Year: 1865

lished policy of supreme. wisdom Tor !ht


present and the future. Instead of pTolongini


the contest after reasonable hope sof ultim ale


success had failed the confederate cause Gen


Lee chose TO surrender bis army and thu


conclude the war. By this act many thOus


ands of valuable lives were saved and en- or
nous additional expenditure upon our par
avoided. His course led 10 the speedy sur
render of the other armies of the South and
was substantially The termination of the war
We obtained by it immediate relief from the
burthens of the srugg and security agsinst
the danger of foreign nle ference and all
/ the accidents and dangers to which the
prosecution OF war is liable and this upon
the simple condition that the Southern
forces should be disbanded and return to
their BONES upon parole MOTTO bear
arms against the United States until
exchanged, and that they should not be
disturbed by the United States authorities
so long as they observe their parole and the
laws in force where they reside. This ca
! piiulalion 10 General Grant was followed by
similar capitulaiion of the other armies or
bodies of Southern forces, until lis provi-
sions became applied 10 all men engaged
| in the field in the military service OF the
| South. Substantially in lis extended ap-
| plication, ii an agreement that the
armies opposed to US should be broken up
and dissolved; that The soldiers and officers
should be considered paroled and shonld
not be molested or proceeded against BY
our Government.


Subsequently, by Proclamation of the
President, amnesty has been extended 20
the Southern people with the exception OF
particular classes of persons specially nam
ed, representation Of an oath of allegiance
TO the Government of the United States.
Thus was tie foundation broadly laid for
relations of restored amiiy with the people
OF the South who had been opposed to US
in public war while in the entire distand-
ing OF lhei! armies and in the oalhs of ale
glance exacled, securities were obtained
against The continuance or renewal of the
conflict.


Following these events, the question OF
| the reorganization Of Stale Governments





alton. President johnson, in several proc
lamalions recently issued, has announced
his plan for accomplishing this object. II
is, thai through temporary or provisional
officer named by him, The people OF each
| State shall be called upon 10 select members
of a convention 10 form Constitution for
the State which. being adopted, will be
recognized by the Executive OF the United
States. OF course ;he admission OF Seua-
tors aud Representatives from such State
into Congress, pertains exclusively to the
Jurisdiction OF the wo Houses. His theory
is, 10 regard the States as never having been
in point of law out of the Union TO hold
all ordinances OF secession as utterly void
and OF no effect, and Rebel State Govern
ment, heretofore engaged in hostility 20 tie
United States, as spurious or invalid Uu-
queslionably, State Government establish
ed by popular convsaiion in accord with
the Government and in conformity with
the Constitution of the United States, will
oe regular IN origin and legal in character
For it will have It's powers impaired TO il in
the usual manner by the people over whom
il is established. and be without taint from
the revolutionary principle. But who are
The people or persons who shall reorganize
such Government Tor State? 1t would be
a strange and dangerous doctrine iha; the
mere will or pleasure of The Presiden; or OF
Congress should dominate what should be
the sovereign act of the people in the FORM
alton of Constitution while on the other
hand il would be unreasonable and absurd
that unrepen:ani enemies should be per-
united to participate in the proceeding. 1t
is, therefore, provided in the Presidents
plan, that the qualifications for popular suf-
irsge in selecting a convention 10 Teorgan
ize the State, shall be the same as those
which existed under the Constitution of
the State when the rebellion hegan in
other words, the qualifications OF suffrage
shall be idenically the same as those fixed
by the State itself prior 10 secession, sub
ject only 10 the condition that the right be
confined 10 those who pledge their fealy
10 the United States by The amnesty oath
before mentioned. OF course The question
of suffrage in a State for the future, will be
regulated BY lis Constitution when formed,
and be no longer a subject OF inquiry or
concern 10 the Federal Government. Ii is
expected, and will no doubt happen, that
all the States in question will al once adopt
the proposed amenedmen 10 The Consiitu-
ton of he United States on the subject OF
slavery bur this beng an aci in lis very
nature voluntary is not enjoined.


Such is The Presidents plan, deliberately
announced, under which the reorganization
OF States is taking place in the South ; bot
il encounlers vehement opposition from