The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-09
RECONSTIeUCTION.

oarert onca again to this never ending subject;
,,ot from anv preference we have for it. But it's
utmost Importance is unlenlable, ana however
much our peo,le may disclalIn all interest IL
politics. they cannot be Indifferent to the funda-
mental laws and principles by which their very
existence ne may say, ia to be regulated. Even
although ne may have no influence II g1Vlng u
form or character, We are go vtaily lnterestec III
whatever plan Of reconstruction may be Ultimately
adopted: that we should at least DO well informed
Of every step in its rise and progress The sqpect
naturally has gained new prominence at this tme
from the PRONUNCIATION of a new scheme Tor thls
purpose by the Administration.
A recent article in tho New York Eoena'a9 Foss
enunerates the several plans Of reconstruc'aon
heretofore proposed. They are as follows
First. What is known is the Presidents plan'
viz: seto admit to seat in Congress every person
bearing the certificate Of the Governor OF asouth-
ern State. who should prove acceptr bic to the
House in which he claimed = seat, as loyal nian'
and who was able to take the oath. This, there
can be little doubt, was also MIR. LHooINs policy:
Second There was the plan agreed upon.Dy the
famous Committee on Reconstruction at the last
| session of the present Congress, viz: the HOWARD
Constitutional Amendment, the features OF winch
have be;n 30 repeatedly discussed in our columns,
thai we shall take it for granted oil our readers
are familiar with them. .
Third. Next there was 8 plan agreed upon by
Horace GREELEY, MONTGOMERY BLAIR and Others
of universal and unconditional amnesty-"so far
as immunity from fear of punishment or contisca7
tion is concerned" The foregoing three plans ac-
cepted the present State governments IN the
South. - -. ..i.:.-.
fourth. There was the territorial scheme Re:
turning common sense, says tho Posi-, has,
we believe, caueed most Of tho advocates OF
this plan to drop it.
seThere was what was known as the North
Carolina Bill, with an important amendment,
which looked to the reorganization OF the State
governments under the guidance of Congress-, and
by tho action Of all the people Of each State This
plan is still endorsed by the Eoening Post. soIhe
fourth and fifth plans, it will be noticed, look to
upsetting the present State governments, az not not
legally formed; the North Caroline Bill, however,
. using these loesl governments until they sre su- gu
nerseded BIZ the constitutional action Of the peo-
Die, and legalizing their acts until then.
The Post is still candid enough to say that the
first plan, that proposed BY MI. Johnson, would
have been the best, because it would have at once
and without danger to any worthy interest N the
country, have set the whole machinery Of civil gov
ernment regularly going. ;55. ..Is.-.
There has not hitherto been any plan proposed
that covered the ground, and was ut ali likely to
be accepted by both sections OF the country Tho
field is open, therefore, for new protects and &C
cordingly we now have, by a new combination of
polihco-arcbitectura wisdom and skill, q bran new
plan, carefully elaborated This, we are told, has
the appreciation Of the President and his Cabinet
II also has the indorsation of Gov. SHARKET, of
Mississippi, Gov. MARVIN, Of Florida, Gov. PAT.
TON. TON. Of Alabama, Gov. ORn, Of South Carolina
and Of leading gentlemen from the other Southern
States. It is to be laid before the North Carolina
Legislature, now in session, and it is said that Gov
OHR will shortly call special session, OF our Leg
/ islature for the same purpose. In the. NEWS OF
Thursday We gave the plan, as published authori-
tatiyely in the Richmond Enquirer. The same is
/ in the form Of a proposed amendment to tile Con-
stittion Of the United States, and also proposed
amendment to the Constitutions Of the several
| Statcs Section first Of the former provides for
the perposuity Of the Union; the second pledges
the sacredness of the National debt. The third
ssction is re-af6rmation Of the Civil Rights Bill
Section 4 Part FIRST, relating to. the basis OF
Congressional representation, is, to all intents
and purposes, the Same as in the Howard Amend
ment. The following is the latter clause ct this
4th section:
No Stale shall require as a property qualification
for voters more than two hundred and hfty dollars
| worth of taxable property, nor as an educational
qualification more education than enough to en-
| able the voter to read the Constitution ct tho
United States in tho English language and write
his own name.
We reprint, also, the Amendment proposed to
| the State Constitutions: -
Every male citizen who has resided in this
State for one year, and in the county in which he
offers to vote six months, immediately precedin.
the day Of election, and who can read the Constl-
/ tuition of the United States IN the English Ian
e11aee, md can write his own name, or who may
be the owner Of two hundred and hfty dollars
worth OF taxable property shall be entitled to vote
at all elections for Governor Of the State members
of the Legislature, md all other officers elective
by the people of the State: Provlded That no per.
/ son by reason of this article shall be- excluded
from voting who has heretofore exercised the elec
tive franchise under the Constitution and laws OF
this State, or who, at tho time OF the adoption OF
this amendment, may be entitled to vote under
said Constitution and laws.