On the other hand, from the point of view of the correct legal principle in regard to this subject, the principle which holds that the
Criticism
of the veto.
But there is no question, now, that Congress did a monstrous thing, and committed a great political error, if not a sin, in the creation of
Criticism of the
Reconstruction Acts.
There was another alternative, and a better one. In fact, there were two other conceivable ways of doing these things, either of which would have been better than the one chosen. The one was, as has been already suggested, to establish Territorial civil governments in the late rebellious region and maintain them there until the civil relations between the two races became settled and fixed. The other was to so amend the Constitution of the United States, before the readmission of the "States" which had renounced the "State" form of local government under the Union, as to give Congress and the national judiciary the power to define and defend the fundamental principles of civil liberty. Neither of these methods would have demanded martial law or universal negro suffrage. It is entirely surprising, from the point of view of to-day, that one or the other of these methods or a combination of both was not resorted to, instead of the monstrous plan that was carried out. There is no way to explain this sufficiently, except upon the reflection that the passions of the men of that day had become so inflamed and so completely dominating that they obscured reason, drowned the voice of prudence, and even dulled the sense of decency. There were a few who favored universal negro suffrage from an exalted and exaggerated humanitarianism, but the mass of the Republicans sustained it as a punishment to the late rebellious whites, and as a means of establishing Republican party "State" governments in the South. Many claimed, indeed, that it was the only alternative to long-continued martial law rule, but they were either very ignorant or very insincere.
In prompt obedience to the requirements of the two Reconstruction Acts, the President issued his general order through the Adjutant-General's
The assignment of the
commanding generals
to the military districts
created by the
Reconstruction Acts.
These officers betook themselves at once, with the forces attached to their several commands, to their respective stations, and assumed the