New-York tribune., 1867-02-16
THE DUTY or THE HOUR.


tion of the States now unreprcsented in Con-
grcss seems to us the proper complement of
the bills of Mr.. Eliot and Mr. Stevens which
have already passed the House. BY the former
of these, a way is opened for the restoration
of Louisiana to the place she forfeited by trea-
son by the latter, efficient protection is ex-
tended to the loyal people of the South. Mr.
Blaine's proposition virtually secures to the
other unrepresented States what Mr.. Eliots
bill guarantees to Louisiana We trust they
may all promptly become laws, with such I'M
provements as the Senate shall be able to de-
wise and enact.
There is one very important provision OF
Mr.. Stevens's North Carolina bill which seems
to have been unwisely omitted in the later
measures of the House. We allude to that which
sought to discriminate between persistent, I'M
placable Rebels, and those who, though once
Rebels, are so no longer. That distinction was
suggested by some of the firmest and best Un-
ionists of the South and it ought not to be
ignored No man will seriously contend that men
who still hate and deteSt the Union-who are
merely defeated, captured, paroled Rebels-have
any moral or legal right to voice IN resettllng
and reGstablshing the boundaries OF Federal ana
State authority. But it seems to us quite un-
reasonable and harsh that men who are to-day
hearty Unionists-who love the Republic and
its flag, and are ready to fight for the lnteg-
rity of the ono aud the honor OF the other
should be denied voice in the Government
because they were Rebels years ago. This
point was conceded in Mr. Stevens's North
Carolina bill we have not observed that IL
was respected in the Eliot Louisiana bill OF the
more general proposition of Mr.. Blaine. We
trust the Senate may fifty and fully regard 1t.
We will not here insist on our own broader
and more comprehensive platfom-Unlyersal
Amnesty, Impartial Suffrage. Let Time decide
whether it is not as wise and safe as 1t IS
generous and forgiving. We believe the South
will acduiesce in any conditions of Rcconstruc-
ton which the laws of the land shall prescribe
We expect at all events, to urge prompt and
cheerful conformity to whatever Congress shall
insist on. Let us each do his best to make
them such as should bc heartily accepted
The Copperhcad camOr that the Radicals are
mancuvering TO keep the Confederate States
disorganized and powcrlcss till after the next
Presidential Election should be ciicctually 81
lenced If any State shall refuse to be recon-
structcd on fair terms. she will lose her vote
for next President by her own fault; but it is
neither the interest nor the wish of the Rcpub-
licans TO exclude her. We need no proscrip-
ton, no notification, to secure our triumph IN
1868, if we shall meanwhile have deserved TO
triumph. We are majority of the American
People, North and South, East and West
We have been made such not by
prescription but by emancipation. To
demonstrate this it is only ncedful that the
seeded States shall be reconstructed on prin-
cpes that will render them democratic IN cs-
scncc and in organization. Let every Rebel in
the land vote the Coppcrhcad ticket in 1868,
and, if the Blacks also vote, We shall have
clear Republican majority, unless we alicnatc
large sections of our proper strength. We need
not fear to bc generously just.
But We do not urge Congress 10 reconstruct
the South on our plan, nor on any plan, but on
some plan Let not the cvcntful week just
before us clapsc before Congress shall have cX
pliciGly marked out for each and every rcyotcd
or seeded State the terms Oh which II may-wc
would rather say must-be speedily restored TO
the position and powers which it discarded in
entering on its mad crusade against the Union.
When the XLth Congress shall rcconvenc
next December we hope TO see a roll-call of
thirty eight States, and a response of 4" lIercw
from every one of them. TO this end it is
essential that the ways and means of Recon
structOn he settled and proclaimed forthwith.