The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-07
Reconstruction Reconstructed.

Reconstruction RECONSTRUCTED.
In reconstruction days" there was left
10 the South no door OF escape from the evils
of carpet-baggersm and scalawagism except
that opened by Congress in the so-called
reconstruction measures. These measures
were laws passed. as we held, in utter disre-
gard of the Constitution OF the United States
and of the rights OF the people OF the
southern States. 1t would be more nearly
the whole truth to say that those laws were
a blow at the most valuable right oil
every State the right to representation
in Congress. These laws were passed
by Congress made up OF representatives
from the northern States only. Alithe south
ern states were, without any constitutional
warrant for such exclusion, absolutely de-
MED representation in that body as long as
the Radical Congress chose to deprive them
OF il. One by one the southern States were
"admiited TO representation in Congress-"
rs the Radical violatorS OF the Constitution
phrased il, until finally they were all once
more Gin eirfather's house" rs Ben. HILL
once said. Virginia, for example, was
never for one moment out OF the Union,
either before. or during, or after the war.
No Republican will admit that she was.
Yet Virginia was for five years after the
war closed denied the right to be repre-
scented In Congress. II she was all the
time in the Union, as every Republican
iawyer contended. then she was all the
time entitled 10 representation IN Congress.
We refer to these facts as to history, not tC
complain OF them at this late day. Let il
suffice to say that we were all glad enough
20 be admitted to representation in Con
gress even under an act OF Congress in
stead of under the Constitution, and tina
our willing aequiesceuce in these recon
struction measures may be said to hay
healed all The Irregularities OF congress
sicnal cgislation-operated Us a sort @
statute Of jeoiailS, so to speak.
Congress undoubtedly authorized tn
suppression OF the lawful State govern
ments OF the southern States. In each O
these States military Governors ruled tn
people. We had General ScHoFIEII
among others. in Virginia, and q very goo
Governor he was. lie was on autocrat, c
course. as he showed when he issued a
order forbidding the General Assembly {
meet, and another order appropriating til
money in the State treasury. Goyerno
ScIIoriELp's bin appropriating the publ
revenues received only one vote: but a
the same II was good law, or operated 4
such. The elections held in Virginia Il
1863 for Governor, Lieutenant-G Governor
and members Of the Legislature. were a
held by military appointees and under OF
ders from the military. So in all the othe
States which had recently been in rebel
lion. Not one Of them had any right
which the Radical Congress respected.
In the preamble to one OF the recon
struction acts II was rected that no Lawful
governments existed in the souther,
states. Therefore, Congress establlshe,
one Tor each OF them. In Georgia, thi
government thus established by Congress
contracted debt. subsequently,, wher
Georgia had been admitted to representa-
lion In Congress, she repudiated that debt
Now, the question Is, whose debt wa,
that? Who Is to pay IT. Who ought {,
pay IL? The bondhodcrs claim that II
1860 the reconstruction act OF March 3
1867, Was In force in Georgia, and thai tilii
act declared that DO legal government ex
listed In the rebel States; that In 1868 Gov,
ernor BULLOCK was asting az Provisional