The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-09
Reconstruction and the Admission of
the Late Rebel states.

, MR.. COLFAX, in his eloquent auuress peloIe
the members of the Union League, in New
York. a few days since, took occasion to most
emphatically express the opinion that, If the
late Rebel States should go on and reorganize
in good faith under the requirements, and In
accordance with the provisions, of the Recon-
struotion act, they would be admitted to par
ticipate in the political power of the Union.
Senator Wilson has uniformly advanced this
opinion in the addresses he has pen making
during his Southern tour.
There is no doubt that these gentlemen cor
rectly represent the sentiments of the Repub-
lican party, and foreshadow its action. There
has never been any intention by that party to
delay the admission of the late Rebel States
for one hour beyond what was demanded by
the safety and welfare of the nation. Its
measures have been proposed in good faith.
Had the Rebel States accepted of the Consttu-
tional amendment, they would have been
admitted; and if they shall now act in good
faith under the Reconstruction act, they will
be admitted. But their action must be honest,
and up to all the requirements Of the law.
Their elections must be fairly held, without
violence or intimidation and their Constitu-
tions, when framed, must contain the amplest
and most irreversible guarantees for the rights
of all the people. All their laws which grew
out of slavery, and which still foster its spirit
must be swept away. There must be no badge
Of enforced inferiority left upon any of their
citizens. In other words, reconstruction must
be thorough and complete. The States must
-,
forms of government which shall be so truly
and evidently republican as to leave no
room for doubt or question. And if they do
so they will be admitted promptly, cheerfully.
What the Republican party has been after
in all this contest is the essential triumph of
the principles of freedom and equality, which
were in truth the vitalizing principles, the in
spring forces of the loyal side during the late
great war. That war was the physical side of
the irrepressible conflict between freedom and
despotism. The South fought to overthrow
the Union, founded on the principles of repub-
hcanism and to erect upon its ruins slave
empire, founded on the essential principles of
despotism. The North fought to preserve the
nation, and with it to preserve and perpetuate
which it had been originally founded. The
South was beaten, and its great effort since has
been to save from the ruins of war as much as
possible of the fabric of despotism. 1t has
sought by political strategy and fnesse to save
itself from the logical effects of the war, and to
defraud the nation of that complete triumph
of republican principles which its victories
upon the field of physical conflict justly en-
titled it to.
Mr.. JOhnson's scheme of reconstruction was
simply.a political movement to save for the
South as much as possible of aristocracy.
Under it the old and corrupt rule of classes,
instead of the people, was to be perpetuated.
The political State was to be composed only O f
the ruling classes, and was essentially aristo-
cratic in its form. In some instances the large
majority of the people were to be disfranchised
and prescribed, while feeble olgarchy was to
be intrusted with the whole power in the
State. Of course all this was yelled under an
Ostensible devOtion to the Constitution, that most
convenient device of political villany in this
country; but its real aim and object its only
political signifcancy, was to establish a
Southern aristocracy, whose power should
reside in and be welded by the very Rebels
who had but just been compelled to lay down
their arms, as the defeated party in the great
war in which the nation had been engaged
Mr.. Johnson was, in this matter, as truly the
Southern leader in opposition to the ideas and
instincts of the nation, as ever Robert E. Lee
had been upon the field of battle.
We can now begin to realize the tremendous
danger we escaped by the splendid uprising OF
the people in the elections of last fall. The
Rebel scheme of reconstruction was over.
thrown. The full power of Congress over the
whole matter was definitely affirmed and set
tied. The way was opened for scheme O.
reconstruction which shall give the nation the
fruit of its victories over slavery and rebellion
and which shall give us homogeneous law
and institutions, founded upon the great prin
ciples of human freedom and equality. Th
beneficial effects of this measure, even in it
lncipient stages, are so apparent as to extor
confession, if not admiration from its enemies
II 1t shall be carried out in good faith, and tn
late Rebel States present themselves with Con
stitutisns and State Governments conformin
to the requirements of the Reconstruction ACT
they will be received and welcomed TO tn
powers and privileges Of States in the Union.
QUEEN VIcToRIA's FAMLY.-The birth of
son to the Princess Christian raises the nun