The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-03-19


The Reconstruction act which passed tn
late Congress over the Presidents veto j
already virtually accepted by the South
It is iof counsel denounced and execratet
by certain noisy ex-Rebels (mainly of The
bomb-proof variety:) but not many ever
of those, talk Of resisting it, while the pol
lev of the "masterIy inactivity" has few
advocates, and their number is rapidly
dwindling. And for this there Is excellent
reason, in the fact that, i the ez-R~6e'S
refuse to organize their States undrr tie
act ofCongress,Me Unconditional Union
lists white and Black eOW -organize
each of and By themselves. If, then, the
ex Rebels should insist on testing the con-
sttutionaIity of the act Def re the Supreme
Court, they will simply compel that Court
TO decide whether State organization by
loyal men in obedience 10 an act of Con
gress or rival organization by ex-Rebels
in defiance of Congress shall be recognlz-
ed and upheld by the authority and pow
er of the Union: and it does not seem pro-
bable that majority even of our present
Judges will decide that issue against Con
gress and the loyal organizations.
The ten Rebel States are to be reorgan-
lied under the late act of Congress, and
are to choose Representatives and Senators
to claim seats in the present (XLth) Con
gress. So much is already assured. And
it is morally certain that the great body
their people. irrespective of past differences
of politics or condition, will participate IN
such reorganization and election.
Nor is there any symptom Of violent
perturbation or deadly collision likely to re-
suit from the act which was SO lately stlg
malized by its enemies as one ito organizr
hell" in the South. On the contrary, the
prospect is decidedly favorable 10 nearer
approach to peace AMI order than has been
exhibited at the South for years. Outrage
and violence are less prevalent there than
they have been; there is reason t"
hope that the Reconstruction at hand will
be marked by no such hldeOuS tragedies a>
those which in 1866 di$eraccd the cities OF
Memphis and NewOrlea"s.
The only clouds on the horizon are fair
ly chargeable to an omission by Congress
to prescrib. the machinery whereby Recon
strnction is to be effected. Had the act
prescribed a dav (Say the fourth of july
whereon the people of the ten States re-
spective'y shall (not NAV meet and choose
delegates to a Constitutional Convention,
and directed either the provisional State
authorities or the military district comman
ders to designate persons to hold the polls,
count the votes, &c, all trouble would have
been precuded.
That the omission is unfortunate, is al
ready manifest in Virginia and in Louisiana.
In Virginia, the Blacks and other loyaIl't>
are exhorted not to vote at the election
which will doubtless be held under the au
spicies or the State authorizes, but to hold
an election of their own We trust means
will be found to avoid double election ;
and we cannot help advising the lOvalists
of that State to follow the leai OF Francs
H. Pierpont rather than that Of James w.
Hunnicutt.
Ia Louisiana, it is reported that the ex
Rebels propose to hold Constitutional
election as if in conformity to the act OF
Congress, but to reject the votes of all col
ored men! We do not believe they will
persist in this stupidity. If they mean to
deny and resist the authority OF Congress
in the premises, their obvious course is to
adhere to their prese, t State organization
and take no part in the choice Of delegates
to make another.
Or the whole, the good work of Recon
struction is progressing favorably and rap
idly. Those who have for years vocitera,
ted that the Radicals We're bent on keep,
ing the Southern States unreprescnte'l aud
in chaos until after the next choice of Pres
ident, will be singing very different song
before December.-Trijune.