Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-02-19
Speech of Mr. Banks Of Massachusetts.
on SouthertE Reconstruction.
LuoUsE oR REPREsENrAT1Yrs. .rr1,,n nrr

lH"0sEs " REPRESENTATIVES,, FEB'Y 9ru.
! The House resumed the consideration Of
MI Stevens reconstruction bill; aud
MT BANKS of Mass, took the floor. HIS
nFst intention was to support the bill as report-
ca 6y the committee, but he changed his
view upon reflection. He believed the States
! lately In rebellion were still States, and they
nad never ceased to be States. nor could they
cease 70 De SO until the general government
gave ITS consent. But the rebellion denriye,l
! the people FROM cooperating in tI,e e,9vern-
ment Oh the country, and case as il stands
! leaves the States With legal existence but
/ 1t also leaves the people in condition of non.
! cooperation IN the government. The States
might be denonliaated as in state of seiGe
ana we hold them at bay until proper govern
| mcnts are framed for them Yiewin., f fms
all that has been done by the military has been
done IN good faith. He was in favor Of any
measure calculated to repress the enemies of
the country, and should not object to place
states under martial law for that purpose;
but TINS bill goes further and does more Il
establishes, under military authority, sort
Vi government, which IS responsible neither
to Congress or the people, but only to the
commanders of the army. He TAFr. II \ Vac
willing to be convinced Of his error. but if he
was right he did not suppose any one would
| desire to pass the bill. 1t enables the militia
~ TO establish just such government as NAV
please them, and to assume all legislative and
judicial powers, and bill couferring all this
civil power should not be passed
There was another objection. There is not
a letter or line in this bill which limits its
operation or looks to the establishments of any
! other government If passed with this un.
restricted and unlimited power, it will have
the effect to crush out the liberties of the
people, The hope of the country is in the
masses OF the people of the Southern States
and they must be elevated, and in soma wav
the power must be given to them, and thew
Will become the fastest friends of the country
The masses of the South constituted the de-
mocracy OF the country, and against them was
powerful aristocracy; and it was a fact to
be apprehended that if this.bilI passed, all the
influence of the regular army would be on the
SIDE OF the aristocracy, and against the de-
mocracy; and the country would thus be de-
prlved Of the most substantial basis of recon-
struction. He Mr.. 3. sometimes feared for
| the safety OF his country, and he sometimes
feared that all hope was gonc-as Alexander
feared after his provinces had been divided
between his commanders But if there is any
hope for the country it is centered in the mil
lions OF the poor and ignorant of the South.
All power there is vested in the aristocracv.
and whatever measures are to be adoDted
Congress must act in favor of the democracy.
and not III favor Of the aristocracy; for all
aristocracy leads to monarchy.
The bill under consideration gives Gen
Grant the power to appoint commanders of
the districts. lie Mr. B. had no distrust
OF Gen. Grant, for he believed he would act
for the best interests of the country. But he
regretted to be compelled to acknowledge that
he believed Gen. Grant was the only man in
the country who could satisfactorily perform
the great duty hereby assigned. Gen. Grant
| personally might not desire this great power
and authority, as he would be placed in deli
cate position between his power. If he acted
with the President, the provisions of the bill
| would not be enforced; and if he acts in an
| tagonism to the views of the President he
would have all the high executive officers of
the government against him and in either
| case 1t would no doubt lead to his personal
sacrifice. 1t might also lead to envy and am
| bltlon of subordinate officers. and if he found
himself being undermined by his subordi>
mates, he must either submit or be DESTROYED
or else he must seize the military power of the
Government and fight for his own ends. He
! Mr.. i. regretted that he could not vote for
the bill, aud trusted that it would be amend
Cd and modified. lie would accord all mill
| St''O PO"S4 AOl ZIG projection or loyal DeODie
OF the South but he desired that the arm,
Of the military should be used only for the
purpose Of establishing proper governments.
The proposition of demonstrating the South
upon the basis of universal amnesty and uni
vcrsal suffrage was not an available one. for
the late rebels were in power in the South,
and no system of universal suffrage alone
could deprive them Of the control o? South
ern affairs. The South had never been gov
crncd, as was the North, by popular opinion,
and the men in power would never allow the
masses to get control OF the power now WELD
ed by them; and the negro element could
never secure that control. The South would
be, as it ever had been in the past, unit
upon all questions of policy. In speaking
thus he would include not only the ten rebel
States, but also those which had maintained
their places in the Union. The North could
never be unite as the South was united
In the South there was no division of senti-
mcnt, and they will always sustain their pow
ers, and resort to force and fraud if their ends
cannot be otherwise accomplished These
| Southern people have now still more distinct
and diverse interests from those of the people
of the North. The recent war caused them
to sustain a loss of $1,000, 000, 600, aud the
United States Government requires them to
abandon all hope of gaining recompense or
| remuneration tor these losses and while we
refuse to recognize their debt and require
them to help to pay ours, and its interest,
| they will naturally feel nggrieved and NAV
create much trouble and confusion ifadnIit-
ted to participation in the Government at
| once.
The South has an immense power, and
with Maryland, Missouri, Kentucky. and
other States cooperating, as they certainly
would, they have ninety-eight votes in the