New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-21
PROGRESS or REcoNSTRUoTIoN.


The House of Representatives il fifty deyot-
ing its sittings mainly to the consideration of
the various bills submitted to il which look to
restoration of the States lately in revolt 10
the position they held and the privileges they
enjoyed until they saw fit 10 rcnOunce and re-
pudiate them by uniting in the Shareholders
Rebellion. No other topic so important, and
hardly one 80 urgent SOlicit5 the attention OF
Congress. Few thoughtful observers can doubt
that had the last session terminated without
the passage of tho pending Constitutional
Amendment, the results of our late elections
would have been quite other and less satisiac-
tory than those wo have had the pleasure OF
recording. And, since the plan of rcconstruc-
ton embodied in that Amendment has been re-
jected by all the late Rebel States but Ten
ncs5cc, it is most desirable that Congress
shall review and reconsider the whole subject
in the light of the latest developments, North
and South, and take such action thereon as
shall seem necessary and proper Even though
it should be decided that no new action is ncccs
sary. this review is required, if only to show
that inaction is the dictate, not OF blind Oboti
macy, but of attentive, Obseryant sagacity and
patriotism
We believe that, in spite of some superficial
appearances and many irritating and unprOfit-
able sayings events are steadily tending toward
an carly restoration Of the seeded States.
Hero are some of our reasons:
/. Thaddeus Stevens is generally, and We
presume truly, regarded as inclined to deal
more harsbly with the Rebels than are Dlost of
tho Republicans in Congress. Yet, in lbs mOdi-
fled bill of Jan. 10th inst, he proposes to recOg
nizc the existing State Governments Of the
South as valid for municipal purposes" and
to let them 80 stand until duly superseded.
He proposes TO cOnCedc the Right of Suffrage
in the reorganization of those States first to
all their citizens of whatever color who have
given no voluntary aid to the Rebellion; sec
Ondly, to all those former Rebels who shall
swear that they Woad hare submitted to the
Union on the 4th OF March, 1864 could they
have safely done so, and that they gave there
after no willing support to the Rebellion.
We believe half the once Rebel p0pu-
lation Of the South will pass through
this door should Congress see lit to open it.
And then, as to the more lnvetcrate Rebels, Mr..
Stevens proposes that they shall be regarded
as having renowned their allegiance TO the
Union, and enabled to reclaim or resume it pre-
cisely like other aliens, so that they may all be
restored to full citizenship at the expiration of
five years. These are gontler terms than Mr.
Stevens, or any man holding similar views,
would have consented to offer even eight months
! ago.
H. Mr.. Boutwell, we understand, has been re-
quested to take all the Reconstruction bills now
before the House and distil therefrom one
which shall embody all their good points and
none others. Mr.. BIS undoubted ability and
ripe legislative experience justify the hope
that he will accomplish his task successfully
We ask him to consider well the expediency Of
giving to his bill as many gracious and win
ming aspects as he may. For example: If
there are to be no new prosecutions henceforth
for treason, or none but within certain narrow
limits, let his bill so PROVIDE and if there is
to be no further cOnfscation OF property for
treason, land even Mr.. Stevenss blu virtually
precudes such confiscation) let that, too, be
set forth In Mr. Boutwells bill, so that
it shall not necdlessly seem to be bill Of
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