Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-03-26
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1t Ought to have been apparent,
long, ago, TO every observant mind,
that the so-called reconstruction of
the South, and the bogus amend
ments Of the Constitution, pretend
eddy, necessary to that reconstruc-
tion, was deep-laid scheme for over
throwing the sovereignty OF all the
States and erecting upon the ruins
thereof a central despotism. For
the correctness of this view OF the
subject the proceedings of Congress
fully vouch, and for further endorse
ment, we give the following extract
from Forney's Chronicle, the recog-
nized organ Of the extreme wing OF
the Radical Congress: tiT y !
I" Reconstruction strictly so called,
may speedily become thing of the
past. But another great practical
question viii take its place, and al
ready looms up In the near future.
Indeed, II, is already before Congress
In the various bills and resolutions
which have been presented ub3n the
tennessee question. AS this il n
subject which no longer has to deal
with the admission of States from
outside the pale, but rather with the
mode Of keeping them to their
pledges within the Union, another
word should be substituted to EXPRESS
the appropriate legislation, which
our am ended Constitution empowers
Congress- to enact in behalf of the
vested rights Of all American citi-
zens OF whatever shade or color"
This paragraph tells the whole
stry. reconstruction, so called,
may be ended tomorrow, by the re-
ndmittance Of the banished States {;
but the final clause Of the fifteenth
amendment confers upon Congress
the power to see that every State has
a republican form Of government.
And since no State can be, under
Radical construction, republican UNI
less 1t votes the Radical ticket, New
York Is on the same footing with
Tennessee, and If it should dare to
vote otherwise than In support of the
present corrupt party in power, its
vote will be thrown out, or its Con-
gressmen rejected. The Northern
States must humble themselves to
the level of the negro, or he recon-
structed. This Is the plain English
OF, the foregoing extract. Bat If
there be a lingering doubt of the
meaning intended to be conveyed,
this additional quotation from the
same article viii remove It:
THAT the. recalcitrant State of
tennessee Will be, and properly NAV
be, subjected to a process equivalent
U y second reconstruction, we do not
for moment doubt. II will he for
other States to determine by their fu-
ttire conduct whether the same pro-
cess shall or shall not be applied to
them. IL II be true that the perfidy
of the Rebels who have obtained
full control In Tennessee Is the most
damning instance of Its kind, Il IL no
less true that other States, especially
kentucky, seem inclined to repeat
the experiment. The time when
Congress may properly pause to ques-
ton its own constitutional right to
guarantee to every State republic
can form OF governmental in its full
est sense, and subject to all the limi-
tations of the reconstruction acts.
has passed, and it only remains to
march with firm tread toward the
vindication Of every right of every
citizen"
Here IL n bold threat to subject
every other State to the same discip
line exercised over Tennessee. Now.
what has this State done to merit the
penalties now being prepared for 1t ?
1t has simply dared to dethrone Rad
icalisn and substitute such elements
OF popularliberty as were guaranteed
to IL by the original, and still bind
my, Federal Constitution. Ken
lucky, SUPERFICIAL State through
out the war. is adhnonished To take
care how 1t repeats its ofiense of last
year--sending Democrats IN Con
yorl l., ,n". Wy Nv. i'c'uue New
s,n,,,,, ,,s' 800 "u'nu'". ,oh anu threat
md nj u,,'a " Is ,,"r'h Oh MASON
.aaa,, ~ a. ~ ""u congress Is not
i saSa u, ,hs S iNuo'oon "n'ii all
.rao, 80 49, 49, oa,"' "uu inc Demo-
-, ~. -, -" se' more par
arenoa So, So, ~ war, vi 'nat ihaif-
.,or,o, o ~ - :, ,y "",,n seems 10 DC
" 10 '"''' pe'i'e'