New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-10-23
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER %, 1867

fexibiity which at all times marked his poll
cies, and from his express declarations. During
the last year of the war, President LincOns
convictions were maturing. and had taken firm
form, that the colored race must be allowed to
vote. This truth inspired his note to Gov.
Hahn, and was clearly stated as an clement OF
reconstruction in his letter to Gen. WadswOrth.
lie therein promised not to allow Rebels to re-
turn to power. or loyal black men to be de-
priyed Of the suffrage. But above ALL IN ms
last speech at Richmond, he stated that the
questions of reconstruction and suffrage were
for Congress, not the Executive to decide.
These facts show that Mr.. Lincoln's pohcy
would have been: 1. SO to reorganHe the
Rebel States as 10 secure their power TO Loyal
men. Q. TO leave the mode OF reconstruction
and the right Of suffrage wholly to Congress
3. To use his influence in behalf OF the
extension of the right OF suffrage 10
the cOlOred race as part oil INC "orK
Of reconstruction. In all these respects
Mr.. johnson has reversed Mr.. Llncoln's policy
in the aim pursued, though he followed it in
the mere red tape. He placed the power OF
every State he reconstructed in Rebel hands.
He opposed all legislation thereon by Congress,
and he specially fought against the extension
of suffrage to the colored race. Hence it is a
bald untruth in Mr.. Randall to state that the
two policies are alike in .the objects sought
III. 1t is well known fact that under Mr.
Johnson's policy not single representative
"loyal all through the war, was ever elected 10
"Congressn In affirming that had his policy
been let alone such representatives would have
been elected, Mr.. Randall is predicting against
the facts after they have happened Mr.. John
sons policy was let alone until every Southern
State had had opportunity to elect representa-
tives, and not one loyal one was elected.
Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia. Nice-Presi-
dent of the Confederacy, was the one most
nearly loyal out of the whole litter.
". If the reconstruction laws passed by Con-
gress were "outside the Constitution" as Mr.
Randall affirms, we would be glad to learn
where inside the Constitution" the Presidents
reconstruction prOclamations can be found.
Congress is clothed by the Constitution with
power to "make all laws needful for carrying
"into effect any of the powers of the Govern
ment. If the Government, in any OF its
branches, military or civil, executive, legisla-
tive, or judicial, had any power to reconstruct
the Southern States, Congress was invested by
the Constitution with power, as the law-makinS
body to declare how il should be done. If the
Government had no such power, what becomes
of the Presidents proclamations of reconstruc-
ton? The signal error committed by the
President was in having too much ambition to
allow Congress or even his Cabinet to divide
the responsibility and share the glory of recon
struction, and yet too little ability to devise a
oh Oft afota
manlike, safe, or possible. The error committed
by Mr.. Randall in defending his master lies in
forgetting that the people to whom he adj
dresses his statements do not hold the office
which to him is sufficient compensation for
making them Hence they cannot lie expected
TO see their force.