Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-01-03
SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 1862.

Do the Republicans desire to maintain
the Constitution and rss.ore.the Union {?
If so, why By party vote is the old CON-
monweal,h of Virginia rent in twain and
a portion of her territory admitted as a
State. Where il he Constitutional war
rant for dividing a sovereign S.ate-and
wha, becomes of Old Virginia when the
war closes, and an attempt is made to
restore to all their vested rights. The
following is from Attorney General BA7Es
on this subject .s..s
The formation of new State out of
Western Virginia is an original. indepen.
dent act Of revolution. do not deny the
power OF revolution-I don't call it right,
for it is never prescribed, it lists in force
only, and has and can have no Law but
the will OF the revolutionists. Any at.
tempt to carry itout involves plain breach
of both the Constitution OF Virginia aud
Of the nation. And hence, it is plain that
you cannot take that course without weak.
ening, il not destroying your claims upon
the sympathy and support Of the General
Government, ard without disconcerting
the plan already adopted, both BY virgi.
mia and the general Government, for the
Reorganization of the revolted States and
the restoration Of the integrity of the
Union"
In the discussion Of this measure in
Congress all doubt is removed, and the
purposes and aims OF the party are dis
tinctly announced. Mr.. STEVENS, Of Perm,
Chairman Of the Committee on Ways and
Means. and an acknowledged republican
leader, thus clearly defines his position:
~ say, then, that We may admit ives.
tern Virginia as new State rot By rir.ue
cfany protection Of the Consji'u ion, but
under our absolute power which the laws
Of war give us in the circumstances in
which we are placed. | shall vote for
this bill upon that theory, and upon tha,
alone; for will not s;ul,iiy myself By
snrposing that we have any wa rant ia
the Constitution for this proceeding.
"This talk o resto. gag lie Un,'on as 1t
srcs "nder Me Constitution as Il is, is one
Of dc obsurdities which Ihare heard re-
pea e! until Ihdcc become aimost SICK of
it. This Union can never be restored rs
it was. There are many things which
render such an event impossible. Tais
Lnipn shat nerer, ri:h ,1u coascat, be
restored "ndcr he Constitute" as i. is,
r"h stacery to be protected by L..
And AGAIN:
81 have consulted the acts of the Exc.
cutive, and | find that while in a great
majority of instances in the rebel States
he has but little regard to the Constitu.
ton. he has upheld it Only in ore. In
that he prohibits the taking of property of
women and children Of the rebel men
who are in arms with the enemies Of the
Union
This man who thus aippan:ly proclaims
his disregard for the Constitution and the
Union has introduced bill for the issue
OF one thousand million dollars of U. S.
Bonds, and five hundred millions of legal
tender notes.
Another indication in the same direc.
ton may be found in the comments of
GREELEY, the great apostle of republican.
ism, upon the Presidents Message. OF
the President he says:
He would gladly have restored the
Union as it was, but that was not posi-
BILE. He ght as we'll be required now
to Gil a bushal basket with the dew of last
Fourth of July morning"
And again:
"Senator Fessendon's speech yesterday
on military arrests continues to be talked
o! as great effort. and not unworthy the
best days of the American Senate. His
argument that the President was no.
sworn to obey the Constitution, but simply
TO preserve, protect and defend it, 1t
tracts special attention, and is regarded
As unanswerable.' "a =,
Comments upon this subtitle distinction
are unnecessary. 1t is manifestly an at.
temp, to SHIELD the President from acts
acknowledged to be unconstitutional, and
to prepare the way for more fragrant out.
RACES in the same direction, and its sig.
nilicance arises from the fact that it is the
deliberate utterance of distinguished
republican Senator
And finally, we present the views Of the
Rev. Mr. Beecher, the influence of whose
paper unfortunately is second to no other
at this time with the republican party
He says: -.E
good many people raise CRY about
the Union and Constitution, as IL ibe two
were identical; but the truth il it. is the
Constitution that has been the foundation
and father of our troubles"