Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-03-14
The military Rec obstruction Bill.


The Military Reconstruction Bill
The plan of reconstruction en-
bodied1n the Sherman -Shellabarger
bill as finally passed by Congress, is
daily growing in favor, both North
and South. The brief abstract at
first furnished by the telegraph, gave
tie measure harsher aspect than
careful examination of the bill in
full, will warrant. The military fea-
ture of the bill, really amounts to
but little, and is very far from Sc
tablishing a despotism at the South.
The appointment of the command
ers of the several military districts,
created by the bill, is vested in the
President, and that his appointees
will be men of mild rule, and of no
disposition to tyranize over the
Southern people, will not be ques-
tened. Besides, the existing civil
governments at the South are not
abolished or superseded, but allowed
to GO on in.the exercise of all their
functions, subject to military control,
only in the event that they refuse or
fail to afford protection to all United
States citizens residing therein
The bill in effect, establishes military
authority at the South, not for the
purpose of supereeding the civil
governments, but merely as guar
antee that those civil governments
will secure ample protection to loyal
men. If the civil courts promptly
punish the perpetrators of outrages
against loyal men, and if the civil
authorities use their influence and
power to prevent the occurrence of
these outrages, the military jurisdic-
ten conferred by the bill will never
be exercised. The bill simply says
to the South-do your duty in the
protection of all men alike, and ysu
will not be interfered with. If you
fail to de this, the military power Of
the general government will be used
to secure to its citizens that pretec-
ton which you will not, or, are un-
able to give them. If you are pow
erless to prevent New Orleans riots,
and the wanton murder of Union
men, the army of the United States
is not. The bill. in fact, cenfers no
greater power than the President is
already exercising through his COM
manders stationed at the South. Be-
sides, the South can at once escape |
from even this semblance of military
rule, by accepting the terms of re-
construction offered by the bill, and
recognizing her State governments
in the mode and upon the basis there
in prescribed.
The bill has another virtue, it fixes
definitely the mode and terms of re-
construction. The unsettled condi-
ton of this great question, and the
vacillating policy, both of President,
Congress and people, have been the
bane of the country for the last
eighteen months. This measure has
this great merit, it fixes in plain
terms, the conditions of reconstruc-
ton, and, at the same time, binds the
government to receive the South
back, the moment those conditions
are complied with. Here at last is a
certainty, finality, and this fact
must have its weight with the practi-
cal, thinking men of the South. The
plan, itself, may not fully meet the
views of any one of us. Thad.
Stevens thinks it is too mild, while
others pronounce it too severe. One
party dislikes the negro suffrage fea
ture of the bill, while another is dis
pleased because it does not contain a
wholesale Acknowledgment of the
rebels. And thus through all the va
rious shades and grades of thought,
character, parties and men. To de-
wise a measure that would meet the
approval of all, would be an absolute
impossibility. Its true policy, there
fore, for all parties to yield somewhat
of their individual views to the gen.
eral good, as in this way alone, can a
happy and final settlement of this
great question be reached.
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