New-York tribune., 1868-08-10
PROGRESS or RECONSTRUC1ION.


The present Legislature of Alabama was
chosen entirely by Radcals-the Rebels or
Conservatives refusing to vote. They were not
content with this refusal, but insisted that none
should vote whom they could control. They
threatened to blacklist every White
and deprive of employment every
Black who should vote to mtify
the Radical COnsttutiOn"-and they were
generally as bad as their word. We have seen
black-li printed and circulated by them of
all the Whites in Mobile who so voted and we
have the testimony 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 subjecting all who did vote
to social ostracsm and 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 Con-
stitution. The proofs being laid before the
two Houses they decided that the Seventy
odd Thousand votes to ratify, while scarcely
any voted not to ratify, were sufficient; and they
restored and admitted the State on the strength
lature is Radical, almost if not quite unani-
mOusly.
The Conservatives pretended throughout the
canvass, to execTate the Constitution mainly be-
cause it followed the precedent set by Con-
gress in disfranchising those who were prOmi
nent in the late Rebellion. But for that, they
intimated, they might have ndurcd the re-
mainder of the instrument.
The Legislature, after due consideration, has
passed an act remOring all acknowledgements
for rebellion. There was but one negative vote
in the Senate, and but 13 against 70 in the House.
Henceforth, there is no disfranchised class in
Alabama-no person disfranchised unless for
some nOn-pOlitical felony. The chief Democratic
clamOr against arpet-bag" and "nigger" rule
in Alabama is therefore silenced All her
people are equal in right and law The XIVth
Amendment excludes the leading Rebels from
certain Federal 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. prOUided the Rebels
do not seek TO dsfranchise the Blacks. In
short, the Republicans of Alabama propose a
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 up to the line, leaving their
adyersaries 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) 5291G4
White to 435,l32 Colored inhabitants. Though
the Whites lost Imost by the War; she cannot
now have less than 5OO,eOO Whites to Cat mos)
$4,000 Blacks. She registered, last year, 1880
White to 9O,34O Black voters. But, aside from
those disfranchsed 10y act of Congress, there
were many Whites who declined or neglected
to register or take any voluntary part in what
they stigmatized as "nigger reconstruction"
Now that all are enfranchised, there cannot 10 |