The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-05-27
Admission Of Southern States.

The reconstruction acts rec Tire, cendiaoa PFC
cedent to the admission of an excluded State that is
constitution shall be ratified by majority OF the votes
cast that the first legislature assembled after Its raf
ficatiou shall adopt the fourteenth amendment, and
lastly that Congress being satisfied OF this adoption
and that the State CONSTITUTE on is republican in FORM
shall then declare the State entitled representation
The State is then restored to the Union
The ACT, published n our last issue as reported by
the Reconstruction Committee, and which doubtless
will BECOME the law, recognises the adoption OF the
several constitutions in all the States that have Eotea
that these constitutions republican, and provides
tn the STATES themselves shall be admitted as soon
their several legislatures-to be convened Wathln
thirty days at least after the passage OF the act, by
the presidents of te conventions, if the day named
by the conventions shall have passed adopt the
fourteenth amendment, but only upon the express and
fundamental condition. that person class of per-
sha hereafter be deprived Of the right of suffrage,
except punishment. for crime This condition lisa
feature in the reconstruction policy and was doubtless
suggested by apprehension that after admission,
State in the exercise Of its clearly constitutional and
sovereign right might choose to amend its eons&itu
ton in regard to suffrage. But 30 fix precisely the
date of admission the recel. aGs provides that its
first section (Which we have substantially given aboye)
in regard to the admission Of the States shall take effect
when the President shell proclaim the due ratification
of the fourteenth amen dmen, By the legislatures of
these States The previous acts required that rep
resenta.ives should be admitted TO Congress until the
amendment should become part Of the Gonstitu-
ton of the United States" The recent act must,
therefore, that suSicient States with those
adopting the amendment now, have voted for the
amendment. Three States Ohio California and New
jersey withdrew their to the fourteenth article
before its adoption. IF this withdrawals valid-and
have no doubt of ls-:t will then take six of the
Southern States to ray to secure the requisite three
tourhs twenty eight States The recent act does
not include the State of Arkansas, but an act was
pre- viousy introduced for its admission. Counting
Arkansas the six States be secured, without the
legislative indecency of putting Alabama in, after it
had fairly and sqnarely defeated its constitution under
the then act of Congress, FOR there Florida Wiz
gipia and Texas yet uncpuntca, and the first named
has gone for the Radicals
1t is clear them the fourteenth article nay b. made
a part Of the CONSTITUTION and the excluded States add
mitted, before the adjournment of the preseat Con-
gress and before the Presidential election, if the Rad
ical party desire it. The question will be decided by
the Cicsgo convention before beng acted in Con-
gress, in all probability and upon party grounds If
these States be relied ~ the Electoral Cole &c
for the Chicago nominee, they Will be, at once admit
ted II the Radicals fear to risk this, they will not be
admitted. It is easy now to see, what has been
the game Of that party-simpy to secure
the votes of these States by keeping them out, until
through their loyal leagues and acknowledgements
enough votes could be made and unmade absolutely
to the Southern electoral vote. But we shall
know all ia few days.