The New York herald., 1871-03-26

PuUAo houoSty auu Te-cuhSutcucu Wy tue ire
of true patriotism.
The Presidents South Carolina ProcIama-
tion-The Condition of tho South.
In pursuance of his duty under the consti-
tuition and laws of the United States, as de-
fined in the premises, the President, in his
South Carolina proclamation, says :-'I do
hereby command the persons composing the
unlawful combinations aforesaid to dsperse
and retire peaceably to their respective abodes
within twenty days from this date"-the oath
March, and there he stops. What, then, if
these unlawful combinations aforesaid" (the
Ku Klux Klans) do not regard this command
Of the President? The command is a warning
that if they have not dispersed within the
time specified they will be dispersed by the
United States Army. Several regiments of
cavalry and infantry will be on the ground at
the end of the twenty days, ready. if neces-
sary, to proceed to business. So far, then, 80
good. We dare say that at the end of the
twenty days no Ku Klux will be visible to the
naked eye within the boundaries of South
Carolina; and if after that time, till otherwise
provided for, they shall show their heads in
unlawful combinations,' the United States
Army will hunt them down.
There are other Southern States, however,
afflicted with these s'unlawful combinations"
from which there is no application from the
Legislature or the Governor for relief, and in
which ''life and property are insecure, the
carrying of the mails and the collection of
the revenue are dangerous" and in which the
State authorities are powerless to restore
order To meet these cases the President has
applied to Congress for general law, giving
him authority sufficient for all emergencies,
and the two houses remain in session to con-
slider and to act upon the Presidents applica-
ton. But some of our learned contemporaries
say that the suppression of these local disor-
ders (Which do not amount to insurrection)
belongs to the several States and not to the
United States. These learned expounders,
however, look to ''the constitution as it was"
Let us call their attention to the constitution
as it is.
The fourteenth amendment ordains equal
civil rights to all citizens, and declares that
all persons born or naturalized in the United
States are citizens thereof, and Of the State in
which they reside; and it gives to Congress
the power to enforce these and other pro-
visions Of this article by appropriate legisla-
tion.' The fifteenth amendment establishes
equal suffrage or political equality for all cit-
zens of all races and colors, and gives to Con-
gress the "power to enforce this article by ap-
propriate legislation" The outrages referred
to by the President in his message are to a
great extent outrages against these civil and
political rights Of citizens of the Southern States
OF African descent. Congress, therefore, has
the power to enforce these citizens rights by
appropriate legislation" and Congress is left
to its own judgment as to the legislation which
will be appropriate" in such cases in any part
of the United States.
The power Of Congress, then, invoked by
the President, is clear and comprehensive.
But at the same time the continuance of rebel
disabilities under the fourteenth amendment
is fruitful source of these Southern disorders.
These disabilities, directly and indirectly,
oHcnoso Iom Iuc BoVeTnHleut anu array
against the President, Congress and the re-
publican party thousands of Southern white
men who, under o universal amnesty, would
be reclaimed. While, therefore, Congress is
legislating to give the President the power he
asks for the suppression of these Southern Ku
Klux disorders, let the bill embrace generalre-
moval Of all rebel political disabilities, and the
sting will be taken out of 1t. The last excuse
for the Ku Klux Klans will be taken from
them, and they will be abolished by general
sentiment of justice, equal rights and fair play
among the Southern people.