Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-01-29

OLYMPIA, SATURDAY. MORNING, JAN. 20, 1870.
Poor Georgia!

The work of Reconstruction goes brave
ly on. The humbled people of the South
are being ground still more closely be-
meath the heel of despotism. Georgia is
now the victim of Radical malignity, all
the shafts Of fanatical hatred being CEN
tered upon her. The dispatches published
last week exhibited the Legislature in the
process Of reconstruction" by Military
Commission, authorized under late act
of Congress. In this, the will of the peo-
pie has been defeated, aud carpet-baggers
and their negro allies are enabled to dis
place the legally elected representatives.
The main pretcxt for this is, that some of
the members were disqualified under the
Fourteenth Amendment. But this film
sy excuse. Every member had taken the
oath which no less authority than Grant
had declared to be the only one which
could be required of them, and its INSULT
cheney was not thought of until party ne
cessity suggestcda second reconstruction"
as means of attaining certain party Oh
jects, among which was the ratification of
the Fifteenth Amendment. An equally
frivolous prctcnse is, that Georgia was
guilty of fraud and bad faith" in exclud-
ing negroes from seats in her Legislature
at previous session. In the Radical
sense, this may be true; but while in none
of the Reconstruction acts can be found a
provision comforting upon negroes right
to hold Office, the principle has long been
acknowledged that legislative bodies have
q clear, indisputablc right to Judge of
the qualifications of its own members"
The Admission of negroes to tho Legsla.
ure, or an assertion of their right to hold
Office, was not condition of Reconstruct
ton, and the act was therefore an exercise
Of right never before questioned in any
legislative body. The legal obligation did
not exist, nor does it now exist, that would
compel Georgia, or any State to admit ne
groes to her legislature, Or to hold office of
any kind. Congress, at its last session, re.
fused to swallow the nauseous dose, when
the negro Menard presented his crcden-
tials and demanded seat. Congress
again set the example, when the Fifteenth
Amendment was pending before it, by
striking out a clause securing such right
to negroes. When, however, subjugated
people, declines to suffer like humiliation,
the case is far different, and law is framed
to reconstruct reconstructed State
Where will the reign of Fanaticism end
How much longer must Congress stultify
its own action to serve party ends +?
The fact stands apparent in history that
Congress has ovcrthrown tho government
Of State that has complied with all
the conditions and organized upon the
terms prescribed by the Reconstruction
acts, and after such action has been ratified
and her representatives been admitted for
awholc term. The prccarious condition
Of the Fifteenth Amendment will also af.
ford an explanation of the causes which
induced this outrage. Georgia will be
counted with the States that have ratified
the Amendment, but it will not be rati-
hcation by the people, but by the carpet
bag hlrelinss Of Congress, sent there to
do all manner of dirty work and plumber
deicnsclcss people. If the lay does not