Year: 1867

Congress has imposed, and if such persons
are still rebellious in heart, let them be warn
ed that their proper course is that OF submrs'
sion and silence. Their factious, rebellious
conduct has been tolerated to the last mo-
ment That last moment will have been
reached when the bill referred to becomes
law and no matter what their peculiar views
may be, or how much soever they may detest
the government which has laid down these
terms, it will not be prudent or safe for them
to attempt, in any way, to obstruct the work
of restoration.


We give the article from the Times as fol-
lows:


"BLAcK CLOUDS IN THE SOUTHERN SKY.
One reason which led many persons to toll
crate the passage of the Reconstructin Bill,
who disapprove wholly Of its principles, was
the apprehension that the longer the subject
is left open the more severe and intolerant
will be the terms imposed upon the South.
This was urged last year as reason why the
South should accept the Constitutional
Amendment, but it was secuted by the South
ern States, under the advice of their preten-
ded political friends at the North. They
were advised by the World and other Demo-
cratic journals not to accept the Amendment,
and were assured that neither negro suffrage
nor any other terms severer than the Consti
tutional Amendment could or would be pro-
posed.


We have seen the result of that experiment.
The Southern States, with very great unani-
nifty, rejected the Amendment, and now they
have got that, with universal negro suffrage
and partial white disfranchisement, and mil
1tary government to back them up, as sub
stitute for it. And Reverdy johnson, a
staunch Democrat and a Southern man, vo
ted for this bill under the apprehension that,
| if some final action is not now taken, someth-
| ing still acorse will be forced upon the coun-
try and the South.


1t may he well enough to state that these
apprehensions are not wholly without foun-
dation. 1t is very well understood that bills
are in course of preparation for early intro
duction into the next Congress, providing
for a s,ceepiag cOnfscation Of rebel property IN
! tile Southern States and for its distribution
among the enfranchised slaves, for paying
| claims of loyal men for property destroyed
during the war, and for giving farms to
Northern soldiers who will settle in the
South. Mr.. Stevens has declared his pur-
pose, (" God willing and he living" to press
such measure as this upon Congress, and
| Gen. Banks in debate declared himself in
favor of such distribution of Southern farms
among Northern soldiers as the only effectual
mode of reconstructing Southern society 1t
may safely be assumed that the whole body
| I'm L., ro,, -, oil,
measure; and it is confidently expected that
the rejection by the South of the new terms
now proposed will create fresh feeling ot
resentment which will give it popularity and
strength throughout the North. The meas
ure itself has elements of attraction for many
classes, and is expected to secure the support
of the soldiers in a body.


1t may be supposed that the Supreme
Court will present final barrier against the
ultimate success of such project. But il
must be rem embered that ,tour members Of
that Court out of nine would now, beyond
all doubt, indorse such measure; and that
of the .fce who would oppose it, one if not
two will probably never again sit on the
bench in consequence of extreme age and ill
ness. A law was passed, moreover, at tht
last session, which declares that in case Of
the death of a Supreme Court Judge, the va
cancy shall not be filled until the whole mum
Der of Judges shall have been reduced by
death or otherwise to seren. The chances
are, therefore, that within the next year the
Supreme Courr of the United States will b'
as thoroughly in the hands Of the Radicals


as Congress is.


Senator Johnson's misgivings therefore
would seem to have very substantial foun
dation in the probabilities of the future"