The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-22 00:00:00

Confederate Congressmen.

We cannot well imagine a more unenviable role than the
one now being played by those ex-Confederates who are
seeking seats in the Federal Congress. As traitors to
their Government and enemies of the flag under which
they were born, their conduct was bad enough, but this,
had little of the meanness exhibited by these men in
seeking to hold office under the Government which they
have just been trying to destroy. Apart from the want of
chivalry manifested in such actions, it bears upon its face
evidence of the very highest impertinence. We know of
nothing to compare it to, unless we might imagine a man
caught in an attempt to pick your pockets asking to be
taken into your confidence and employment.
In view of the recent conduct of many of the men who
have been elected to Congress from the Southern States,
and who are now claiming seats in that body—a majority
of them, probably, having been in arms against the
Government —we are constrained to ask what has become
of that high sense of honor for which the Southern
people have been famed, or of the possession of which
they have at least boasted. We can conceive of nothing
more ludicrous, to say nothing of the indelicacy and dis-
reputableness of the exhibition, than for men, who have
just been talking themselves hoarse about "dying in the
last ditch" before they would ever again acknowledge the
Federal supremacy, to be found knocking, at the doors of
Congress for the privilege of entering and accepting fat
offices under the Federal flag. Surely the friends of the
late Confederacy in foreign countries, who have been
lavishing such extravagent eulogies upon the courage and
endurance of the rebel chiefs, will stand aghast at the
part which they now see so many of them performing.
Of course there can be nothing out of place in a Union
man seeking a heat in Congress from a State which had
been in rebellion ; nor would there be so much seeming
impropriety in rebels coming before Congress as penitents
petitioning to be forgiven, and desiring the privileges of
being represented by good men in the National Councils.
Then should Congress see fit to treat some of them as
returned prodigal sons, and admit them to the fatted calf
none need object. But the majority of men elected to
Congress from the rebel States, after feeding upon the
husks of the Confederacy for four or five years, demand
to be admitted to the feast of good things spread at their
much abused Government's expense, as a matter of right,
and that without expressing the least contrition for their
past disobedience.
If these men, rebels though they may be themselves,
represented loyal or repentant constituencies, there would
be some show of reason in their claims ; but the fact is
that such men have been elected is probably the best evi-
dence that their• constituencies are still disloyal, and do
not deserve a representation in Congress. To judge them
by their Congressional fruits, we should be forced to form
anything but a favourable conclusion of a great many
Southern districts.
There are of course honorable exceptions. Some of
the Congressmen elect from the rebel States have pro-
bably been good Union men all the time, and it is to be
regretted that, owing to the very bad company in which
they are found, they aro likely to suffer the fate of " poor
Tray." Then, again, there are doubtless very many high-
minded Southerners who, having been active rebels,
would scorn to occupy the position of applicants for
Federal patronage. In fact several parties solicited to run
for Congress in Southern districts declined being candi-
dates on this ground. A presumption, therefore, might
arise that many of the rebels who have been elected to
Congress from the disloyal States are really the scape-
graces of Southern society, and not a fair representation
of the people whom they have left behind. This, how-
ever, would be but a poor argument in favor of their ad-
mission to the places they are seeking.
The duty of Congress, in view of the antecedents of the
majority of the representatives chosen from the rebel
States, seems plain enough. . Whenever those States send
loyal men, and only loyal men, to represent them, Congress
ought to admit their members. When disloyal men are
chosen, they ought not to be admitted, and this rule should
hold good for all time. To determine this point, Congress,
in our judgment, should establish the policy of allowing
no man to occupy a seat among its members who has ever
been in arms or in responsible position against his Govern-
ment. The nation has suffered far too much discomfort and
disgrace-from Southern traitors in Congress, in the years
preceding the rebellion, to permit any such similar inflic-
tion from that quarter. The adoption of such a rule
would come, probably, as near proving a preventive to
further evil as anything which could be devised. 'No man
who has been in rebellion against his Government, and
whose life has really been forfeited, and can only be enjoyed
by the sufferance of his Government, can say aught
against the justice of such a rule.—Missouri Democrat.

THE AMERICAN MikisTEß.—A report has been
current for some time past in American political circles
that Mr. Adams would shortly resign, and that Mr. E.
M. Stanton, the American Secretary of War, would retire
from the Cabinet and succeed him as Minister to the
Court of St. James. This rumour has obtained wide
currency in this country, through the American cor-
respondents of the London press. We have reason to
believe that, while Mr. Adams would not be indisposed
to resign and return home, the United States Government
are most desirous that he should remain here. It is
felt that, although' his presence as a member of the
Cabinet would be a tower of strength to the Administra-
tion, there is no other man in America possessing, in so
eminent a degree, the special qualifications necessary for
the post of Minister to England. Mr. Adams has re-
presented his country at a period of great difficulty and
under circumstances 'of great delicacy, in such a manner
as not only to win the respect of the British Govern-
ment, but the admiration and affection of his own
countrymen. We believe we are giving utterance to the
sentiments of his Government when we express our
sincere wish that Mr. Adams may long continue in that
position, the delicate and responsible duties of which he
has discharged so faithfully and so well.—Anglo-American
Times.

Twelve hundred Kentucky ladies have forwarded
to the Kentucky Congressional delegation a petition to the
President asking for the pardon of Jefferson Davis.