Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-08-23

iul VI Tesloent cltizeDs, and urged nm 70
premature action by private letters from
the President
In ueitLer Louisiana DOR Arkansas. he.
fore Banks defeat, did the United States
control half the territory or bali the popu-
lation. 10 Louisiana. Gen. Banks procla
nation declared: The fundamental lac
Of the stale is martial totc'
% that foundation of freedom. he erect.
ed what the President calls the free con-
Stitution and the government Of Louisi-
ana.'
But of this State, whose Fundamental
law was martial Law, only, sixteen parishes
out OF forty eight parishes were held by
the United States; and in five Of these SIX
teen we held only our camps.
The eleven parishes we substantially
held had ZS3. 1856 inhabitants the residue
oil the State not held by us. 515,6l7
AT the farce called an election, the Off =
GERS OF Gen. Banks returned that IL 346
ballots were cast bat whether any or by
whom the people Of the United States have
no legal assurance but it 10 probable that
1000 were cast by soldiers or EMPLOYEES of
the United States military or municipal.
but none according to any Law, State or
national, aud 1000 ballots represent the
State Of Louisiana.
Such is the free constitution and govern.
ment OF Louisiana and like it is that of
Arkansas. Nothing bot the failure of a
military expedition deprived us of like
one in the swamps of Florida; and before
the Presidential election, like ones may be
organized IN every rebel State where the
United States have a camp.
The President. by preventing this bill
from becoming 8 law, holds the ELECTORAL
votes of the rebel States at the dictation of
his personal ambition.
1t those votes turn the balance in his
favor, is 1t to be supposed that bis compet-
itor, defeated by such means will acqui.
esceI
lftne rebel majority assert their suprsm
scy in those States, send votes which eject
an enemy of the government, will we not
repel his claims?
And is not that civil war for the Presi.
dency. lnaugurated by the votes of rebel
SsatesH
Seriously impressed with these dangers,
Congress, the proper constitutional author
| ity,' formally declared that there are no
| State governments in the rebel States.
and provided for their erection at a proper
time and both the Senate and the House
OF Representatives rejected the Senators
and Representatives chosen under the au.
thority of what the President calls the
free constitution and government of Ar
kansas
The Presidents proclamation holds fol
nsught' this Judgment, and dIscsras the
authority OF the Supreme Court, and
strides hesdlong toward the anarchy hi.
proclamation the 9Th Of December 10
sugurated.
If electors for President be allowed TO-
chosen in either of those States, a siusteI
light will be cast on the motives " hich iu.
duced the President to bold for uaueht
the will of Congress rather than bis gov.
eminent in Louisiana ard Arkansas.
That judgment Of Congress which the
President deies was the exercise of any
authority exclusively vested 10 Congress
by the constitution to determine what il
the established government in a State, and
10 its own Dature and by the highest ju
cIcisl authority binding on ell other de-
psrtmeuts If the government.
The Supreme Court has formally de.
clared that under the 4th section Of the
lVtb article Of the constitution, requiring
the United States 70 guarantee g. every
State republican form of government, 1T
rests with Congress t. decide v bst gov
eminent is the established one in q State :
and when Senators and Representatives
of State are admitted into the councils
of the UniOn, the authority Of the govern
ment under which they are appointed. as
well as its republican character, lie recog-
uized by the proper constitutional authori-
ty, aud its decision is binding on every
other department Of the government, and
and could not be questioned in q judicial
tribunal. 1t is true that the contest in
this case did not last lung enough to bring
the matter to this issue and, as no Sena-
tore or Representatives we're elected under
the authority of the government Of which
Mr.. D0rr was the head, Congress was no,
called upon to decide the Controversy
Yet the right to decide is placed there,
Even the Presidents proclamation oil
the 9th of December, formally deClsret
that whether members sent to Congress.
from any State shall be admitted to seats
constitutiOnally rests exclusively with To,
respective houses, aud not to any extern
with the Executive
And that is not the less true becaus,
wholly inconsistent With the President
assumption 10 that proclamation Of a rigb
TO Institute and recognize State govern
ments in the rebel States, nor because tb,
President is unable to perceive that bis rec
ogniiioD is a DullIty if it be not CONCLUSIVE
on Congress.
Under the constitution, the right to Sen
ators ard Represe natives lie inseparab
from q State government.
Ii there be State government, the RICH
is absolute.
If there be no State government, Their
can be no Senators or Representatives cho
sen.
The two houses of Congress are ex
pressly declared to be the sole Judge o
sheir own members.
When, therefore, Senators and Repre
seDtatives ere admitted. the State govern
ment, under whose authority they wsr,
chosen, is conclusively established; wbeI
they are rejected, it's existence is as concIu
slvely rejected and derie and 20 THU
judgment the President lie bound to sub
init.
The President proceeded to e1press hi
unwillingness TO declare a constitutions
competency in Congress to abolish SLAYER,
; 10 States, as another reason for not sigrinI
the bill.
But the bill nowhere proposes to abolish
slavery 10 the States.
The bill does not provide that ell slave
10 the rebel States should be mauumitted.
But as the President had already sigoeC
three bills msnuDitting several classes o
slaves in States, it is not conceived posi-
BILE that he entertained any ecruple
touching that provision of the bill respect
ing which be is client
He had already himself assumed q RICH
by proclamation to free much the large
number Of slaves in the rebel States, unde
the authority given him by Congress, {,
use military power tOFuppfess the rebeEl-
ion and il is inconceivable that the Pres
{ IdeDt should think Congress could yes
10 him discretion it coald not exercise il
} self.