The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-14
TIE latest PHASE OF RECONSTRUCTION
PERFIDY.

The one-sided character of the game at
which the radical reconstructionists have in
sisted that the Southern people should take
hand was perceptible to thoughtful observ-
ers from the beginning, in spite of the pro-
testations of good faith with which they
pressed the challenge. There is now, how
ever, not even profession of fair dealing.
The reconstruction gamblers make no preten-
sion to the observance of any other code than
that of the bighwayman and pirate. They
stock and restock the cards before the very
eyes of the other party to the game, and who
must inevitably lose since it is predetermined
that no advantage of skill, and no favor of
fortune, shall enable them to win.
The fragrant indecency with which the radi-
cal majority in Congress are prepared to tram
pie ON their own terms of reconstruction, while
pushing forward to their object of converting
the South into a political Africa in order to
consummate their scheme of despotism for
the entire country, has its latest illustration
in the bill just introduced by Senator Sher-
man with reference to the reconstruction of
Alabama The people of this State have re-
jected by large majority the Constitution
framed by the convention which recently sat
in Montgomery. They did this simply by
sbstention from voting, inasmuch as the re-
construction law, as it stands, requires for the
ratification of Constitution, not only that a
majority Of the votes cast should be for it.
but that majority of the registered voters
should vote upon it. The aggregate of votes
in chic Oooo would appear to be
fifteen or twenty thousand short of
a majority Of registered voters, fact
that signifies the rejection of the Constitution
by as many thousand majority. Accord
ing TO the reconstruction law as it now exists,
the Constitution is decisively defeated; the
woIk of the convention has come, practically,
to nothing; the process of reconstruction I'M
der the present law has worked itself out,
and the State remains unreconstructed and
subject to a purely military rule, although
both the letter and the spirit of the law were
strained to the utmost to bring about a diff
ferent result and to place the State beneath
the heels of precious coalition of vagrant and
mendicant loyalty and voudoo craftsmanship
and civilization, coalition of which the mill
tary power would be the necessary instru-
ment OF oppression.
This termination of the enforcement of the
reconstruction law, although perfectly legi-
innate incident when judged by the law itself,
the authors Of the measure, it is clear, have
not the least idea of abiding by for one
moment if it threatens to interfere in
vyifI fI,afr
That it does threaten such an interference
is proved by the bill of Senator Sherman
above adverted to. The purport of this bill
is simply to overrule the rejection Of the radi-
cal Constitution in Alabama, and to give to
the recent election there an effect precisely
the reverse of that which is given it by the
law under which it was held. If this shame
less measure pass and 60 into execution, it
will force upon that State a Constitution
framed and ratified by a minority, and that
minority comprising the least intelligent and
virtuous Of its population; and it will commit
this outrage in open violation of terms which
Congress professed to lay down as conditions
upon which the people might, at their option,
obtain civil government and representation in
Congress, or continue without such represen-
tation and subject to military rule
1t is merely matter Of partisan expediency
whether the indecent proposition of Senator
Sherman, or some other equally indecent
proposition on the subject of unfinished re-
construction, shall be adopted. This senator
leads the more moderate radicals of Congress-
if a rational mind can admit so grimly face
tious a distinction; and the introduction by
him of an extreme measure may be regarded
as a strong presage of its passage. The Grant
Stanton-radical scheme counts on the negro
voters of the ten unreconstructed States for
presidential purposes the present year. Hence,
let pending reconstruction terminate as it
may, nothing will be allowed to stand in the
way of this calculation, unless it be such a
resistance as this combination cannot over
come by unbounded audacity and the unscru-
pulous use Of every kind of force which they
can command. Those who may imagine that
radical usurpation, having gone thus far, will
either recede or turn aside, are wofully delu-
ded. Its backbone is as infexible as ada
mant; and only the ponderous blow of re-
volutionary sledge hammer can break it.
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