Treaties+with+Natives

THESIS OF CHAMPIONS

In 1865 finally the problem of the civil war came to an end. Yet as that problem ended another came to take its place, reconstruction. Now 146 years later we, the students, have the chance to make it right, to make reconstruction a success. As great philosopher kings we have decided that the primary focus of reconstruction is reunification, for if a nation isn’t unified it really isn’t a nation at all. A powerful and elaborate plan, not so radical as to greatly upset our brethren in the South, not so moderate as to displease our brethren in the North. Thus our plan revolves around education, the gradual gift of civil rights onto the freedmen, and bestowing gentleness and sympathy on the downtrodden south. Our plan for reunification involves 4 major steps. The first is the physical reconstruction of the south done by generating jobs and adding improvements to the old cities. The second is transportation, building such improvements as a full railroad system that spreads through out the south from Louisiana, to Atlanta, to Richmond and along the coast as well. The third would be to set up public schools throughout the south, enlightening many ignorant people as well as promoting racial tolerance through education. The fourth part of our plan is establishing the civil rights of freedmen for the poor degraded slaves deserve nothing less of equality for their long laborious, unforgiving years of unrequited toil. This is our plan, the plan of today, and the plan of tomorrow.

Brothers, sisters, citizens of our great nation, lend me your ear. We must unite and degrade such self-destructive feelings as animosity. Hatreds and opposing views must be set aside, and ex confederates treated, not as the conquered, but as a long lost friend who has lost his footing and must be guided by our love and care. We must supply the hand as to lift him back onto his feet, supply the hand as to help him through dark times. We must be the heavenly light that blots out the grave darkness of their seemingly insurmountable crisis. We are all humans under God; we are all now united under the great American flag. However, even though it is our intention to abstain from mistreating the ex-confederates, ideals that they upheld must not be permitted in our government. Such evils as slavery, and secession must be eliminated, and to ensure this no confederate will be allowed a place in government for 30 years. No confederate will be able to vote for a period of 15 years, to allow the birth of new and reformed Southern political parties more sympathetic towards union and a successful multiracial society. In addition the confederate army must be delegated into small groups and begin to rebuild southern land. Regular pay for soldiers will ensue, however, men of prestigious military rank will have to resign and take an oath never to raise another threatening weapon against the union (What would be the consequences?). In addition ex-confederates must pledge their allegiance to a new public education system that shall educate their children and grandchildren as well as the new freedmen ( Great solution for integration). Confederates will be recognized as veterans of war despite their treason and the bloodshed that came of it. In regards to the South, we must imbibe President Lincoln’s words as in his second Inaugural address, “With malice toward none; with charity for all” and through this maxim stands our best hope to successful reconstruction.

In regards to the freemen, the men who suffered, “two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil”(President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address), we must administer the most tender of treatment. The poor enslaved victims of the South are most deserving of the nation’s sympathy, for it is they who have suffered years of hard, unforgiving, unfruitful, unjust labor. Years of being separated from loved ones, years of the lash, of dehumanization and hatred, of treatment unfit for any human being, years of slavery. The freedmen are fully deserving of equal rights, the vote, and to be able to hold seats in government. However all must come within time for giving the slaves the vote and ability to govern is as though we were kicking a wounded beast while it was down. Southerners did not want to loose their slaves, they do not want equal rights for their slaves, and they will not want their slaves to be able to hold government. Thus a gradual plan for full equal rights for the freedmen must begin. It shall begin at the root of the problem, educating the ignorant ex-slave. How can the illiterate govern people, and how can a successful democracy rely on its voters when they are uneducated and ignorant of politics? It cannot. ( Nice use of a hypophora) Thus rigid schooling must be organized so as to shed light for its students. However these schools must not be solely black, but integrate the races as to promote black tolerance and ideas of equality at an early age. This will also hopefully reverse negative morals spread down through the southern families. It may be many a year before blacks are universally looked upon as equals. (Great consistency in your rhetoric.)

Although we wish to rejoin are brothers of the South, we will make sure the blood spilt in the war was not shed in vain. The states that made the mistake of leaving the union will have to agree to the new states amendments. Ex-confederates will not be admitted to vote for 15 years and may not hold office for 30. The freedmen shall not be able to vote or hold office over the substantial time period of thirty years, however they will receive the equal rights they deserve immediately. The key reasoning for this dead period devoid of political rights for blacks is due to the lack of education among most ex slaves. The required government for proper reunification and reconstruction can not be funded on ignorance, and cannot be influenced by the very same people who sought to rend it asunder a mere 5 years ago. Thus through education a new freedman shall emerge, a new black race educated and prepared to partake in government once thirty years of strict education has transpired. Educating the black population alongside the children of Southern white ‘gentlemen’ will erase the ignorance of the new freedmen as well as help erase the idea of social Darwinism. In addition the freedmen will be able to get equal footing side by side with the white man, before taking a leap of faith into an unrelenting unforgiving storm of tempestuous politics after a period of 30 years has transpired. This hopefully will dull the tension between the two races, smoothing over the wrinkles of the past and provide clean safe politics for blacks once they enter government. (How will the education be provided to the African Americans and how will they be protected from violent and angry whites when they see African Americans in the same schools as them? The idea of time is good for preventing an extreme violent backlash against the African Americans.)

Despite our intentions to reunify the nation in the absence of as much bad feelings as possible, the South must prove they are deserving of re-admittance to the union. Southern states must first agree to endorse the thirteenth and fourteenth amendments, guaranteeing citizenship and equal rights to slaves, as well as the abolishment of slavery. In addition plans for reconstruction must be accepted and put into practice. This plan will include using the confederate army and free black men as a labor source to rebuild that which has been destroyed, and build new internal improvements like railroads and roads. Furthermore before a southern state may be re-admitted the state must accept a new education system, one in which blacks and whites learn together, as peers, as classmates, as equals. Once plans for reconstruction have been endorsed as well as the acceptance as such things as the 13th and 14th amendment and a 50% popular vote from the people, pledging allegiance to the Union, than shall that particular state be re-admitted. ( ﻿Will the 15th amendment be eventually incorporated as well? How will the federal government be able to keep an eye on the Southern government to ensure that they are upholding their oath?)

It is our intention to hold out our hand to our fallen comrades rather than industrializing or “Northernizing” the South. We wish to help the South fabricate the tools that they need to rebuild the torn up cities and get back on their feet. Therefore it would be wise to create a plan to rebuild the southern cities. Details of this monumental plan would include breaking apart the confederate army into units designated with specific tasks in regards to reconstruction. In addition the freedmen would be provided with the opportunity to join in the reconstruction and work as equals among the white men for equal wages and unbiased treatment.( How are you going to make sure the freedmen are actually treated fairly? )This would create thousands of jobs for ex-confederates and freedmen fluctuating the wealth of the south. The new railroad will be designed to travel throughout major plantations and cities through the South eventually leading to the coast. From the coast the railroad will head north to meet with the northern railroad systems. Like removing plaque from an artery, by unclogging the southern transportation system the new U.S. economy will flow.( good idea !) This will connect two halves to a whole, as does the icing in an Oreo cookie, providing fast and cheap transportation across the south. In turn this will evoke a sense of unity between the old rivals. Roads will also be built, along with bridges, damns, and ports to cover up the old scar tissue the war had left behind.( How will you fund these internal improvements? ) The goal of this plan is to instill a sense of unity while strengthening the economy and supplying jobs for veterans and freedmen.

In regards to the glorious boys in blue, the union troops will be in the south for only as long as necessary. However the fate of the union troops rests in the southern states and citizens themselves, for the union army will serve as initiative to begin reconstruction. Only after the endorsement of the previously mentioned reconstruction plans, shall removal of union troops be considered. Once a southern state has begun reconstruction (as mentioned above) then that state need wait only four years before the removal of union troops. If a state begins to loose its passion for reconstruction and does not enforce the new amendments then the Union army will remain for an additional six years, ensuring that the South never wavers on it’s promises. This process shall repeat for as long as necessary or until the six years have transpired. In addition the South must follow through on its promises of reconstruction and must not violate the 13th and 14th amendments. Only after a Southern state has proven its dedication to reconstruction and accepted the equality of all black men can they wave goodbye to the boys in blue. Thus it is in the power of the southern states to decide how long they wish keep Union troops within their borders. ( What happens if the states do not continue to work for reconstruction and unity after the troops have left? Will they return? How will you deal with southern hostility towards the troops? )

As the civil war came and left, only a path or destruction and a broken people were left behind. As a once again reunified nation, under the grace of God, and with the mercy of a just God, may we hope that our experiment of a multiracial society shall flourish. It is our job to help our countrymen out of the turmoil that we have helped to create. With our plan for reconstruction the south shall be rebuilt stronger with successful means of transportation as well as public schools as to bring about a new generation of southern upper class. As it is rebuilt it will change, the hatred and malice towards the freedmen will eventually vanish as the tides of peach eventually ash away the stains from the war. Once again our beautiful nation shall be what is says on our constitution, The United States of America.

Alex: Blue  Madison: Pink