Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-02-15
THE NEM hECSEsEEgcTIox BEL

BOEsN II MEAN AhAE H AEEmSE
The bill for remanding the south {
martial law, and releasing Gen. Gran
from his military subordination to tn
president, aims at something dffferen
from what appears on its face. 1t is no
possible that men of ordinary discern
ment should pass it with the expectation
that 1t can be executed. 1t aims to repea
that part OF the constitution which De
clares the president cOmmander-in-chie
Of the army, and that part of it which
forblds b. habeas corpus to be sus-
pended except in times of rebellion o.
invasion. To expect the supreme eOurt
to uphold a law repeating certain por-
tons OF the constitution, is prepOster-
Gus. The s~uddenness with which this
bill has been sprung upon the country.
as well as the erudeness of its provisions,
indicates that it is an imprOmptu ma
neuvre TO meet an unexpected emer-
gency.
There is no evidence that the idea OF
this bill occurred to anybody until after
the southern gentlemen, who came to
Washington 10 consult the president,
had digested the plan which the south is
about to propose as q compromise. That
plan was intended to be kept secret until
some southern state had acted upon it;
1tN = HANAAA1AaAC AA1GAGNNAE III a
Richmond paper put the radical con-
gressmen in possession of it, and they
Immediately set their wits at work to
head il OIL. The new bill has been be-
gotten and born since the southern plan
came out. 1t takes everybody by sur
prise, not because the secret OF the re-
construction committee wss well kept.
but because the conception of the bill
preceded its birth by so short an interval
hat there was no secret to keep. 1t is
the fruit Of a hard strain suddenly put
upon the ingenuity of the radicals.
The eason why the southern move
ment carries CONSERVATION into the re-
publican camp is, that it bids fair TO
Illustrate their purpose of ~p9stpOniug
restoration until after the presidential
election. 1t will be carried into the cleo
tions of this year ss a test question. If
the republican party oppose it, they will
be defeated, and the way be opened for
their easy overthrow in the presidential
contest. They are estopped from Oppos-
ing it with any effect before the people. /
They must promptly circumvent it
by a coup dc main or tall before it. The
southern plan runs so closely parallel to
the constitutional amendment which
the republican party have in so many
forms Endorsed, that the honest men of
their party cannot be brought to oppose
1t. 1t differs from the republican amend
ment by omission, only in falling to dis
franchise the southern leaders-a point
havingn no effecton any permanentpOlicy,
and which istreated as transient and sub
ordinate in the amendment itself, the dis
ability being made removable at any
lime by a two-thirds vote of Congress.
As an Offset and compensation, the
southern plan proposes to bestOw impair
ial suffrage irrespective of color, the
anne property or educational qualifica-
ion being required alike Of all. With
What face can the republicans
oppose this offer? Their leaders
ave q face to do GRgthing, but
hey cannot carry with them the honest
masses whom they have taught to APP
rove Of the constitutional amendment.
every stump and in every political
onversation, the republican leaders will {
e challenged TO state why they reject :
THAT is substantially their own plan. /,
hey will be required to explain why {
hey d~enounce this year what they :
.uded to the skies last. It will be per- {
thrust into their faces that I
hey are willing to keep the union dis 1
for what they themselves con- I
was a temporary and minor con- I
derstiOD, and this, too, When that 4
light change 10 compensated by the