The national Republican., 1862-02-11
EOLITICsI CONDI rION OF TIL Il RE.
CONQUERED TERRITORY.

roLITICsL CONDI rION OF TIL Il RE.
CONQUERED TERnITORY.
The political condition Of the recouquered
territory involves questions Of grave signin
canoe, which b:gin to press upon the attention
Ot the several departments Of the Government
for solution; and every ,uccess Of our arms will
give to them additional prominence and i'm
portauce. The admission Of Representatives
and Senators to seats In Congress, no less than
lie re establishment Of government over these
rebellious districts, involves a decision as to
the political rights and relations OF their inhab
ltaOts. 1t is ther :iore obviously important tha.
these decisions should be well considered, and
that hasty judgments should be avoided, by
which the future action Of the Government will
h2 embarrassed.
The inference would seem to be necessary
enc, that the revolt Of State against the
authority of the General Government DESTROYS
It's political rights under the Constitution, and
reduces its territory to the condition of the
unorganized public domain. 1t forfeits all lis
rights under the Constitution. It's disloyal
citizens. who must Of course be In the ascend
ant repudiate all connection with the Union,
and could not be entrusted with the admins.
t-ston Of Federal laws. 1t would be danger.
Gus to admit them on the floors of Copgrcss;
aud II is not to be presumed that they would
permit the open aud fair election of Union
men.
The officers Of State governments must take
an oath to support the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States. ard they cease to be State officers
when they attempt to throw of the Federal
authority. 1.-THE governors, Legislators. judges,
aud the whole body Of the State officers rebel
against the General Government, they simply
abiica!e, and the State government, as it is
known 10 the Constitution, ceases to exist
There is no longer State Of South Carolina,
State Of Georgia, &c. The Territories and
their i0habitents still exist, aud the General
GuyeInment has lost none Of its rights of supe
ri9r Jurisdiction over them. "This Constitu
t)n, aud the laws made in pursuance thereof" {"
are st!ll the supreme law oil the land" and the
eject Of the rebellion has been to aunihilate
MT the General, but the State governments.
Ol any other theory, il would follow that
Gta.a in rebellion would have perfect right to
full representation in both branches of Con
:re'3 st the very moment that 1t was making
war i nn The National Government and It's dis
lr?si representatives could cast their votes
Aga nst, aud probably defeat, measures essen
TIA. I, the maintenance of the Union. The all.
,n:,i';y OF these suppositions are too apparent
- Heed illustration, aud the conclusion ia in.
cvi.ab!r, that rcbellious State ceases to exist.
vr 10 have rights under the Constitution.
! Il equally clear that the seeded States can
Eevcr come back into The Union until they shall
La7c been rcorganized and reofficered In all
their departments. Every veetigs of their trea-
30. must be repudiated, including the treason
HGie cna2tms nts, with those who aided or abet.
I'D III their passage or their administration In
b. wUrd, the Inhabitants Of the seeded States
must, when the rebellion shall be overlhrowp.
besu de nouo the work OF reconstructing So
ciety, jus. as tho inhabitants of California or
Colorado did, by the establishment of proyis.
iona! governments, to be followed by the for.
nation Of permanent constitutions. Having
.AN'--NH So'chtcNiohe' ~ Will ue COiuptNuL IOr
thnm to arrly for re admission into the Union,
with the old boundaries or with new, and Con-
Rregs may receive shem or continue to hold
'h:m IN ihe condition Of Territories until salts
iA:tofy "purancc shall be given that the people
have returned to sentiment Of loyalty.
II the people Of any of the seeded Slater.
wlen recouqnered, are found to be SO imbued
with the spirit of disafsctou that they will
take no steps towards reconstruction, or re-.
admission into the Union, it will become the
duty OF Congress to establish over them ter.
ritorial government, and to sustain It with
whatever military force may be necessary to
preserve order and obedience. Bat II is no,
probable that the rebels, when stripped Of all
power Of resistance, will long remain in the
rtubbpfu mood which would render this arb
trary legislation necessary. The people will
everywhere drive out the disaifscted spirits,
arl renew their allegiance to the best and
least burtbensoms Government which the wi,
of man has devised.
In the case Of Tenne 3see one of whose Sen.
Htors held over, and two of whose Representa-.
tivcs were elected at the usual time and places
IN pursuance d law, by the votes Of large
boIics ol Union men-and In the case Of