The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-08

has vet emanated from Il radical quarter.
The Buffalo Courier Dem,) while objec-
ting to the bill as based ON the theory of
State suicide, admits even more in regard to
the terms proposed, than is claimed by most
Republican papers. saying:
1.-THE bill exhibits, in certain important
features. a leaning toward conservatism In
the first place the bill legalizes everything the
President has thus far done in the matter of
provisional governments, which was unex-
! Dected from such source. In the second
place the bill requires that the members of
| the Convention take an oath that they did
not willingly, after the 4th of March, 1864,
support the rebellion and also that they
will hereafter faithfully support the Consti-
| tuition and Government OF the United States.
This is a very mild oath to be prescribed by
Stevens. With regard to the choice OF the
delegates to this Convention, the bill cannot
be considered radical. Its provisions in this
respect are certainly, for their author, ex-
tremely liberal"
THE Ecening Post regards it as certain that
as soon as Congress is satisfied that the
Southern States will not have the Amend
ment it will proceed to other measures, and
| it says:
lit is useless to argue against such
course the people in the recent elections
have demanded and justified it. 1t is OF no
use to show that the whole preceding Is
extra. constitutional, for the people reply
that defiant and unpunished traitors shall
not take advantage of constitutional forms
to gain unfair advantages; they will not
have such a condition of things as makes a
vote in the South represent twice as much
as a vote in the North they will in some
way exclude from power the leaders and
originators of the rebellion. 1t is said the
measures necessary to obtain such lcgisla-
ton are extra unconstitutional, and to that ex-
tent revolutionary, the people reply: We
cept the risk Justice is to be done, safety
secured, and treason punished, at all haz-
| ards. "
The North Carolina bill, so far as it as
serts the power of Congress, rather than the
President, to reestablish the State Govern
ments overturned by the rebellion, the Post
regards as in strict accordance with the
Constitution, and with the will Of the people
as expressed in the late elections. But i'll
its provision declaring the qualifications OF
voters, it thinks the bill makes dangerous
blunder. On this point the Post says:
cit DEGREES that only those shall vote who
can read and write, or who own real estate
of the assessed value of one hundred dollars.
Now if Congress may decide who shall vote,
in the reorganization of an overthrown State
Government, it may decree general as well
as partial suffrage; and we trust it will not
commit the blunder and wrong of excluding
any class from the polls, If the State Gov
ernments in the South are to be reorganized
under Congressional supervision, it is the
highest duty of Congress to see to it that all
the people take part in that important and
fundamental act"
The Trenton On. j. State Gazette prefers
Mr. Stevens bill to those introduced by
Messrs. Sumner, Stevens and Julian, if eth
er of the proposed bills is to become a law,
as the one most likely to accomplish its pur
pose, and because it fixes definite period
for the formation of State Government,
and evidently looks to as brief a continu-
ance of the territorial system as possible
But it says:
ave are of the opinion, however, that no
such measure should be adopted by Congress
until after the separate States have had full
time to consider and act upon the amend
ments to the Constitution now pending We
think that Congress is bound by the obliga-
tions of good faith to give the policy adopt
ed at the last session Il fair trial, which it
has not yet had. Congress is bound to give
the insurgent States ample time to act, and
if they shall persist in their present course,
and reject plan so just and equitable, then
we hope that Mr.. Stevens bill may be adop-
ted, and extended to all the disorganized
States The present abnormal condition of
affairs cannot be perRitted to continue much
longer, and if the people of the South-un-
der the lead of men who brought all this
disaster upon thenl-persist in their obsti-
nate refusal to aid in the work of RECONSTRUCT
ton, it ought to and must be completed
without their aid, and without consulting
them"
The Medina Tribune urges the adoption of
Mr.. Spaulding's resolution, declaring upon
the adoption of the Amendment by any
| State, its loyal representatives will be con-
sidered as in the case of Tennessee, entitled
to immediate adm.ssion-this to be the
last of the olive branches to the South. If,
it says, the rebel leaders still prove potent
and powerful-if the refusal to adopt the
Amendment is persisted in, as it no doubt
will be-then proceed to declare the exist
ing Governments illegal and unconstitution-
al, and organize others upon loyal basis as
proposed in Mr.. Stevens plan in regard to
North Carolina. In doing this the Tribune
claims:
Congress need not and will not declare
that North-Carolina is or ever was out of the
Union, or has ceased to exist as State. She
will simply be regarded and treated as a
State without a Government as State in
the hands of disqualified rebels, who are
as really opposed to the Union now as when
enSaSeu III the actlVe enterprises OF war 1or
its destruction. And in meeting this issue
the disloyal will be set aside, while the loyal,
will be invited to assume the places which
they alone are competent to hold. Of course,
the perpetual exclusion from political action
of all who have taken part in the rebellion
it not for moment to be thought of; but
the advantage of such plan is that it will
bring them lack, when they do come, in an
attitude of perfect and submissive loyalty"
The Milwaukee (Wis.) Sentinel opposes
the bill because of the reading and writing
and the property qualifications, which, it |
says, reduce it to the level of the johnson |
policy, and ought to insure for it the en-
phatic negative of every Republican in Con-
gress." This objection it expresses further |
as follows
"This qualification would practically dis |
franchise nine out of every ten, and very |
likely ninety-nine out of every hundred of |
the colored people of the State, while it |
would not disfranchise single white man,
however poor or ignorant he might be. If !
it is claimed that no one can be chosen
delegate to the convention unless he can
take the prescribed OATH we reply, if you ex-
pect to secure loyal Government by means
of this oath you are doomed to disappoint-
ment. The men who have the ballot will
have the power; and you cannot prevent it
Y