Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-01-31
The Point in Issue.

In the hurry and tumult of the impor-
tant events that are crowding the nation
to another imperative assertion of its
power Of self preservation, it is well that
the real issue, upon which renewal of
the war is threatened, should not be for
gotten. What has Congress done in the
way OF reconstruction? 1t found two
classes OF population in the South nearly
equally divided About one half the peo-
pie were bitterly hostile to the Union,
which, during four years, they had una
vaillngly warred to destroy. The other
halt were undoubtedly loyal, and had been
during the war. The latter were as
thoroughly devoted to freedom and union
as the others to slavery and separation.
1t found that fivesixths of the loyal peo-
pie were ostracised, disfTanehised, defraud-.
ed and oppressed in various ways, and not
entitled to the personal protection once
accorded to them as slaves. New govern
ments had to be erected for all these PEG
pie. Congress therefore enacted, as part
of the system of reconstruction - .1r.s
l. That all the people of the rebel
States were free, were invested with the
right of life, liberty and the protection of
the law +.,oa-.-. vt.-..' ......
2. That in the administration of justice
all men should stand equal in the estima-
ton of the law; that no man should be
deprived of his wages, or the proceeds of
his labor, without right to the process
of the courts to compel the payment
thereof E fHali@ .aaHr3g.atsc ia
8. That it should be lawful for men and
women to marry; that in all cases where
parents had been denied that privilege,
they should be married, and that the re-
spective rights of husband and wife, parent
and child, and generally of the family rela-
protected by the courts, without reference
to the color of the parties.
T. That the courts should be open to the
complaints of all the people, and that no
man should be denied life, liberty or prop
erty, because of his color or race. . s7.t
Be it remembered that these, the COM
monest rights of humanity, were only Sc
cured to the people of the late rebel States
after protracted struggle, and then over
the veto of Andrew johnson and the pro,
test of the entire Democratic party in Con
gre"s! "a. ..sz,a hr.a.5
The second step in reconstruction was
to declare that in all those States govern
ments should be established, founded upon
the consent of the governed, and that
while service in the rebellion should not
destroy the political status of those en-
gagged in it, such service should not be held
as emitting those who could boast of it to
any superiority therefor, nor to the excu.
sive right to hold power under such gov
ernments s na ua SIS rEt mi
The real point in issue therefore is
whether monopoly of rights and privi-
leges in the South shall be conferred on
conquered traitors. I'D,
Shall the States which seeded be reor-
ganized exclusively by those who took
them out of the Union, or shall those who
remained faithful to the Union have an
equal voice and share In the work? aitt
Shall these States be governed by the
former traitors, and shall participation in
treason be made the sole qualification for
the exercise of political and civil rights, or
shall the formation of those governments
be entrusted to the whole people, and be
framed to secure the civil and political
rights of all?
Upon that issue Andrew Johnson pro-
poses to renew the war, to arrest Grant
and place him in prison, to disband Con-
gress by force, and make himself dictator.
Let the facts upon which the issue rests
be borne in mind, and from the hearts OF
the American people there can go up bat
one voice--an emphatic judgment that
treason must cease to be the qualification
for political power, and that no govern
ment shall be established in any State,
which does not embrace within its pro
lection the whole people Chicago 1TS-
bLle -y I'd: .-s.as .-.