ewspaper report, which is a pretty accurate one, of what I said,
and which will show that I have at least done my duty in that
regard, if not more.

"The same baneful influence that secured the election of a majority
of ignorant blacks, and equally ignorant or unprincipled whites,
to the Convention, has proved sufficient to hold them firmly to
their original purpose. They could only hope to obtain office by
disqualifying everybody in the State who is capable of discharging
official duties, and all else to them was of comparatively slight
influence. Even the question whether their Constitution will be
ratified or rejected, the treat with indifference. Congress, they
say, will make it right anyway. . . .

"Of course I may be mistaken, but my opinion is that the Constitution
must be adopted. This would not be a serious matter if it (the
Constitution) were a good one, and good officers could be elected
under it. But it seems hardly possible that the Union party can
organize upon a satisfactory basis for the election. The negroes
and their associates will doubtless insist upon unqualified
indorsement of the Constitution by their nominees. This the
respectable whites will not give. Hence the late Convention will
be reproduced in the legislature, a large majority being either
worthless radicals, white and black, or bitter opponents of
reconstruction upon the congressional plan. The danger is that we
will have on our hands, not only one big elephant in the Constitution,
but a host of little ones in the shape of officers-elect who are
not fit to be installed--a prospect not very encouraging, at least.

"My impression is that the wisest course would be to let the thing
fall and die where it is--not submit it to the people at all. We
can then go on putting Union men in office and reorganizing the
provisional government upon a loyal basis, until the friends of
reconstruction get control of the State. Then a convention can be
called which will frame a Constitution fit to be ratified by the
people of the State and approved by Congress and the country at
large.

"If Congress would give a little more latitude in the selection of
officers, by modifying the test oath, there would be no difficulty
in filling all the offices in the State with men who would aid
restoration. Without some such change, the work of reorganization
cannot be carried very far. The view of the question which I have
given above is, of course, the