Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-03-16
T . -s-e--T--- -s-e-------- v ..-i.--7.s..f. The Military Reconstruction Ell. PRESIDENT JoHNsoN's OBJECTIONS.


 The hill places ali the people of the ten states therein named under the ab- fsoiuto diminion of military rulers, and
 the preamble undertakes to give the
 reasons upon which it is justified. It ! declares there exists in those states no legal government and adequate protec-
 ton to life CT property, asl asserts the proprleiy of enforcing peace and good order within their limits.
 * *
 The bill however would seem to show upon Its face that the establishment of peace and good order is not its real ob fJect. Ihe fifth section declares that tho proceeding section shall cease to operate
 Ill any State where certain events have
 happened. These arc: 1st. The cleo tion of delegates 10 q state convention by election at which negroes shall be allowed to vote. 2d. I he formation of
 state constitution by the convention so chosen. 3d. The insertion into the
 state constitution of a provision which will secure the right Of voting at all elections to negroes and such white
 men as may not be distranchised for rebellion or felony. 4th. The submis- 1 sion of the constitution for ratification of negroes and white men not disfran- chised, and it's actual ratification by vote. 9th. The submission of the state constitution to congress for the cxami-
 nation and actual approval of it by that body. 9th. The adoption of certain amendment to the federal constitution
 by vote of the legislature elected un-
 der the. new constitution. 7th. The
 adoption of said amendment by q suf- ticient number of other states to make it apart of tho constitution of the Uni- { ted States. .t,a All of these conditions must be full filled before the people of any of these states can be relieved from the bondage
 of military despotism, but when they
 are fulfilled then the pains and penal
 ties of the bill arc to cease, no matter whethci there be peace or order or not.
 without reference to the security oflife
 and property. The excuse given for lthe bill in the preamble is admitted by
 the bill itself not to be real. The mill , tary rule which 1t establishes is plainly to be nsed not for any purpose of order. or for the prevention of crime. but sole i ly as a means of coercin@ the people into the adoption of principles and
 measures to which it is known they are opposed, and upon which they have an
 undeniablc right to exercise their own iudgnent. I submit to congress wheth- CT this measure is not in its whole scope and object without precedent and with out authority, in palpable conflict with tho plaiacst provisions of the constitu- ! ton, and utterly destructive to those principles of liberty and humanity for which oar ancestors on both sides of i the Atlantic shed so much blood and expended so muchtreasure. a... ,7s
 The powergiven to tho commanding officer over all the people of each state ! is that of an absolute monarch. His mere will is to take the place of all law. { Tho law of tho states. the only rute ap- splicable to the subject, is placM under I his control, and that is completely dis ! placed by the clause which declares that all Interference of the state authority { to be null and void. s He alone is per
 mitted 10 deterpinc what are the rights
 of person and property. He may pro- 1 taet them in such a way las in his dis cretlon may seem proper. It places at his free disposal all the lands and goods ! in hisedistliet. He may distribute llscn without let or hinSlrance 4 to whom he
 pleases, being bound by no state law 1;
 Gnd there being no other law to regu- late tho subject, he may make crimi-
 nal code of his own, and he can make it as bloody as any recorded in history,
 or he can reserve the privilege of act
 ing upon the impulses of lis private passions. In each case that arises heis bound by no rules of evidence. There
 is indeed no provision by which he is authorized or required to take evidence
 at all.' Everything is crime which he l chooses to call so, and all persons are
 condemned whom he pronouuces gnflty ' He is not beundto make any report or
 keep any record of his proceedings. | lie may arrest his victims wherever he
 may find him, without warrant, accusa-
 ton or proof of probable cause If he gives them trial before lie inAicts the