Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-04-02
The Rebel States and Restoration,

appointed a Military Governor for the
State of Tennessee,-to aid in the re
storation of Law and civil rule. This
wise and timely act shows the President S
accurate knowledge of his duties under
the Constitution, and averts all the evils
which would attend the wild projects con-
ceived by some members of Congress, who
have proposed to create what they are
pleased to'calI Territorial Governments,
5or what they are further pleased to
call the Territory once occupied by
certain States" These attempts on the
part of Congress, to legislate for be
restoration of governments, and to ad-
Judge the State governments to the
forfeited is a "vicious intromission in
to a case not within their granted pow
ers: 1t belongs to the President alone
to decide when insurrectiOu exists, and
for its suppression, he, as the highest
preserver of the peace, has control of
the Army and Navy, to enable him to
execute the laws. When he shall have
dispersed the insurgents, and retrieved
the disturbed jurisdiction, in analogy to
the laws of war applicable to the case
of conquered country, he places Mill
tary Governor in control, to administer
the laws of the proper country as they
stood before the act of taking control.
Having thus regained possession, we are
remitted to our elder title, so that we
hold by right and not by force. The
people of a regained State being under
allegiance from which they could not be
absolved without consent, and the Unit
ed States being under an obligation to
guarantee to each State, a republican
form of government, there must be sub
mission on the one side and protection
on the other and as the several States,
where insurreetion has been suppressed
having already such proper forms of re-
publican government, there remains to be
done nothing but to call upon the people
to resume their proper functions of self
government. The Military Governor has
power by proclamation to order new
elections by the people, of all officers
and agents according to their own con-
stitution and laws, and he has power to
protect the people in the exercise Of their
duties. Every man that was citizen is
still a citizen, and to such protection
every man is entitled. The people will
thus elect a new Legislature and new
Executive officers; the Legislature will
provide for the election of Members Of
Congress choose Senators for the United
States; and this being done, the action OF
Republican Government is again restor-
ed. The Union Government will already
have reinstated its courts, It's custom
Houses, and Post Offices, and so long as
prudence shall dictate the necessity Of
it, Will maintain the presence Of military
power, to sustain the respective govern,
mental actions, and prevent the occur,
renee of new outbreaks. If the people
of any State shall be 50 persistently re,
belIious as to refuse to discharge then
duty as citizens, and resume their proper
self government, they will remain undel
the administration of Military Govern
or, in all their police, and in the hold
ing of judicial courts for civil cases
Thus will it be shown that the very
ample powers of our Government, wisely
executed within the strict pale of law
are sufficient for its maintenance and pre-
servation against every assault upon 1t
whether from within or from without.