The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1868-02-21

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..''5 F. ., ~, WHOLE NO. oR9
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A Question Tor whit Z NJ en- Of
lE46I Ts Rlf01 N0Tth. ~" r
"A There, 10 ono question which the
white men Of the North should seri-
qusly ponder at this time. It 10 this:
Suppose al the reconstruction plans
and schemes Of the Radical party
agreed to put in practical operation,
how would viii e, men be benefited /?
II, States are destroyed, copstitu-
tions uprooted, civil Law disregarded,
elections denied to American. citisen,
freemen disfrsnchised. and the soun-
try governed bX the bsyonet instead
Of the ballot, the ma tier FOR the poo
plo to determine, is. docs this, change
promise 70 better their !, condition;
win the country advance more rap
idly under sseh systcm % this than
II ruled by the Constitution and laws
passed in ;basmoRy with thai, chart
q freedom. drswn by tho warriors
and sages Of. Revolutionary times,
and endorsed BY more than half, =
century Of successful experiment I
: To answer this i is necessary, to
examine soms of the. changes pro-
posed il the light ftbc above inter
roeatories. TIE leading idea ofths
party il authority IS to constitute
Congress supreme, power, from
whose decisions there shall bo~ no
appeal, It is claimed that Congress
has ! right to exercise all the fune-
lions now pertaining to The Execu-
tive branch Of tho government. and
% lnusxle the Judiciary as to prevent
that body from passing upon the con-
stitutionality 81 any laws enacted
by the Federal I.egisla turc, Acting
upon this platform, Congress has
set up > system for portion Of The
Union which has superseded State
authority by military power. ignored
the viii Of the majority. and made
thc command Of military officer
more potent than the law. The ef-
feet Of this change can be seen in
condition Of the South, in destroyed
business, 9 starving people and )
future enlivened BY no ray Of hope.
This Is the eject Of tho radical ~
construction schemes upon the
States pvcr which it has been extend
ed. u Are the people Of tho North
benefited By this change? !? Do they
wish an application Of the same plan
tothc States III thfs section ofthe
Union! Ifnot,. the contcs must be
made at this itimc, For Sum mner, Ste
veps, and other leaders OF the Radt-
col party are determined to retain
power cvca II the ifon hand Of military
must be, laid upon TIC
people Of THE North. as It now rest 4
upon those in tho South. ''1s
. By the proposed reconstruction
plan Of the Raaical party. tile Pres
ideht is to be virtually deposed, and
. general Of the army, lifted into his
scat. The constitutional Comman-
dcr-in Chiefof the military and ma
val forces Of The United States, is
to be degraded. and subjected to the
Insults q any man, whom Congress
may Designate Is tho 1uadcr Of the
Federal army twists placing !
military despot in tho ssat Of the
civil ruler Of t6c nation. q CongrsSs.
BY this plan. will have the power
to enslavc tho nation, unless che
people arc willing to maintain their
freedom By fofcciof srms. Nov, il
what possible way can such = change
- thiS bea eas6tas the ssasscs zain tSs
North? HoMas tAeyei1tcrcstcd in
substituting a military dcspot for q
constitutional ruler elevated by
their, fotesl Are The people resid-
ing II eooatries where military
chicftaih holds the reins Of power
more happy, coatonted aud prosper
Gus than those in the United States
under q differcnt system? If not.
then the contemplated change should
be resisted, and. such means \ used
al will prevent the revolution ia
our FORM Of government from being
cbnsuinmnatci. '"'sisa4 .ast'0ss' - -
Again. the Radicals propose Il
max the negro : ruling element in
thil ceddtry, % open tke ballot, boy
tof The renSptioa' of votes from this
class Of our population, and mske
il possible tof negroes 70 mi tie gu.
berhetSrisl chairs Of States. ana u 3 81,
cupy seat. ID Congress q, o. ths Sen.
ate q Tho United States. Already
negroes ars controlling, the polite!
Of the South. and asti0g in eonven
tfons nalisd fcr The purpose Of ftam
iak constitutspns Is, bind and con.
troll white nsn.. Il, such > systeu
&ssifab!e tor the North, Does ID,
hiaSfy q ths world warrant non il
heHsyisg that Aeuoes are comps:
tent e Aarase the afairy Of State
or nations1 The answer 70 Chi,
question eaa Be- read in the presep,
condition ct the nogroes of Hart
and Jaasiea. But Il ths face 0. ii
tho fasts going 70 prove tie, iacou,'
potency Of the negro 10 III TIE ras
poneible duties devolving 10 upon sisi
sens ~ rspan;ie. the Hadiaals il
:ist e sPoa insaxiag s. him thA equal 9