The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1909-06-19
Continued from Baraga Page.


Continued from Baraga Page.
Union. and If they had never been out
Of the Union, they were entitled, as of
old, to send senators and representative
to Congress. Holding a very consistent
theory Lincoln had pursued a very
consistent course from the first. While
he thought secession to have broken up
the governments Of the states rebelling
against the Union, he also deemed it
his duty to resume full civil relations
with such portions Of the South as had
been reduced to obedience and to see
that regular and legitimate government
were constituted as soon as possible.
Accordingly toward the end Of 1868 when
the Union army had possession Of Ten
essee, Arkansas and Louisiana. Lincoln
issued his Amnesty Proclamation, =
and began the work of reconstruction.
He promised that, with certain excep-
tons, he would pardon all men who
would lay down arms and swear to sup
port the Constitution and Emancipation
Proclamation. He also promised that
whenever, in any state that had at
tempted secession, one tenth of the
voters should take this oath and organ
ize state government, he would recog-
nize it and consider the state recon-
structed and entitled to representation
in Congress. Following out this plan
the people of Arkansas, Tennessee and
Louisiana, made reconstructed state
governments which Lincoln recognized.
But here congress stepped in and re-
fused to seat the senators from these
states.
In the meantime congress passed a
bill for the reconstruction of the South
ern states along lines radically different
from those followed by the President.
Mr.. Lincoln refused to sign this bill
before the expiration of the session
and thus defeated it. Later congress
aimed another blow at the executive
scheme by the passing of another bill
similar to its first plan. A breach be-
tween the President and congress now
seemed inevitable but had Mr.. Lincoln,
lived it is highly probable that, owing
to his tact and infiuence'with congress,
the difficulties would have been settled
in manner satisfactory to congress
and to the advantage of the Southern
states.
Mr.. Lincoln's death made no break in
the presidential theory in regard to the
right constitutional method of recon-
struction, for Mr.. Johnson, the new
president, had views identical with
those upon which Lincoln acted. But
the change of presidents made all the
difference possible in the manner and
temper of executive action. johnson
had not touch of Lincoln's genius of
understanding and pursuading men. He
was rash, headstrong, and aggressive.
He put forth an amnesty proclamation
substantially the same as Lincoln's only
it increased the list of those who were
to be excluded from the privilege of
voting. He also raised the blockade and
opened the South to trade; then he
ordered his cabinet officers to see that
the taxes were collected, that mail was
delivered, that the courts of the United
States were open and that the laws be
enforced in all the Southern States. He
then ordered conventions to be called.
These bodies were to draw up constitu-
ton, to ratify the thirteenth amend
ment which abolished slavery, and then
the state, according to johnson would
be entitled to representation. Mean
while congress was pursuing its own
line of policy with regard to the recon-
struction of the Southern States. A
committee of fifteen, to whom all mat
tiers of the reorganization of the states
was to be referred, was appointed by
that body. The civil rights bill, giving
the freemen of the south the right as
was passed over the presidents
veto, thus making trouble between the
President and Congress. The President
then attempted to rally public opinion
in favor of his policy, by making tour
of the northern states. At all the
principal towns and cities through which
ne passed he spoke freely to the people
in defense of his policy and in the de-
annexation Of congress. The effect of
his tour was very disastrous to him as
vas shown at the following election
when most of the members were re-
elected and the measures of congress
we're supported by the people.
When congress convened again in
December, 1866, the policy of the presi-
lent was severely condemned. Though
he had begun by following Lincoln's
,olicy it was now certain that he had
rome over to the Confederate party.
This changed the attitude of all parties
md also increased the bitter feeling
'etween congress and the president and
congress- and the Confederate south. 1t