Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-08-11

ida; 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 rom
becoming law, holds the electoral votes OF the
rebel States at the dietation Of his personal an
bision.
If those votes turn the balance in his favor, Is
it 70 be supposed that his competitor, defeated By
such means; will acquieseer
Ii the rebel majority assert their supremacy IN
those States, and send votes which elect an enc
my OF the government. will We not repel his
claims!
And Is not that civil war for the presidency,
inauggatel by the votes Of rebel States.
Seriously impressed with these dangers, Con-
sresss the proper constitutional authority, for
mally declared that there are &c State govern
ments 10 the rebel States, and provided for their
erection ~ proper time; and both the Senate
aud the House Of Representatives rejected the
authority OF what the President calls the free
constitution and government OF Arkansas.
The Presidents proclamation "h0lds for
Taught this judgment and dscards the authori
q OF the Supreme Court, and strides headlong
toward the anarchy bis proclamation OF the stb
OF December inaugurated
If electors for President be allowed 10 be
chosen in either OF those States, sinister light
will he cast on the motives which induced the
gress rather than his government in Louisiana and
Arkansas.
That Judgment of Congress which the Presi-
dent defes, was the exercise OF any authority
exclusively vested in Congress by the Constitu-
ton TO determine what is the established govern
ment in State. aud in is own nature, and by the
highest judicial authority binding on all other de
partments of the Government.
The Supreme Court has formally declared that
under the 4th section OF the ~ Oh article of the
Constitution requiring the United States to guar
sntee to every State republican form of gov
eminent cit rests with Congress TO decide what
government j. the established one 10 State:
aud when Senators aud Representatives of a
State are admitted into the councils of the Union,
the authority of the government under which
they are appointed, we'll as its republican
character, Is recognized by the proper constitu-
tional authority, AMI It's decision is binding on
every other department of the government and
could not be questioned in judicial tribunal.
1t il true that the contest in this case did not
last long enough TO bring the matter to this issue
and, as no Senators or Representatives were
elected under the authority of the government oil
which Mr. Dorr was the head, Congress was not
called upon 10 decide the controversy Yet the
right to decide is placed there"
Even the Presidents proclamation of the 9Th
Of December. formally declares that Whether
members sent to Congress from any State shall
be admitted TO seats, c0nstltutOnaly rests
exclusively with the respective houses, and not 10
any extent with the Executive"
And that is not the less true because wholly
Inconsistent with the Presidents assumption in
that proclamation OF right 20 institute and re
cOgnize State governments in the rebel States
nor because the President is unable TO perceive
that his recognition is nullty if it be not con.
elusive on Congress.
Under the Constitution the right to Senator's
and Representatives is inseparable from a State
government.
IL there be State government, the right Is
absolute.
If there be no State government, there can bt
no Senators or Representatives chosen
The two houses OF Congress are expressly
declared TO be the sole judges of their own mem
bers.
When, therefore, Senators and Representa-
tives are admitted, the State government, under
whose authority they were chosen, is conclusive
ly established; when they are rejected It's exist
encc is as conclusiveiy rejected and denied; ana
TO this judgment the President is bound - sub
nit.
The President proceeded 10 expires Ms unwii-
lingness "tO declare constitutional competency
in Congress to abolish slavery in States ~ an
other reason for not signing the bill
But the bill nowhere proposes TO abolish slave
~ in the States.
The bill did provide that all slaves 10 the rebe
States should be manumitted
But as the President had already signed three
bills manumittng several classes of slaves IL
States, it is not conceived possible that he enter
tanned any scrupes touching that provision Of the
bill respecting which he was silent.
He has already himself assumed right by pro
clamation to free much the larger number o.
slaves il the rebel States, under the authority
given hru by Congress TO use military power to
suppress the rebellion and il is quite inconceiva-
BILE that the President should think that Congress
could vest in him a discretion it could not exer-
else itself
IL is the more unntelligible from the fact that
except in respect to a small part of Virginia and
Louisiana, the bill covered only what the procla
nation cOvered--added a Congressional title and
judicial remedies by law to the disputed title tn
der the proclamation, and perfected the work
the President proiessed to be so anxious TO ae
complish
Slavery as an institution can be abolished only
By a change of the Constitution OF the United
States or of the law Of the State; aud this j. the
principle of the bill
IL required the new constitution of the State
to provide for that prohibition, and the President
in the face OF his own procla nation, does moi
htHtulc ~ OOlccb " lu-tclli2 on tudt CODuluOD
Nor will the country tolerate its amendment
yet he defeated the only provision imposing it
But when he describes himself in spite Of this
great blow at emancipation, as sincerely hoping
and expecting that constitutional amendment
abOlishing slavery throughout the nation may be
adopted" we curiOusly inquire on what his ex-
pectation rests. after the vote OF the House oil
Representatives at the recent session, and in the
face of the political complexion of more than
enough of the States TO prevent the possibility
OF its adoption within any reasonable time; and
why he did not indulge. his sincere hopes with &c
large an installment of the blessing a his appro
val of the bill would have secured
After this assignment of his reasons for pre-
venting the bill from becoming a law, the Pres-
dent proceeds to declare his purpose 10 execute
as law by his plenary pictorial power
He says:
Nevertheless. | am folly satisfied with the
system for restoration contained in the bill as
one very proper plan for the loyal people of any
State choosing TO adopt il: and that l am. and
at all times shall be, prepared to give the Execu
tive aid and assistance To any such people so
soon the military resistance to the United
States shall have been suppressed in any such
State. and the people thereof shall have suffi-
GENTLY returned 10 their obedience to the consti-
tuition and the laws of the United States, in
which cases Military Governors will be appoint
ed. with directions 10 proceed according 10 the
bill
a more studied outrage on the legislative
authority % the people has never been perDe