Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-12-25
senator Edmund's BIZ.

MT. IuAuuus VI thiS Se"tS "s>N ~
duced into the Senate an important bill
relative to reconstruction In Georgia,
which we hope will be passed. 1t is
bill which the people who have just
elected Gen. Grant as their next Presi-
dent will heartily approve, and if passed
aud it becomes law the good effects OF
it will not be confined to Georgia alone.
The bill repeats the act Of June ~, 1868,
admitting Georgia to representation in
Congress. 1t is of course well known
throughout the country that Georgia has
attempted and succeeded to all practical
purposes, in evading to a great extent
not only the reconstruction laws of Con-
gress, but nulli6ed the 18th amendment
to the constitution. Not only this, but
they elected large rebel element to their
legislature who really had no right TO
seats in it, but who carried things with
high hand and finally voted out of it
some forty or fifty members in both the
Senate and House on account OF color,
some of whom had but slight tinge of
African blood in their veins and were
whittier than many of those who voted
them out.
The bill further declares that Georgia
has violated the 14th amendment by re-.
fusing to purge itself of ineligible mem
bers, and has in violation of the constr
tuition, and of the fundamental principle
upon which Congress consented to the.
restoration of the state, expelled large
number of regularly installed members
on the sole ground that they were per-
sons of African blood, and that the local
authorities of the state appear to be
wholly unable or unwilling to protect the
lives, liberty and property of its peaceful
and unoffending citizens from lawless vi
olence, and refrain purposely, or from
want of power, from bringing such Offend
ers to justice. The preamble further de-
clares that it appears that the people of
the state of Georgia have not complied
with the terms or conformed to the prin-
ciples on which its restoration was pro-
vided for, and that the government there
in is not in fact republican or regular,
and the bill provides that as much of the
act passed June 25, 1868, as relates to
the state of Georgia, be repealed and
that the military government, heretofore
provided for by law, be revoked, subject
only to the limitations now prescribed:
that the government organized under the
new constitution of Georgia shall contin-
ue in operation during the pleasure Of
Congress as provisional only, and the
expulsion Of the African members shall
be considered null and void. Such ex-
PEELED members shall resume their seats,
their successors vacating the same, and
no person shall be member of the Leg
islature, or hold office under that provi-
sional government who is ineligible to
the terms Of the l4th amendment. II is
further provided that, the circuit and
district courts of the United States shall
have concurrent jurisdiction with the
courts under the said provisional govern
ment, of all offenses and torts, but such
United States courts shall not proceed
therein unless the party injured, or some
one on his behalf, shall make oath before
a Judge or commissioner that justice can
not be obtained in the said provisional
court. Finally, it is made the duty o.
the president of the United States tt
cause to be stationed in said state, sucl
part of the land and naval forces o
the United States as shall be sufficient tt
carry the foregoing provisions into effect
The bill Of Mr.. Edmunds therefore j,
just the remedy to apply, and just thu
lesson necessary for the disloyal elemen
of the South, who still persist in thei
opposition to the government and tn
passage of the bill of which we hav
given an outline above, will be haile'
with the utmost satisfaction by the loya
people Of the whole country.
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