The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-11
progress of r econgtrnctiOn.

Ih9 present Legislature OF Alabama was |
chosen entirely by Radicals-the Rebels or
Conservatives refusing to vote. They were
not content with this refusal, but insisted that
none should vote whom they could not con-
troll. They threatened to blacklist every
white, and deprive of employment every black
who should vote to ratify the "Radical COnsti-
tution"-and they were generally as bad as
their word We have seen blaok-lists printed
and circulated by them of all the whites in
Mobile who SO voted; and we have the testi-
mOny of an eyewitness who saw forty colored
men discharged from one cotton press directly
on their return from voting. They chose to
suffer hunger and cold that their children
might be truly free.
The Rebels hoped, by thus refusing in con-
cert to vote, and sublecting all who did vote
to social ostracism aud want, to defeat the
Constitution; as Congress required that half
the registered voters should exercise their
right of suffrage to give validity to the new
Constitution. The proofs being laid before the
two Houses, they decided that the seventy
odd thousand votes to ratfy, were sufficient;
and they restored and admitted the State on
the strength of that vote. Thus, it happens
that the Legislature is radical, almost, If not
quite unanimously.
The conservatives pretended, throughout
the canvass, TO execrate the Constitution
mainly because it followed the precedent set
by Congress in disfranchising those who were
prominent in the late Rebellion. But for that,
they intimated, they might have endured the
remainder of the instrument.
The Legislature af'er due consideration,
has passed an act removing all disfranchse-
mems for rebellion. There was but one mega
tive vote in the Senate, aud but l3 against 70
in the House. Henceforth, there is no dis
franchised class in Alabama-no person dis
franchised unless for some non political felony.
The chief Democratic camor against ''carpet-
Inr, o,nl l., lnAz T.
fore slenced. All her people are equal in right
and law. The fourteenth amendment ex-
oludes tho lo@ains R~hsl~ fsonA ss-tai.> Psde-~l
Offices; but reserves to Congress the right to
remove this disability. No one can doubt
that Congress will respect the action of the
Legislature in the premises and remove every
vestige of disability, provided the Rebels do
not seek to disfranchise the blacks. In short,
the Republicans of Alabama propose full and
final peace on the basis of universal amnesty
impartial suffrage. And they do not wait
to bargain or exact equivalents-they hew
square Rp to the line, leaving their adversaries
free to follow or not follow their lead. 1t will
yet be realized that their action was no less
wise than bold and generous.
Alabama had in 1860 (by census) 500 l64
white to 435, 1872 colored inhabitants. Though
the whites lost most by the war, she cannot
now have less than 500 900 whites to Cat most)
450, 900 blacks. She registered last year, "a
450 white to 80, $40 black voters. But aside
from those dsfranchised by act of Congress,
there were n any whites who declined or ne
elected to register, or take any voluntary part
in what they stigmatized as ''nigger recon-
struction." Now that all are enfranchIsed,
there cannot be less than five thousand and
may be as many as ten thousand majority of
white voters. How, then, can the cry of
''negro supremacy" be raised with effect in her
case?
The Legislature of Georgia has nearly, if
not quite, perfected an enfranchising act sub.
stantialIy like that of Alabama. There is no
doubt OF its passage, though the Rebel-ohiefs
are doing their worst TO protract that disfran-
chisement which gives them distinction and
consequence. Their violence, their social
prescription, their vaunts that they still
cherish the principles which made them
Rebels, are calculated and probably intended,
| to have this effect.
No matter: let the Republicans everywhere
be boldly generous in abolishing all disfran-
chisements. We are confident that every
Southern Legislature-we mean every radical
Legislature, not those of Kentucky aud Mary
land-will gladly unite in making peace for
ever on the basis of universal amnesty-im-
partial suffrage.
Why should not the action of the Alabama
Legislature command some recognition at the
hands of the Northern conservative press
How does it strike Frank Bairl
The President and the Troubles in th(
SOuth,