National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-24

ton Of the slave as fual condition Of peace
thould now abandon him 70 his fate and turn
him over TO the anger and hate OF the class
from whose ownership he had been freed, II
would countenance and commit an act of far
greater wrong than was designed by the most
malignant prosecutor Of the race In any one OF
the southern states.
"Ihe south had no excuse for It's course, and
the lenders Of It's public opinion at that time
Will always, and Justly, be held 10 strict ac-
eouniability Even the paltry pretext-aiter-
ward so oiten udvanced-that they were irri.
lated and maddened by the interposltion Of
carpet-bag power does not avail I'm the least
degree for the outrnges in the era under con
sideration. When Mr.. Johnson issued his
| proclamation OF reconstruction, the hated car
| pet-bagger was an unknown element In the
southern states What was done during the
| year Immediately following the surrender OF
| the rebel armies was done Mt southern sugyes-
| ton, done by southern men, done under the
| belief that the Presidents policy would pro-
dRt NJ ~ S1ne ,S wth bs xed ana erc
| emancipation should not bring amelloralion
| 70 the colored race. They deliberately resolved
| 70 prove TO the public opinion Of mankind that
/ the negro was IL only TO be chattel, and that
| IN his misery and degradation, sure TO FOLLOW
| the Ubiquitous enactments for tho now form OF
his subsection, Il would be proved that he had
| lost and not gained by the confcrment OF free
dom among population where II was impos-
| siIle for him TO enjoy IT,"
Thus the northern people were to be made to
| seem foolish, and the southern people TO seem
wise, before the public opinion Of the world.
This is the Indictment which Mr. Blaine pre-.
sents, as writer of history against the domi'
nant.cnss OF the southern whites, for oiiensc &
| committed by them durinR the two years after
| the civil war, when they were len 10 their own
devices, unvexed by northern radicals or
| fouthcrn "cnrpet-bngRers," "scalawags,' or
''niRgers" This IL the true story OF the events
| which preceded military rule and reconstruc.
| ton under equal suffrage. That It should be
tant, for between those days aud the writing
| Of his history he has ut times, as we have seen,
| boon the admiration ofthe southern Democracy,
and their eulogies OF him stund in the way Of
| any attempt by them to discrcdit his present
| testimony
| RECONSTRUCTION Policy OF CONGRESS.
| II was to free the blacks from this new
| slavery, and TO draw the teeth of the surviving
bloodhounds OF the old system, that Congress,
early In 1866 moved by the highest dictates OF
| patriotism end humanity, passed, over John-
| sons veto, the act for tho enforcement OF civil
| rights, and the act TO establish asylums for
| hunted refugees and freedmen In the south.
| II was to place the equal rights Of men above
| the rights OF states 10 deny or abridge them
that the fourteenth amendment TO the constitu-
| ton was proposed by Congress. II contained
| no suggestion OF negro suffrage, nor did 1t ex-
| clude from the ballot Uox the vote of any
| white confederate. Its willing adoption by
| the touth at that time would have completed
| the restoration of the Union without negro
| suffrage, Perhaps the freedmen would have
| Jared better as non-voters for time,
The ballot box by their White neigbbors, II
/ reason had then been allowed to prevail. But
| Andrew Johnson-the Pharaoh, and not the
Moses he claimed to be-hardened his heart,
| and babe the south rGsist the pence.ofiering OF
| equal protection for ALL Inilanod by venge-
| ance, emboldened by presidential support, con.
hdent OF success, and reckless of means to their
| end. tho disturbing elements OF southern 30.
ciety, unchallenged by "carpet.baggers' or
"scalawags," gave free reins to their passions
The fourteenth amendment, as since construed
| by the Supreme Court, Is only Limitation
| upon state power forbidding the enactment or
| enforcement of any class legislation. What
| power 1t confers upon Congress is not very
clear. But It was rejected BY every one of the
| lately rebelious states.
Mr. Blaine tell us that:
1.-THE negroes, who had aegun to learn their
freedom, were not only subjected to laws OF
practical REIMBURSEMENT, but to a treatment
| whose brutality could not have been foreseen.
TWAS estimated that before the adjournment
negroes and many white unlonists had been
murdered In the south, and without even the
slightest attempt at prosecuting the murder
ers."
or the New Orleans massacre he says: 1.-THE
slaughter in point of numbers resembled that oil
brisk military engagement In the field. The
number killed outright was almost forty; The
whom perhaps one'third were severely ia
jured. many Of them MORALLY. The city
police OF New Orleans aided the rioters"
The joint committee of Congress, of which
VIM. Pitt Fessenden was chairman, and the
Republican members OF which Were Senator.
Grimes, Harris New York;, Howard, and Will
Jams. and Representatives Thnd Stevens, Wash
burne, Morrill,, Bingham. Conkling, Boutwell,
and Blow after careful investigation, reported
the military reconstruction bill, which. after
amendment, became a law on the I'd OF March
1867. This abolished the despotic and illega
governments erected in tho south under the
military power Of the Executive, provided fo
the formation of new state governments by thu
people-republican in form and In fact-and
pending their approval and recognition by Con
aress, re.established military rule for the main
with the decision Of the Supreme Court, an
nounccd by Chief Justice fancy more thar
twenty years before, that Congress Is the soil
| power TO determine which is the lawful govern
nent in state, aud that its decision Is Binding
upon every department OF the government.
THE BLAINE AMENDMENT.
The measure as 1t came from the committed
on reconstruction provided merely for the sub
stitution Of military governments for thos'
erected by the implacahies under the auspices
OF President johnson. Among other amend
ments offered to 1t was one by Mr.. Blaine de
clariDg that when any one OF the so'callet
confederate states shall have given its assent L
the fourteenth amendment OF the constitution
| and conformed its constitution and laws there
TO in all respects, and when 1t shall have pro
| vided. by its constitution, that the electiy,
franchise shall be enjoyed equally and impair
TALLY by all male citizens Of the United State
| 81 years OF age and upwards, without regard Il
race color, or previous condition OF seryitude
|
ticipating In the late rebellion, and when sale
constitution shall have been submitted to tn,
voters of said state as then defined
tHs o rSod BY iRe pop
lar vote shall have been submitted to Con
gross for examination and approval, sal,
state shall If It's constitution be approved b.
in Congress, and senators and representative
shall be admitted therefrom OH their taking tn
oath prescribed by law, and then and there
| aft tha mr. of IA nj
imperative in said state"
In offering this amendment Mr.. Blaine sal,
he did It to enable the people under prescribed
Concerning the provision II made for negr
suffrage, he said he "belieyed the true interpre
tation Of the election iof 1866 was that, in ad
ment impartial suffrage should be the basis O
But his amendment did not meet tlis require
ment. il had the vice for which the Johnson plai
had been severely condemned, and that wa.
the denial OF the ballot to the black mlu d
the fret stages. or "basis OF reconstruction" II
only required that after white mans cleo
ton had sent delegates TO white mans con
stitutional convention, the white delegate
should vote for q constitutional provision de
claring the black man voter at future cleo
lions.
That Mr.. Blaine had a clear apprehension o.
what the white men would do with political
power Is shown by The he, extracts herein gno,,e,t
ratify the thirteenth amendment abolishin
slavery, and had Immediately proceeded Il
establish O. worse form OF slavery, This, as h
could not help knowing, proved their willing
ness to accept any conditions that ought to b
imposed, and then TO defy, deny, spurn, ant
violate them. To thus cave the voting power, Il
!, the first instance, In the hands Of the whites
who had proven 80 wanting In good faith, ant
only TO give the blacks the ballot, through
their agency and under such election ma
chinery as they might provide, was not a
thorough work as Mr.. Blaine has at all time
seemed capable Of II was like admitting tn
that he would eat no chickens II was lik
Withdrawing the shepherd dogs aud Leaving
the wolves IN charge OF the sheep, with pos
tive command that the wolves should ut al
times conduct themselves like shepherd dog