Year: 1867

tion bill, substantially in the form in which


it has passed the Senate, win doubtless soon


be proclaimed law Of the land, veto or no
veto. we may briefly restate its leading
features.


First, before the LIST day Of September next


the commanding general over each of the five


military districts into which the ten excluded
States are divided shall cause registration
to be made Of the authorized voters, white
and black, under . specified oath Of loyalty,
In each county or parish Of his district.
Second, upon at least thirty days notice those
military commanders respectively shall cause
an election to be held by the registered voters
ior delegates to reorganizing State conven-
tion, and for or against such convention, pro-
vided that such convention shall not be held
unless majority Of all tho registered voters
shall have voted on the question, yea or nay,
OF holding such convention. Third, when
convention shall have thus been ordered by
majority Of the voters the commanding gen.
eral, after overlooking the returns, in proclaim
ing the result shall, within sixty days from the


election, call the convention together, s'and


said convention, when organized, shall first de-


terminc by vote whether it shall or shall not


proceed to frame new State constitution, ac-
cording to the terms of Congress, and if the
vote be in the affirmative the convention shall
then proceed to the work" Next, when o new


constitution shall have been framed, it shall
be submitted for ratification, on thirty days
notice, to the registered voters representing
the people. Next, with the constitution thus
ratified, it shall be submitted to Congress, and
if accepted by the two houses, as in conform
ity with the conditions laid down, the State
concerned shall be declared entitled to
restoration to Congress, &c. The bill further
provides that all these provisional elections
are to be by ballot.


Now, what is the prospect of Southern resto-
ration under this Supplementary bill and the
original law of March q? In the frst place
comes the most difficult part of the work-the
separation of the sheep from the goats in tho
registration Of voters for those rebels ex-
cluded by the pending constitutional amend
ment from office, subject to two-thirds vote
of Congress, are excluded from the ballot box
in these reorganizing elections. The military
commanders are allowed all the interval to the
last day of August to appoint their registering
places and subordinate officers, to prepare
their plans, rules and books, and to make their
registrations. But we think that all this work
may be easily done by the first of June. Then
thirty days notice for the election of conven-
n vu{1 hpiu az L.
July. Then, assuming that the whole interval
Of sixty days allowed win pass before the con-
vention elected and ordered shall assemble, 1t
will bring us round to the first of September
with the full organization of the convention.
Let us say next that 1t will occupy month in
framing State constitution under the terms of
Congress, and as another month will then pass
before ratification can be had from the peo-
pie, this ratification will carry us to the first Of
November. Meantime, under the act of March
2, State Legislature must be elected, and 1t


must ratify the pending constitutional amend
ment, and this amendment must be declared
part of the federal constitution before any one
of the outside States can be restored. But all
these conditions may be fulfilled in season for
the regular meeting Of Congress In December
next, If the President Of the United States, his
district generals and official sub
ordinates and the ruling politicians and white
people Of the ten States concerned will only
act harmoniously together in view Of the great
desideratum of . restoration to Congress as
soon as possible.


We expect before next March to announce
to the world the complete re-establishment of
the Union on the new basis of universal liberty
and civil equality, with the restoration of every
rebel State to Congress. The President has
manifested in his appointment of his FIVE dis
trict military ommanders-SchoReld Sickles,
Thomas, Ord and Sheridan-his purpose to
execute these laws Of Congress faithfully; and
from the Southern civil experience and good
services Of each of these officers we are satisfied
that they will carry out these laws as quietly
and kindly as possible to the people of the
several States concerned. Whether, therefore,
the ten excluded States shall or shall not have a
voice in this Congress and in the election of the
next and our next President will depend upon
the course OF the ruling white class of each of
the States directly concerned; and that class,
though to some extent disfranchised in this


work of reconstruction, we are gratiiied to be-
lieve, is rapidly coming round to the wise policy
Of q prompt and faithful compliance with the
terms Of Congress.


The prospect, therefore, OF Southern restora-


ton is good and the encouraging indications


we are daily receiving from Virginia and all
the way through to Texas warrant the belief of
immense advantages to all those States in the
way Of Northern capital and enterprise in
view of large crops, even this year, of corn,
tobacco, cotton, rice and sugar. Cheerful SUBJ
mission to manifest destiny will surely bring to
the South, in advance of Southern restoration,
those great essentials of financial confidence in
the development Of Southern industry-wealth
and prosperitv