The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-15

Congress published to the world that the United States had no purpose to conquer any state or in any manner to alter or abuse any state government whose people or a part of them were engaged in rebellion or instruction against the federal government.
 Nothing happened during or after the prosecution of the war to justify the abandonment of Lincolns theory of war. He never abandoned it. He held that a state of the Union could not rebel, however, its population, includ- ing its civil officers, might rise up against the federal government. After Rickmond was evacuated, but before General Lee had surrendered. MT. Lin coin went to that city, the capital of the state, summoned the lieutenant gov- ernor, as the governor could not be
 found, and reqired to be issued call
 upon the legislature to assemble. The precef mt in Virginia, he expected to follow in Alabama and in all the
 southern states. His purpose was to have Governor Watts resume the execu- tive office and to convene the legisla-
 ture that senators might be chosen at once and writs issued for the election iof full delegation of representatives in Congress The Alabama department. of archives and history is possessed or data in proof of these allegations in regard to Lincoln, all and severally. Vice President Johnson succeeded to the presidency. Before his election as vice president whie he held Lincon's appointment as military governor of Tennessee, he went to Washington ex- pressly to make a direct appeal to Lin- coin to insist upon the integrity of the conquered states whenever the conquest should be effected
 Johnson therefore came into office firmly fixed in the theory of state vital Iity. He did not reinstate Watts, whom the Invading army had run out of Mont gomery; nor did he reinstate any part of the government of Alabama that had been chosen during the progress of the war.
 The President evidently believed he must hang the leaders of the Confed- eracy, civil and military, and thereafter restore the states to the Union after fashion of his own invention. General Grant interfered to stop the plan of persecution and slaughter.
 Congress was in vacation and the President was too wise to call it to- gether.
 In Alabama the President appointed a provisional government" He might as well have set up an hereditary mon archy, as for legal authority for the act Parsons was an admirable ap- pointment. Tn every particular he was
 
 Under Provisional Governor Parsons, l the original form of state government was recognized by all the departments of the federal government at Washing l ton, by the Congress, by the President and by the courts.
 This fact of state recognition pre- vailed from December, 1S65, until March, | 1867. There was no denial in any re- | spect except that senators and represen- 1 a he 1n mittance to Congress.
 Congress schemedeto revolutionize the i motive and essence of the federal gov vernment, without that disturbance of business which would follow a change 1 to form and theory to express the fact of revolution. Form and theory should remain and certain technical constitu- tional amendments should contradict both
 Alabama was assumed to be a state in all respects the equal of other states, l and therefore the thirteenth article of amendment was referred through regu- lar channels for her optional ratifica- ton. The resolution of the legislature of Parsons administration was accepted by Congress ratifying the article.
 The Parsons regime installed Patton for governor and established a legis- lature and courts. Congress joined the President and the federal courts in recognition or Governor Patton and the contemporary functions of state govern ment complete.
 Congress sent to Governor Patton a fourteenth article of amendment, which the legislature refused for cause.
 The fourteenth article of amendment virtually established new ideals of gov ernment, "a new magma charter" in connection with the two other recent articles To secure the preparation of this article, the southern senators and representatives had been excluded from Congress To secure the adoption of the article. the state governments of the south were extinguished by Congress and substitutes set up by martial re- sort.
 The Congress. the President. Grant, and the generals of the army distributed throughout their borders, exerted in concert and individually all expedients available in the long continued effort to beat down the whites and raise up the freedmen to rule them. No resort | to Congress was left untried. No usur- i patton of the executive office of the government was too bold or fragrant; l no tyranny of the local military was pretermitted that promised results. i when the part 10 be acted was the es- 1 tabiishment of the supremacy of negro l rule in this state. l
 JOHN WITHERsPooN DUBOsE-