The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-07-16
at'herliag gegister.
Reeon.,raeiion RECONSTRUCTED.


The Fortieth Congress has recon-
strncted reconstruction quite thorough |
ly. The measures adopted last Spring |
To ensure the success of Radicalism in
the South having been found made |
quate tO the purpose, new batch OF
legislation has been devised TO meet
the demands of the occasion. 1t was
said that Mr.. STANBERT drove six horse
team through the SHEEMNN-SHELLA-
TAgGER plan. The aim of the supple
mental Act, which we give in another
column, seems to be To repair the breach
caused by the Attorney Generals awk-
ward chariOte-ring. SO far rs can be /
seen, the end appears TO be very well
attained.
Il the oil. passed by Congless on Sat-
nr,lay doesn't hand over the South |
body, soul and boots, to the BRowN-
LOWS aud lfUNNICUTrs of that region,
il VIII he because unscrupulons legis- |
latiou cannot accomplish the purpose. |
The Only hope Of the South is in the
mercy OF the Brigadiers and the honesty |
OF the Reg sistraIs-a hope that isn't worth |
the breath required q express it.
The frs; section of Reconstruction
reconstructed provides for the 10 al
and pruupt annihilatiuT of the ten I'M
represented Southern States. II they /,
rNi,, at all, IL is by the will of the
commanding Generals-an existence SO
prccariuus as scarcely 10 be distinguish |
able from entire destruction.
The second section invests the district
cummamdrgs with an authority approach
ing To rmnipOtcncc in the government
of their respective districts. They can
make new laws aud Iullify existing
ones. Thry can create new offices, APP
point new officers, aud abolish,
SUSPEND or remove those already |
provided for 10y law. They can do all
Things aud employ all men aud means
necess:l " ia their opinion, 20 carry on a
governments: which, m their opinion, may
he required tor the protection OF those
who, in hon opinion. are loyal aud the
snbiugaiiOn of those whO,ia hcT opinion,
are "disloyal." Iu short, they have full
power To command, create and regu-
late all the means essential to secure
the supremacy OF bayOnets, bullets and
BriradicrS. over human life, liberty and
property ia ten States Of the American
Union.
The iiIigd section, and Il part of the
second, set hy trap 10 catch beal'
They make GRANT the keeper of the Brig
adiers. They give him sort OF Supervi-
sorry power over the acts OF his interiors
in rank, and perpetrate the proioundest
Joke of the season by limiting that he
would ever have the tirmness to exer-
else such power in any way save TO
serve the behcsts of the Congressional
wire pullers.
The tunrth section affords to Officers
of the army full security for their past
usurpations in diSplacing the officers OF
State Governments, aud makes abundant
provision for promiscuous Outrages OF
similar character in the future.
The fifth section gives the Boards OF
Registrars unlimited power over the
suffrage question, authorizes them to
disfranchise white voters at their pleas
ure. and invests them with full discrt-
zion over all the rights of the citizen,
always excepting the right of the ubiq-
uitous "nigger" to make one in their
mids. and share the fun of disfranchis-
ing the rebels.
The sixth section declares that "the
trne intent aud meaning" of Congress
i'm its former acts of reconstruction, was
the exclusion from the peils of suifi-
cient number of white men to give
black and tan ''loyalty' the control OF
the South, aud that the oath prescribed
i'm said former legislation shall he con-
strued with special reference o the sue
cess of "thr unconditional Union men"
of all colors, "who have been unques-
tiOuably loyal from the beginning
The seventh section provides that the
process of general registration, for
white aud black, shall not continue
longer than the first of October, 1867,
and not till then, il the whites register
too rapidly for the blacks; and that
after that time. the space of fourteen
days prior To every election shall he de-
voted to striking of the names OF the
respectable whites and registering adj
ditional African :sovereigHs, or such
other "lUyal' brethren rs may offer.
We interpret this section in the light |
of West Virginia experiences, and our
CONSTRUCTION may be relied on.
The eighth section provides that the !
Registration Boards shall take an oath /
of office, but unfortunately makes no
provision to compel them to respect it.
The ninth section applies the military |
thumb to the martial nose and wags
the digits of each loyal" Brigadicr in
pantomimic derisiOn at the baffied and |
circumvented Attorney General Of the !
United States.
The tenth section provides for the
prompt removal of any honest man who
may happen to occupy seat upon
Board of Registration.
The eleventh section declares that any
and all powers, Dot expressly conferred
in this Act, which may be required TO
carry the Southern elections, shall be
taken for granted; and generally, that
the Act is TO he construed In the most