Year: 1866

Plan Of the Reconstruction Committee.


The following extracts from leading editorials
will show how the report of the Committee
of Fifteen is regarded by the principle New
York papers


From the Times (moderate Republican,


As a plan of pacifcation and reconstruc-
ton, the whole thing is worse than bur
lesque. 1t might be styled a farce, were the
country not in the midst of a very serious
drama. Its proper designation would be "a
plan to prolong indefinitely the exclusion of
the South Congress, by imposing conditions
to which the Southern people never will sub
nit" This being the obvious scope and
tendency of the proposition, we are bound to
assume that it clearly reflects the settieCi Pur-
pose OF the Committee. So that the JOINT
Committee appointed nearly five months ago
to take exclusive charge of the question OF
reconstruction now offer as the result of all
their Iabors what would in fact render recon-
struction forever impossible.


From the Tribune (Radical Republican,


Our own preference fora much shortcrand
simpler programme is well known. CNIYER.
SAL, AMNEsrY-IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE--Such
are its conditions, and the whole of them. =; =


But it is not possible that all individual
views and preferences shall be gratified IN
reatliusting the relations to the Union OF the
States lately in revolt wherefore, we cntreat
every Unionist in Congress to adopt the COM
mittees report as a basis, amending where
ever that may he practicable, but resolved to
accept and vote for it when 1t shall have
been perfected by the action OF the two
Houses Make it rs much better as possible,
but let it by no means be defeated.


Our adversaries have too long taunted US
with our inability to agree on a plan of re-
construction. Let US all now resolve that we
can and shall agree.


From the Herald (nondescript)


The main purpose of this plan is evidently
the continued exclusion of those States till
after the next Presidential election, with the
requisition of negro sufferage or the exclusion
of the negroes from the enumeration of the
people for representing in Congress x *
The plan is ingeniously contrived it is con-
siderably milder than anything heretofore
eminating from the committee and nearer the
policy and the views of President johnson
1t may be unnecessary in some things, super
fiuous in Others, and unfair in its continued
exclusion of the Southern States after having,
on their part fulfilled the conditions of the
administration charged with discretionary
powers over the whole subject; but we have
only now to await the issue before the two
Houses


From the World (Democrat.)


We will not, at present, discuss it as if the
project it presents were an honset project,
offered in good faith, and really intended to
expedite the restoration of the unrepresented
States. A discussion on that over-courteOus
hypothesis may he in order soon, and will
keep even step with the action of Congress on
the report. Meanwhile, we deem it more
pertinent to demonstrate that it is not an hon
est project that the plan embodiedin the re-
port has no tendency, and is put forward by
its authors with no intention, to restore the
A. IH,,[l,r al.,tin


From the News Dcmocrat)


The proposed Constitutional Amendment
is intended to deprive the Southern people OF
participation in the next Presidential ciec-
ton project so bold, so wicked, so fatal
to the existence of our republican institutions
will, we trust, startle the people into energetic
action against the intrigues of the unscrupu-
lous faction that are conspiring to overthrow
the fundamentals ofthe Republic.


Washington CORES spondence of Baltimore Sun.


Thenew project tofreconstruction from the
committee of fifteen is the subject of much
remark 1t was desirable to many to know
what the President thought OF it. That is
well ascertained and known. The President
and at least some Ofhis friends are more OPP
posed to it than they were to the first plan of
the committee.


The Democrats, in and out of Congress,
are all hostile to itsbecause it excludes their
party from power for the next seven years at
least. Some of them say that it will not go
through both houses of Congress by the re-
buisite two thirds vote. But that is to be
seen before long The Republican party in
Congress is Il unit upon it, and they com
mand both houses.


The next question is whether the joint re-
solution proposing the amendment will be
ratified by hrce-fourths of the States. There
will he opposition to it from those Northern
States which will lose some representation
by it, but, us the Legislatures are republican,
it may receive the ASSERT OF all OF them
making twenty five, exclusive OF Colorado
Tennessee may accept it, making twenty-six;
but if Colorado he admitted, it will require
the ratification of thirty States.
Tie Republicans express surprise that any
opposition should he made to the scheme,
except by the Sumner radicals, for it takes
the negro suffrage question, as they say, out
of politics
Ii fthe section disqualifying all who volun-
tarily took part in the rebellion till 1870
were stricken out, the amendment might
prevail; but if that were out. the Republi-
can majority would disown and reject it, for
it is the gist ofthe whole scheme The plan
means simply that the Republican party
intend to hold their power in Congress, not
only for this but for the next Congress- and
.,ls lau tIn