The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-15
THE RECONSTRUCTION r1Asco IN GEORGIA

i
| in unseating twenty-five colored members on
the same ground, this proceeding is in logical
conformity with the Constitution OF the State;
a Constitution deliberately framed by con-
vention of white and colored Radicals, and
under which Georgia was deliberately admit
ted by the Radical majority of Congress to
representation in that body and to the posi-
| ton of State in the Union.
The Radical papers at the North loudly
/ deplore this result of reconstruction in Geor-
gia, but they did not loudly deplore the
adoption of the State Constitution and the
enactment of the congressional Legislation
under which it has been brought about On
the contrary, they applauded both as excellent
in letter and spirit and highly opposite to the
| occasion.
The reason why they condemn the effect
after having approved the cause, may be
easily explained.
After negro suffrage had been provided for
| in the Radical State Convention, it was pro-
posed to make negroes eligible to Office by
declaring that call qualified electors, and
none others, shall be eligible to any office in
! tution of the State by the Constitution of
the United States" But this did not suit the
views of the Georgia carpet-baggers and seal
| awags. They wanted q monopoly of the
colored votes and of the State offices, and they
felt secure of both if they could mansge
| quietly to exclude from the Constitution the
above or any similar provision. And this
they succeeded in doing with the aid of con-
fiding and deluded colored members of the
convention-nearly every negro in that body,
indeed, voting against the provision, the ex-
clusion of which left in force, under another
provision of the State Constitution, existing
laws of Georgia disqualiying free persons of
color from holding Office.
But the trick did not work as smoothly as
was expected. The colored voters insisted on
electing to the Legislature a few men of their
| own race and the unseating of these gives
| the Legislative power of the State into the
hands of Democrats and conservatives.
OF course this result, though logical Incl
dentof Radical reconstruction, disappoints the
calculation of Radical politicians and editors at
the North so much SO that the New York
Tribune declares that unless the Georgia Leg
islature retraces its course, Congress must
meet in September" snd other Radical jour-
nails begin to advocate a general review, in the
nature of congressional inquisition, of the
condition of the reconstructed States
What a commentary on the boosted work of
reconstruction This work, the Radicals pro-
claimed, was finished in the case of Georgia,
South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama,
Arkansas, and North Carolina, and all these
States were fully rehabilitated as States of the
Union. What has Congress, then, to do with
the working of the Constitution and laws of
Georgia, any more than it has to with the
working of the Constitution and laws of
New York or Ohio? Is it commended
that the exclusion of colored men frem Office
in Georgia is contrary to the Constitution of
the United States, to vindicate which it be-
comes the duty of Congress to interfere with
the legislation and organic arrangement of
that State? If so, for still stronger reason,
Congress is called to revise and reconstruct
the Constitution and laws of New York, Ohio
and other Northern States where negroes are
not only ineligible to Office, but are dis
qualified, universally, or with trivial excep-
ton, from voting The Radicals in Congress
dare not to proceed on so sweeping an assump-
ton. The only way for them to set Radical
ism in Georgia firmly on its legs again, is to
turn the State out of the Union so that she
can then be dealt with accordingly, as Thad-
deus Stevens used to say, "outside of the
Constitution"
To be sure, this would be to confess that
reconstruction is a failure, after Congress had
tinkered at it for nearly four years and at last,
having given it the finishing touch, presented
it to the country as a work altogether grand
and admirable. Well, what of that? All the
world sees that it is a failure-an absurd,
hideous, disgraceful, atrocious failure.
The Radicals themselves are already dissat-
isfed with the system and are bent on un-
doing it in every case in which it fails to
subserve their partisan purposes. And yet
they accuse the Democrats, because the latter
regard it as odious, pernicious and imprac-
ticable, of entertaining revolutionary designs.
The Democrats, however, have no idea of
overthrowing the system except through Con-
stitutional and peaceful means. The Radicals,
it is clear, intend to resort to usurpation and
violence for reconstructing reconstruction to
suit the shifting exigencies of their party.
Hence no peace, and no assurance of Union,
are possible under Radical policy. Surely it
is time for citizens of all classes, of all races
or nationalties, who wish well for the country
and care for their own welfare, to understand
that Radicalism, if hereafter ascendant, will,
with the certainty of the revolving seasons,
subject the country to all the dangers and dis
asters of chronic state of dissolution and
civil CONFUSION.
BROwRLow VS.. boutwell,