The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-02-15
Gazing In.

Al.
The Chicago Republican, which was started
year or two ago to run opposition to the
Tribune because the latter sheet, even in its
| extreme radicalism, was not radical enough,
is at length compelled to cave in on the recon
struction question, and acknowledges that the
action Of Congress in that whole business has
been miserable failure A two coi@mn lea
der in the Republican of Thursday opens in
this style: al.
The people are getting tired of the intermin-
able complications of reconstruction. The set
Element of our National troubles is promise al
ways made, but never performed. We founder
on from one difficulty to another, but seem to be
making progress like the boy who started to go
to school on the ice. 1t was very slippery, and
forward. He reached his destination by facing
about, and trying to retrace his steps. Here is
lesson for reconstructionists Let congress re-
tarn to the starting-point.
The Republican then proceeds to take the
hide off the various black-and-tan conventions
brought into being by the action of Congress
in the South. 1t admits, what the Democrat
ic press has all along charged that these con-
ventions are burlesque ON legislation and a
disgrace to the American name. Says the
Republican:
What have we seen? Bodies, called together
to frame organic laws and governments for States
attempting to exercise legislative functions.
Delegates seeking to incorporate vengence into
the framework of reorganization Days consum-
ed in discussing and scrutinizing petty details,
foreign to the Legitimate work of the Convention,
such as inquiries into the validity of the charter
granted to a gas company, or squabbes about
the rates of pay, or the trial of delegate for an
act alleged to have been committed seventeen
years ago. What lesson does all this teach !?
That ignorance cannot substitute capacity in re-
moving the obstacles to reconstruction-that a
man who has dug and delved all his days; who
could not spell constitution" on half dozen
trials; who knows nothing of history save the
sad history of his own experiences within his own
narrow sphere; who makes a cross mark when
he signs his name; who does not comprehend the
relations existing between the States and the
General Government-cannot be fit to exercise
the functions which task the intellect experience
and patience of the best minds in the commu.
nifty.
Well, what of it? The Republican is not
without recourse. 1t would wipe out or
clear away all this rubbish and begin again.
Dissolve these miserable black and-tan con-
vsntions-burn up all the registries
the negroes back to the plantations, and either
let Congress itself proceed to make constitu-
tons for all the Southern States, or, better
still-appoint a commission of sensible south
ern men, such as Gov. Brown, of Ga, Gov
| Orr, of 5. c., Gov. Patton, of Alabama, and
let these men frame constitutions tor the
Southern States, to be put in operation imme-
diatcly under the superintendent of Congress
The suggestion Of the Rtpubiican is good
but great improvement on it still would be-
/ to let Congress, by simple resolution, declare
that all the constitutions OF the Southern
States exactly as they stood say on the first Of
January 1860, shall be deemed and bed to be
i'll full force and effect, except only with such
few simple amendments, which Congress in a
few words could specify, rendered necessary
by the abolition of slavery and some other
new eXigencirs that have arisen since tina,
date. Such action would at least be SPEEDY
and effective, and quite rs clearly warranted
By the Constitution rs any Of the reconstruc
tive acts thus far attempted 20 be put in force
by the action of Congress.