposed to harmo.
nize matters with the President lfpossible, and
TO disturb as little as might be the existing state
of things, submitted to the Rebel States for
their acceptance an amendment to the Con-
conditions which were regarded of vital
importance TO the future peace and security
of the Republic, with the tacit understand
ing that If accepted and duly ratified they
should constitute a basis of settlement and
have been % to accept the existing Rebel state
Governments and make them legal, subject to
Inc the conditions and restrictions g. contained in
ratified the amendment; but the people of the
South. acting under the vehement advice and
persuasion of the Northern Democracy, rejected
It scorDfully, and declared they would accept
no terms but the unconditional recognition of
theirState Governments and admission of their
Representatives into Congress. And thus the
issue was made up between Congress and the
President, and between the loyal people aud the
Rebels on January l. 1867. In the mean time.
these State Governments had been in possess
sion of the most violent and maltgn nant of
Rebels whose utterances and influences were
all disloyal and against submission to any
terms of reconstruction Loyal men, both
white and black, were denied the protection of
the laws and system of murderous persecu-
tion Instituted which was intended to drive all
pate the last traces of loyal sentiment. The poor
freedmen were driven from their humble
punity, and reign ofterror established which
excite excited rn the horror horror of, OF the civilized
and New Orleans, taking rank with the New
York riots OF 1868, will ever be regarded as
In Christian land During this period the
Democratic party of the North We're jubilant.
1t habitually denied the existence of the crimes
that was impossible sought to mitigate them
by laying. the blame upon the radicals, who
were Slanderously charged with prosecuting the
harmless Rebels by whom they were
rounded. 1t stimulated by every means in its
,,Siwer the Southern people to continued disobe
dience, to increased hatred of the Government,
and TO the contemptuous defiance and rejection
OF all terms that might be offered.
NEW RECONSTRUCTION ON A NEW PRINCIPLE.
UP to this time every plan of Reconstruction
had been based upon the white voting popula-
ton. leaving to the decision OF @ that POPULATION
1t was in Lincoln's plan, to the Winter
Davis bill, in Johnson plan, and under the Con-
struction upon that basis were gone. The
whites, nineteen TWEEN tieths of whom were
rebels, under the Satniac influence OF the
Northern Democracy, continued disioyal, hos
tile, and peryerse. A new plan of Reconstruc-
totally different principle. Judgment of lille.
gality and condemnation must be pronounced
upon the Presidents policy and workmanship.
The power of the Administration to impede the
action of Congress and defeat new plan of Re-
construction must be neutralized The Consul;
tutional Amendment must be ratified. and all
State officers, as we'll as members OF Congress,
must be loyal and able to take the iron. clad
dow Ito the solid and immutable principles of
the Jeclaration OF Independence, discarding all
mat ters of expediency and compromise. We
mu Elay the foundations of the new reconstruc-
tiol npon the great principles OF equal rights and
eqJ 81 justice. We must place the ballot in the
ha IDS of all men, without distinction of color,
ex opt such as have been disfranchtsed for
II, Ason other crimes. And all this has been
dt ne. AS IL took us some time to find the right
m ethod to carry on the war; and the right man
VI command our armies, so it has taken us
ftruction, but we have got IL at last We are
g4ot simply building from the ground up, but
rom the solid rock beneath the ground. The
Structure rises slowly but surely. No enduring
and beautiful edi1ce was ever built in
q day. Some delay there may have been in
kthe progress of the work, and others may
be expected, but they will be temporary
No earthly power can defeat the enterprise
Just in time to enable Congress to NEE
and leRislate its sophistrtes away. Gal
liant and glorious Phil. Sheridan has beer
removed, b1t he Is succeeded by Thomas, TIT
iron soldie!l who never lost q battle Stanton
the CREATES Of war ministers in this or any
other country, has been deposed; but his plac'
is filled b. Grant, the greatest soldier or Tn
age; and ftiIl the work goes bravery on. IN
Rebel Ststes will rise from the ashes OF tn
Rebellion with renewed life, radical Republi
can Stata purified by flood and fire, having
sloughed or the foul garments OF treas treasonaol a. L
liberty hstice, and loyalty, Will take incl
places osfully in the Union. And we VIII unit
our hea It's and our hands until the work l
accomplished. We will not be diverted iron
our pun bose or delayed by side issues unit
the guht consum mmation Is obtained. Whei
the unity of the republic has been restored
wien 4berty and peace prevail tnrough9ut IA
hHhd; 4hen the fangs of unrepentant ReDel
have lken extracted and they have been rem
dered harmless the balance OF their days W
shau ave time to attend to subordinate aHalrs
and Vnl do IL, to the hearts content OF Demo
70 hon