Year: 1867

The most important reconstruction meas ures of the last session of the 39th Congress are the Sherman Military Bill, as. it is called, and the Elliot bill for recognizing the State of Louisiana. The former has passed the Senate and the latter the House, but what will be the final disposition of either remains yet undecided.

 The Military Bill" provides that the seeded States shall be put under military authority, divided into military districts, and that criminals may in case of necessity be tried before courts martial. This mili- tary authority is to continue till 8 conven- lion, elected by universal suffrage, shall form a State government on the basis of univer- sal suffrage. and till the proposed Constitu- tional Amendments are accepted. s

 The Louisiana Bill" provides for the appointment of Provisional Governor and Council holding authority till superse- ded by State officers, to be elected in June next by universal suffrage except that all who aided the rebellion after March 4th 1864 are disfranchised. All the electors are to be registered and convention elect. cd in October next to frame permanent constitution, which must make no dis. functions of color, must recognize the permanent authority of the national government, must repudiate rebel war debts, and be ratified by majority of the quail fed electors of the State. On compliance with these conditions Louisiana may be admitted to representation in Congress. Provision is also made for the trial of crim- inals by courts martial if the civil authori- ties are unable or unwilling to enforce the laws.

 The great difficulty which lies in the way of immediate reconstruction is that of devising such State organization as may afford efficient protection to negroes and Union whites and yet have any relia- ble popular support, in many of the Cotton States. The radical Republicans claim with great appearance of truth that there is need of an immediate remedy; that the Southern unionists want no constitutional amendments to take effect in future genera. tion, but protection from persecution and perhaps from destruction in the present;t ;that adequate protection can only be effected by both disfranchising rebels and enfranchi- sing negroes; that otherwise the South will continue to be governed by State authority as thoroughly Confederate in spirit as du- ring the war. Men of more moderate views, however, are unable to see that there is any loyal population in many oi those States sufficiently large and intelli- gent to trust with uncontrolled State pow CTS. In Tennessee the large loyal white element of the eastern part of the State gives us foothold and we hail without misgivings the adoption of Universal Suf. frage even though coupled with disfran. chisement of rebels. But there are states where if the Tennessee policy prevails the new governments would be engineer. cd by men as bitter and revengeful as Brownlow without a title of his pat. riotism or integrity, and who would rely for support upon sclass in exactly that de. gree of ignorance which would make them the natural food of demagogues. Pitiable as is the condition of the negro under the legislation of the late slave owner, infinite. ly more pitiable would be the condition ol the late slave owner under the Legislation ot the negro-it would be tyranny to which intelligent men could not he exnect cd long to submit.

 The simple truth is, that neither the Tn fen nor the Disunion elements in the son,, can yet be trusted with uncontrollad stot, power; the former is unsafe from Ignorance the latter from disloyalty. For this evil tn

 only remedy lies in the careful oyersicht . the central government, and any intenre

 tation of the national Constitution whic, would deprive Congress of the power | prevent theinternecine conflicts of hostil Southern elements, would seem to us [