Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-11-05
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
THE DOGMA OF STATE EXTINCTION.


IL is rare in our country that principles of pub
ic policy can be discussed with moderation and
candor, simply as principles, apartrom the motives
and purposes, imputed or real, of some who hold
or oppose them For instance, in the matter of
the doctrine advocated by Mr. Solicitor WHITING,
and by Mr. Senator SUMNER, in regard to the
abolition or the vacation of the State Governments
of the so.called Seeded States, it has been very
common for the patrons Of this dogma to impute
the opposition it encounters to desire on the part
of some people to protect slavery from the oreseen
consequences of RENTING the " conquered terrific
~" of the South to Congressional government.
That this is not sufficient explanation Of the OPP
position waged against this destructive doctrine
we hope has been made apparent to some minds by
the force Of legal argument that has been arrayed
against it, but if any one desires to see an embo-
died evidence of the fact that imputed opinions In
the interest of slavery do not prejudice this ques
ton as it is treated by some who deem the theory
to be very erroneous and dangerous, he can find it
In the subjoined observations, made on the recent
article of Mr. SUMNER by the Hon. ALBERT q.
RIDDLE, of Ohio, than whom, it is known, there
is in the whole land no more thorough-going hater
and opponent of slavery He says ."..
1T does not by any means follow, because the Pres
dent has established governments among the subdued
bels that therefore Congress- should have never IN
derstood that Congress may do thing that it sees him
do or that it could do thing because he does it. Our
subjects rebelled the President pursuss them with
army to subdue aud punish them The territory he
not conquer 1T 10 and ne only removes those who
crlmnay hold it. He cannot subjugate and abolish the
existing State Governments He drives from them the
criminals who now hold and them for evil All
intervening power he crushes out of course Meantime
the usual attendants of accompany army COM
mander by the and force Of the governor
Of all civil as well military, within his lines As his
fed becomes large and his lines extended his quasi civil
duties become and embarrassing And hence the
President several instances he had the most un-
questioned right to do, appointed officers to relieve TIE
commanders OF this part Of their duties under the title OF
Military Governors 1t 10 Office incident to war, and
there is precisely the power to appoint to 1t as there
ia tn commaDd an srmy. But this power in wise
authorize Congress 70 declare the whole government OF
Stat vacated and provide for that vacuum by ts
legislation though cannot see why u may not provide
under what circumstances the President may appoint
Military Governor prescribe his duties, define his power
SC and far from having objection to that II might be
eIpedeht to do So
important perhaps than the place he thought proper to
assign it 10 This Slavery is dependent upon the State
Governments and, they have fallen 1t pershed win
them Slavery certainly can exist only by write OF state
Legislation and it may be that the ASSUMPTION that the
same blow that demolished the parent Government has
also demolished slavery, helped very much % The concu
zion that the Slave State Governments had ceased Can
ihn assumption be sustained If SLAYER has persisted
because power that created it extinct has not every
thing else persisted also that was created or AUTHORIZED by
that same powerl This will not do. For while many
rights can be independent of and IL the absence
of municipal law, still greater number IN our present
state of civilization made to depend wholly upon d.
rect legislation and demolition Of the Legislative pow
err can dvest man Of Of these rights It will OF all
1t has never been understood that the conquest Of
Legislative power repealed the lave already enaced They
remain till the signifies his pleasure that they
be abrogated Slavery should in event survive this war
but there other less questionable means for ts
obstruction that the view of Mr. Sumner need hardly be-
insisted upon II sound, then slavery IS abolished sud II
needs no legislation Of Congress t. 1prJot I.
Alter ALL the doctrine that the rebellion has destroyed
the State where it e1sts s exceedingly cap
tvsnp and many carried of their feet by it they
have examined the ground on which it Btands'