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Franklin Repository: January 05, 1870 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

[No Title]
(Column 01)

Summary: This issue of the Franklin Repository opens the paper's 77th volume. The editors write a review of the many important events that occurred in those years. They assert that the paper always supported "every measure which tended to the consummation of the great end of laying up forever in the fundamental law the principle of the final equality of men." The paper celebrates the "Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments" that will "be seen to be the noblest achievement of this busy and advancing age."

The Reconstruction of Georgia
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Summary: The Repository takes the Valley Spirit to task for attacking Congress's decision to revoke Georgia's Congressional representation and place the state under military rule. The editorial defends Congress pointing out that Georgia had violated various provisions of the Reconstruction Act.

Full Text of Article:

A long time has elapsed since we deemed it our duty as journalists to correct every false statement, or every misrepresentation of fact which our political adversaries may make. Experience has convinced us that if such a task were undertaken there would be no time left for anything else, and as errors can repeat themselves in a thousand ways, our work would never be finished. Sometimes, however, an unusually gross fraud upon the credulity of the people still whips us into this kind of work. such an instance is the present one, in which we are tempted to correct a notorious false statement of the Spirit in regard to the action of Congress toward the State of Georgia. This State has been remanded by Congress back under temporary military rule for the purpose of enforcing her reconstruction under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, and according to the reconstruction act of the 2d of March, 1867, strict compliance with which were made the conditions of her admission to representation in the Union.

Section 5 of the said reconstruction act provided, that when the people of any of the rebel States formed a constitution in conformity with the constitution of the United States, framed by a convention elected by the male citizens of said State, of twenty-one years old and upwards, of whatever race, color, or previous condition, who were residents of said State for one year previous to the day of election, except such as were disfranchised for participation in the rebellion, or for felony at common law; and when such constitution shall provide that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons as have the qualifications herein stated for electors of delegates, and when said constitution shall be ratified by a majority of those voting who are qualified as electors for delegates, and when such constitution shall have been submitted to Congress for approval and shall have been approved by Congress, and when said State shall have adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to the constitution by a vote of its Legislature elected under such State constitution, and when said Amendment shall have become a part of the constitution of the United States, said State shall be declared entitled to representation in Congress: Provided, That no person excluded from the privilege of holding office by said proposed Amendment to the constitution shall be eligible as a member of the convention to frame a constitution, nor shall any such person vote for members of such convention.

Section 4 of the Fourteenth amendment, the adoption of which by said State was made a condition of representation in Congress, provides that no person shall be a Senator or Representative of Congress, or hold any office, civil or military under the United States or under any State, who having previously taken an oath as a member of Congress or as any office of the United States, or as a member of any State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

The condition of admission to representation in Congress, then seem to have been, in brief, the right of suffrage to all citizens; the exclusion of those who having held civil or military positions in the General Government or States which required the taking of an oath to support the constitution of the United States, had engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; and the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment.

In pursuance of the provisions of the above reconstruction act, Georgia held a convention, framed a constitution, elected a Legislature, and by popular voice ratified the constitution, which gave, in general terms the right of suffrage, to every male person born in the United States, and every naturalized person, of the age of twenty-one years or upward.

But no sooner had the Legislature assembled, than a number of negroes who had been elected by lawful voters as members of that body, were declared ineligible under an old State law, were thrust out of the Legislature, and their opponents, rebels who were disqualified under the Fourteenth Amendment and the reconstruction acts, were declared to be entitled to the places thus made vacant. Here then, were two acts in violation of the reconstruction act and the Fourteenth Amendment, first the denial of the right of suffrage to negroes, and, second, the election of persons, ineligible to office, and deprived of the right of suffrage, to seats in the Legislature. And incited by the success of these unlawful acts, Georgia has ever since been in practical hostility to the general government, and well nigh in a condition of anarchy in her State government.

As to the condition of Georgia, General Terry gives the following testimony:

"I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that the situation here demands the interposition of the National Government, in order that life and property may be protected, freedom of speech and political action secured, and the rights and liberties of freedmen maintained. In many parts of the State there is practically no government. The worst of crimes are committed, and no attempt is made to punish those who commit them. Murders have been and are frequent; the abuse in various ways of the blacks is too common to excite notice. If the most worthless vagabond in the country were charged with a crime against a negro or a Republican no man would dare to testify against him or to refuse to give bail for him. Most of the outrages on the blacks result from hatred of their race. In civil cases, too, negroes are without redress for injuries. Magistrates dare not do them justice; cannot even save them for violence always while in their own presence."

It is not surprising that the Spirit should join in the melancholy refrain which comes from the principal Democratic journals at the action of Congress. If it is not their nature to do so, they at least seem to have nothing else to do, and it would have been wholly unprecedented if they had accepted the condition imposed on Georgia, without childish complaint. Nevertheless if it is the duty of Congress to guarantee a republican form of government to the States, which even Democrats do not deny, and if Georgia has openly and outrageously violated that clause of the Fourteenth Amendment which provides that "Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation," this alone is not only a sufficient warranty for what Congress has done, but it makes it their duty. Hence Congress declared that the State of Georgia must fulfill the conditions required of her, must obey the laws, do justice to her own citizens, and purge herself of her crimes before she can be admitted to representation in Congress. She has accordingly been placed under military government, the Governor is directed to convene the original Legislature, to exclude there from those deprived by their rebellious acts from being members, to undo what she has wrongly done, and by way of punishment, to ratify the Fifteenth Amendment.

After this statement, we are willing that the following statement of the Spirit should accompany it:

"The adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment was secured by notifying Georgia and other Southern States that they could not be admitted to representation in Congress until they would ratify it. Next came the Fifteenth Amendment, willing to ratify if so as to make it a part of constitution, Congress has had recourse to the novel and shameful expedient of excluding Georgia until she agrees to ratify the Fifteenth Amendment also.

Franklin County Horticultural Society
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Summary: The Franklin County Horticultural Society met to plan operations for the coming year. Officers were nominated and essayists appointed for 1870.
(Names in announcement: Enos B. Engle, Henry M. Engle, Jacob S. Nixon, Dr. J. L. Suesserott, William H. Boyle, Jacob S. Brand, William G. Reed, Thomas J. Grimeson, John P. Keefer, B. L. Ryder, T. B. Jenkins, John Ruthrauff, Seth Dickey, H. E. Hoke, William D. Guthrie, Adam Stouffer, S. W. Hays, John M. Cooper, John P. Keefer, George A. Deitz, B. L. Ryder, S. W. Hays, James M. Linn, R. P. Hazlett)

The Week of Prayer
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Summary: The Evangelical Alliance publishes a revised schedule for the upcoming week of prayer.

Bishop Simpson's Lecture
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Summary: Bishop Simpson spoke before a large audience in the Methodist Church on Monday. Simpson has become one of the most famous ministers in the country, and is praised for his work during the war. He spoke on the "Cross and the Crescent" in which he discussed the history of Islam and Christianity. He stressed the human origin and consequent decay of Islam.

Personal
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Summary: State Senator C. M. Duncan and State Representative Capt. G. W. Skinner left for Harrisburg to take their posts in the legislature. J. Logan Kennedy took charge of the County Treasurer's office.
(Names in announcement: C. M. Duncan, Capt. G. W. Skinner, J. Logan Kennedy)

A Generous Act
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Summary: The members of Columbus Lodge No. 75, I.O.O.F., took up a collection for "several deserving widow ladies in our town" who were "sick and destitute of the necessaries of life." The collection raised $7.00 and the group donated another $20.

[No Title]
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Summary: The conductors of the Cumberland Valley Railroad presented A. H. McCulloh with an edition of Longfellow's poems as a token of personal esteem. Harry C. Elliott made the presentation speech in honor of the popular railroad official.
(Names in announcement: A. H. McCulloh, Harry C. Elliott)

[No Title]
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Summary: H. C. Elliott represented the Chambersburg Lodge of the Grand Division of the Conductor's Brotherhood at a recent meeting in Buffalo. The group took steps to strengthen the order at the national level.
(Names in announcement: H. C. Elliott)

[No Title]
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Summary: John Fisher, proprietor of the Union Hotel, will take charge of the Indian Queen Hotel in April. Ephraim Shank will take charge of the Montgomery House.
(Names in announcement: John Fisher, Ephraim Shank)

[No Title]
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Summary: M. A. Keefer, who is doing a commission and warehouse business in the establishment formerly occupied by G. A. Deitz, is going into partnership with William P. Palmer and J. H. Keefer.
(Names in announcement: M. A. Keefer, G. A. Deitz, William P. Palmer, J. H. Keefer)

Week of Prayer
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Summary: Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and First Methodist Church publish schedules for the celebration of the week of prayer.

[No Title]
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Summary: Robert H. Thomas of Mechanicsburg has been appointed Deputy Grand Master of the Order of Free and Accepted Masons for the district including Franklin County.
(Names in announcement: Robert H. Thomas)

[No Title]
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Summary: Philip Phillips, "the prince of vocalists," will give a concert in Chambersburg under the auspices of the Ladies' Mite Society of the First M. E. Church.
(Names in announcement: Philip Phillips)

[No Title]
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Summary: Efforts are underway in Chambersburg to establish a Tribe of the Order of Red Men.

Married
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Summary: William H. Wunderlick and Miss Libbie E. Hendricks, both of Chambersburg, were married on December 30th by the Rev. D. Townsend.
(Names in announcement: William H. Wunderlick, Libbie F. Hendricks, Rev. D. Townsend)

Died
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Summary: Mrs. Mary M. Nimmon died in Fannettsburg on October 27th. She was 76 years old.
(Names in announcement: Mary M. Nimmon)