The tri-weekly standard., 1867-02-21
THE DUTY OF THE HOUR.

The plan proposed fora general re-
construction of the States now unrepre-
sented in Congress seems to us the prop
er complement of the bills OF MIR. Eliot
and Mr.. Stevens which have already
passed the House. BY the former of
these, a way is opened for the restora-
tion of Louisiana to the place she for
feited by treason; by the latter, efficient
protection is extended to the loyal peo-
ple of the South. Mr.. Blaine's PROPOSE
ton virtually secures to the other unrep-
resented States what Mr.. Eliot's bill
guarantees to Louisiana. We trust
they may all promptly become laws,
with such improvements as the Senate
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 alludc to that which sought
to discriminate between persistent, I'M
placabIe Rebels, and those who, though
once Rebels, arc so no longer. That
distinction was suggested by some of
the firmest and best Unionists 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, pa
rolled Rebels-have any moral or legal
right to a voice in resettling and re-es,
tablishing the boundaries of Federal
and State authority. But it seems to
us quite unreasonable and harsh that
men who are to-day hearty Unionists-
who love the Republic and its flag, and
are ready to fight for the integrity ofthe
one and the honor of the othcr-should
be denied voice in the Government
because they were Rebels years ago
This point was conceded in Mr.. Stevens
North Carolina bill; we have not OBJ
served that it was respected in the Eliot
Louisiana bill or the more general propo-
sition of Mr.. Blaine. We trust the
Senate may fitly and fully regard it.
We will not here insist on our own
broader and more comprehensive plat
form-Universal Amnesty, Impartial
Suffrage. Let Time decide whether it
is not as wise and safe rs it is generous
and forgiving. We believe the South
will acquiesce in any conditions OF Re
construction which the laws of the land
shall prescribe We expect, at all events,
to urge prompt and cheerful cOnformi-
ty to whatever Congress shall insist on.
Let us each do his best TO make them
such as should be heartily accepted.
The Copperhead clamor that the
Radicals are maneuverlng to keep the
Confederate States disorganized and
powerless till after the next Presiden-
tial Election should be effectually silenc-
ed. Ifany State shall refuse to be recon-
structed 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 Republicans to exclude her.
We need no prescription, no nullifica-
tion, 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 eman-
cipation. To demonstrate this, it is
only needful that the seeded States
shall be reconstructed on principles that
will render them democratic in essence
and in organization. Let every Rebel
in the land vote the Copperhead ticket
in 1868, and, if the Blacks also vote, we
shall have clear Republican majority,
unless we ALLEVIATE large sections of our
proper strength. We need not fear to
be generously just.
But we do not urge Congress to recon-
struet the South on our plan, nor on
any plan, but on some plan. Let not |
the eventftI week just before us elapse
before Congress shall have explicitly |
marked out for each and every revolted !
or seeded State the terms on which it |
may-we 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 NLth Congress shall recon-
vene next December, we hope to see a
roll-call of thirty-eight States, and a re-
sponse of Here J" from every one of
them. 10 this end, it is essential that
the ways and means of Reconstruction
be settled and proclaimed forthwith
New York Zi16uue.