Who Has the Power?

The president of the United States has a responsibility to the country and all of its citizens to make the best decisions for the country as a whole. The Civil War was fought in order to preserve the Union, therefore, it is only fitting that the President do all that is in his power to preserve the Union after the fighting ends. However, it is not the President’s responsibility to personally see that the South is reconstructed. Congress is made up of politicians from every state, representing their state in national affairs, it is much more plausible that Congress be given the power reconstruct the Southern states. This monumental task of re-admittance into the Union depended greatly on what each state was willing to make as a statement of goodwill towards the Union and all of mankind. Therefore, each state should be required to pledge an oath of loyalty to the Union. It is the idea that states have the power to overthrow or succeed from the Union that caused the Civil War in the first place. By insuring that these states were now fully dedicated to the Union, it could be said the states’ rights issues could be put to rest. In making these rebellious states into productive Union members, certain assurances would have to be made. The country, and black citizens particularly, would be uneasy about the South being led by Confederate officials and officers. For that reason it is only reasonable to ban the participation of Confederates in politics while the South is being rebuilt. When the states are once again secure members of the Union it would be possible for a Confederate to hold office and not be considered a threat to liberty. The best way to protect the rights of blacks would be to censor the power of the states in their own affairs. This could be done through a trial period for re-admittance into the Union. Each state would have to meet certain requirements and demonstrate their loyalty and equality in order to have a ruling passed on their ability to function as a Union state. A plausible way to insure that a Southern state was operating in full accordance with Union policy and belief in equality for freed slaves would be to have a task force for each state. Mayors and city officials would have to report to county or district officials, who in turn would report progress with state officials, these reports would be made to the governor, a Southern governor would need to prove that the state was functioning as it should to a panel of congressmen. Five congressmen would be appointed at a panel to each state. These congressmen would be selected at a ratio of 3:2, from the north and southern states respectively, the panel would present their evaluation of a state’s performance to Congress, with their suggestion for re-admittance. A ruling would be made and a report would be submitted to the president about this ruling. In this manor southern states would be admitted back into the Union, while providing that all citizens are treated equally, Confederates are not in power, and reconstruction is successful.