The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-04-20

The Richmond Enquirer puts TO the New
York Times the following questions:
ave wish to ask the New York Times
question; Are the Southern people bound
80 far 10 their own action and agency ar,
appealed TO- to support the Constitution
We have been required to take oath to sup
port it,-must We keep that oathl If til,
answer be In the affirmative, how can w
become party TO the Congressional legisla
ton in reference to the Southern Statesl WI
can submit to torce-and endure while Con
gress does-but can we take part, aud Civ,
acceptance and concurrence without PERU
gi
We will suggest further-if the Govern
ment Is in state of revolution on, such NJ
the Times describes, and If this revolutsor
receives the sanction of the people to such Q
degree as to command respect, as the Times
seems to argues could II not be decent to sas
pend the oath 10 support The Constellation until
hejob Is endedi II would save great deal
Of perjury in high places--as such things are
understood in the benighted South"
To which the Times, very appropriately
and forcibly replies:
]. We do not see that the Southern
States become a party to" the legislation
OF Congress by accepting II us law and obey
ing It's requirements. Congress has passed q
law providing for elections, conventions and
other steps in the reorganization of govern
ments in the Southern States. That law
may, or may not, be constitutional; but the
Southern people are not responsible for it.
They We're not parties to it," in any sense.
They did not vote for it: its validity does
not depend on their accepting or asserting
to it. 1t will go into effect, and the South
ern State Governments will be organized I'M
der its provisions, whether they accept or
rejectit. All they do is to submit to force. T"
They take the law as they find it,-as it is
made for them by those who, for the time,
have the power to make it.
We cannot see that their taking an oath
to support the Constitution has anything
whatever to do with this question That
oath does not forbid their obeying an uncon-
stitntional law-though it might forbid their
making one They linda certain law ia force
they are in no wise responsible for it-they
had nothing to do with the making of it,
they are merely the parties upon whom it is
to take effect. They avail themselves of
power which it puts in their hands, for their
own protection against others whom it
clothes with the same power 1t requires
very sharp optics to detect in this any thing
like perjury"
2. Perhaps it would be decent" to "sus-
pend the oath to support the Constitution
until the job is ended;" but what of that9
Does the Enquirer expect to get it suspend
edY Or will its opinion that it ought to be
suspended, in the least change the conse-
quence of its refusal to act under the law
The question may be sharp as taunt, butt
has little practical Importance.
We should be glad If the Enquirer and all
other Southern journals could act upon the
fact that this whole matter of reconstruction
has become one for practical action, not for
argument or speculation In our Judgment
the great, pressing necessity of the Southern
States is to get back into the Union-not
theoretically, but actually;-not to demon
strate that they are there according to the
Constitution-but to get there in such way
that they can be recognized, can send Sena-
tors and Representatives into Congress, can
havea voice and votes in making laws and
electing Presidents and shaping the action of
the National Government. The sooner they
can do this the better for themselves Until
they do it they are mere subjects of power
40 ertra, wholly separate and alien to them
They have no share in making the laws
which force compels them to obey They are
utterly powerless, and must SO remain until
by some means or other they can resume
their actual representation in Congress.