The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-01-14
The Situation Of Georgia.

Ahe Soa'Se VI IcHSreS3 TO the state
Of Georgia, affords q striking il!ustra-
ton not only Of its disregard of Con-
stitutionsl forms, but Of all harmony
and consistency OF action. The whole
work Of Congressional Reconstruction
at tho South has been "outside Of the
Constitution" but in the case of Gcor-
gia, Congress las supcradded to usur-
pa:iop, the offence Of stultifying itself
of pronouncing that nugatory which
it had already declared valid-a State
to be no State, which it had already
admitted to the privileges of eqnalit !,
AMI fraternity. This inconsist ency
indeed charactcrizcs tho whole worl,
OF Southern Reconstruction.
From the foundation cf tho Govcrn.
1nent there has been no Constitutions
al principle moro generally received
or acted upon, than that of the indc-
s:ructibility Of tho several States COM
posing the American Union. "Oncc
Il State always State" was the doc
trinc as we'll of Fcderals and Rcpub.
iicans, Wigs and Democrats. They
might differ rs they did differ, as to
notification and scccssion-as TO tbc
Constitutional right Of each Or all
OF tho States to dissolve the Jnion-
ont there was no dispute as to tho in
tegrity and indcstructib:lity Of the
foEera States Of tho Union. TO pre-
serve that Union as we'll as the intcc,
rlty Of the States, the late war was
Begun and waged, it was supposed tc
a successful consummation. But no
sooner had tho dominant party ACHE
Ved the fruits Of victory, than they
abandoned tho whole ground upon
which the battle had been fought and
the victory had been won, and assumed
tho position of their antagonists that.
tho Union had beon dissolved. They
went beyond, and held that the
States of tho South had lost their
corporate existence-had become on
~ so much conquered territory toI
pass again through the processes oil
reorganization, and re-admission
i nc whole South accepts the sitra. !
fion, and is put upon its probation
Georgia is re-Ndmitted-becomcs onco
again State in the Union under allI
the forms of Congressional Recon.
structlon-when 10! she is once aoo;u
turned adrift; turned out Of the Union
BY Congress. Here is disunion with
vengeanec-disunion double distil-
ed. The whole work of Reconstruc-
ton Is based upon the idea Of dis
severed Cnion-dissovcrcd by armed
violcnce-hero is Union disso,v.,l
ny Congressional legislation. How
does all this harmonizo with the theo.
ry OF our fathcrs-with even tLo
aVowed principles which havo con.
.folied tho past policy Of Republican.
lsm9 Congress has takon care to keen
us scheme of Reconstruction away |
iio'h Inc Courts, and wo may be sure
that it will guard this double Recon
Afucuon from tho inroads Of Judicial,
scrutiny.
But what will Georgia do
Cnder the recent Act of Congross
"cheral Jerry assumed military
rule OF the State, and Governor BuI.
ioek issued his proclamation con-
vening the Legislature on the 10Th
INST. at Atlanta. To tho re-admission
of tho Stato-a rc-scating Of tho ex
peileo negro members, and the rati6-
cation of the Fifteenth Amendment
ar0 made conditions precedent. The
Press Of the State generally, VIC see,
opposed the proposition which has
been made, that the Democratic MON
eers absent themselves, and thus pre-
vent the forming of quorum. This
- regarded as a suicidal policy-on.
t're'y Ineffective for any good pur-
pose, and an abandonment Of the fell,
OF legislation to an unscrunulous nor
ty. The re-seating of the negroes
and tho adoption of tho Fifteenth
Amendment, we suppose, are foregope