Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-09-12

all would have gone well at last, and tht
: pressnt state of things would not exist, bu
unfortunately he failed to submit his worl
to Congress. lie assumed the right to ac
cept their new State constitutions withOu
the consent of Congress. lie received anC
treated their new governments as legal an6
republican, and thus actually exercised thC
power of reconstruction without the sane
tion Of the people as expressed through
their representatives in Congress. The
power TO form the governments Of nine
States that had been in rebellion was toe
great TO be exercised by one man. The
settlement we had TO make with the rebels
and the readiustment Of their institutions
on a loyal basis which would give security
FOR the future, was matter OF the greatest
importance, in which all the people were
interested and upon which they must be
heard through Congress As the President
had no power Of himself to establish State
/ Governments, and sthey were ncyersanc-
tened by Congress, they were unauthoriZ-
ed and Illegal. and are in that condition
to day. In the summer of 1866, Congress,
still disposed TO harmonic matters with
the President If possible, and to disturb as
! little as might be the existing state of things,
submitted 10 The rebel States for their
acceptance of m amendment to the Con
sitution Of the United States, containing
four conditions which were regarded as of
vital importance To the future peace and
|. security Of the Republic, with the tacit un-
derstanding that il accepted and duly rati-
/ fed they should constitute a basis OF
settlement and reconstruction. The effect
OF this would lave been to accept the cx-
isiing rebel State Governments and make
them LEGAL. subject to the conditions and
restrictions contained in the amendment.
/ The Northern States promptly ratified the
amendment, but the people OF the South,
acting under the vehement advice and
persuasion of the Northern Democracy,
rejected it scornfully and declared they
would accept no terms but the uncondi-
tional recognition OF their State Govern
menls and admission Of their Representa-
/ tive. into Congress And thus the issue
was made up between Congress and the
! President and between the loyal people
and the rebels, on the lst of January, 1866.
( la the mean time these State Governments
had been in the possession Of The most viO-
/ lent and MALIGNANT rebels. whose utteranccs
and influences were all disloyal and against
submission 10 any terms OF reconstruction
Loyal men. both white and black, were
denied the protection of the laws, and a
system of murderous prosecution institu-
ted which was intended to drive all white
/ Union men from the South and cxtirpate
the last traces of lOysl sentiment The
poor freedmen were driven from their
| humble homes and murdered with the bold
est impunitv. and reign Of terror estab-
lishod which excited the horrors Of the
civilized world. The bloody riots Of
Memphis and New Orleans, taking rank
with The New York iiots of 1868. will ever
be regarded as among the greatest atrocities
/ that have occurred in a christian s-land.
! Durin. this period the Democratic party
OF tie North were jubii4nt. Ii habitualy
denied the existence OF the crimes and out
RACES committed in the South, and when
that was Impossible sought to mitigate them
/ by LAYING the blame upon the Radicals,
who were slandcrou,ly charged with per
scouting The harmless rebels by whom they
were surrounded.
+ II stimulated 10y every means in its pow
er The Southern people to continued DISC
/ bedicncc, To- increased hatred Of the Gov
eminent, and to the cOntcmptuOs defiance
and rejection Of all terms That might be of
| fcred.
NEW RECoNsTPUCTIoN on NEW PRINCIPLE.
! Up 10 this time every plan of reconstruc-
ton had been based upon the white voting
population. leaving TO the decision Of that
population the question OF enlrancising the
colorcd men. Ii was so in I.incoln's plan,
in the Winter Davis bill, III Johnson 5 plan,
and under the Constitutional Amendment.
Al hopes OF reconstruction upon that basis
were rons The whites. .ninetecn-twentieths
of whom were rebels under the Satanic
influence of the Northern Democracy,
continued disloyal, hostile and perverse.
4 new plan of reconstruction was indis-
pensablc, and il must he upon ia totally
different principle. Judgment olillegslity
and condemnation must be pronounced up
on the Presidents policy and workman
ship. The power of the administration TO
impede the action of Congress and defeat a
Of reconstruction must be nsutralized.
The constitutional Amendment must rati-
fed, and 81, State officers, as we'll as mem
bers of Congress. must be loyal and able to
take the iron-clad oath.
But we must dig deeper We must go
down to the solid and immutable principles
of the Declaration Of Independence, dis
carding all matter Of expediency and com
promise. We must lay the foundations of
equal rights and equal justice. We must
place tho ballot in the hands of all men,
without distinction Of color, except such
, as have been disffanchised for treason or
other crimes And ell this has been done.
As ittook us some time To find the right meth
thod to carry on the war, and the right man
TO command our armies, So ii has taken Us
some time TO find out the right plan OF re
construct )n but We have got it at last.
We are not simply building from the ground
up. but from the solid rock beneath the
ground. The structure rises slowly but
surely. No enduring and beautiful cdiilce
was ever built in a day.
Some delays there have been in the pro-
gress OF the work, and others may be eX
pectcd; but they will be temporary. No
earthly power can defeat the enterprise.
The Attorney General thrust in his opinion
Just i'm time to enable Congress to meet
and legislate It's sophistries away. Gallant
and glorious Phil. Sheridan has been re-
moved, but he is succeeded by. Thomas,
the iron soldier. who never lost a battle.
Stanton, the greatest of war ministers in
this orany ether country, has been disposed,
but his place is filed by Grant, the greatest
soldier OF the age; and still the work goes
bravelv on. The Rebel States viii rise
from the ashes the Rebellion with renew
ed life, Radical Republican States, purified
by blood and fire, having sloughed off the
foul garments OF q reasonable Democracy;
and, clothed in the hablfments of liberty,
Justice and loyalty, viii take their places
ioyfully in the Union And we will unite
our hearts and our hands until the work is
accomplished.
We VIII not be diverted from our pur-
IL - IL fl.A
great consummation is obtained. When
the unity Of the Republic has been restored;
when liberty and peace prevail throughout
the land; when the fangs OF unrepentant
rebels have been extracted and they have
been rendered harmless the balance of
their days, we shall have time to attend to
subordinate affairs and will do it TO the
hearts content of Democratic politicians.
We shall then adjusta all questions offinance
currency, banks, tariffs and taxation, and
have much time left TO attend to the Re-