Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-08-20
CREATION OF BOGUS STATES

The steps taken towards establishing
system of false and unjust representation
in the Government of the United States,
should be now carefully considered.
In the first place, let US consider what
has taken place in regard to the State of
Virginia. In 1860, Virginia had popu-
lation, Gnouding slaves,) of 1885, ,3ls I;
Pennsylvania a population of 2,9O6,2l5 {;
New York population of 3,sSo,635.--
While the two States last named adhered
faithfully to the Government Of the Uni
ted States, and have since borne on its be.
half their proper share of the burdens of
the war, Virginia revolted, and two thirds
of her population was thrown into the
scale of the enemy. What result followed
as to the representation of that State in
the Congress of the Union The compar-
atively small part Of the State which ad.
hered to the Union was recognized as con-
stituting, for political purposes, the State
of Virginia an mproviscd Legislature Of
this adhcring fragment of the State, elec-
ted two Senators, who were admitted into
the Senate of the United States, and Rep
resentatives from the same territory were
admitted into the Federal House of Rep
resentatives. The liberal principles of
construction upon which this was done,
may stand justified by the peculiar cir
cumstances of the case. But there was q
further proceeding for which no warrant,
power or pretence of necessity can be
shown. A part of the adheripg Virginia
territory was permitted to form itself into
a new State, was admitted into the Union
under the name of West Virginia, CAL
though the Constitution Of the United
States declares that no State shall be di-
vided for the formation of new one with
out the express assent Of the Legislature
thereof and Senators thereirom were ad-
mitted into the United States Senate. A
very small part of the old State, not in
cluded within the boundaries of the new
enc, remained within our military lines, tc
be-, as we'll as the new State, represented
by two members in the Senate. Thus, un
der Republican manipulation, one third oi
the ancient State Of Virginia has four vote:
in the Senate of the United States, anc
may neutralze the votes of both New Y ORR
and Pennsylvania in that body. The San
cient Dominion" with population little
exceeding one half that Of Pennsylvania
isrepresented by four Senators in the Con
gress of the United States, and by two il
the Confederate Congress at Richmond
Pennsylvania, with her three millions o
people, remains true to the Union, and re-
tains her former vote in the Senate Vir
ginia turns traitor, sends two thirds of hel
population under the Confederate flag, ,anc
forthwith has her representation doubled
in the Senate of the United States, and
that, too, in defiance of constitutions
provision forbiddng it, and avoided onl
upon strained construction or implca
ton totally at variance with the plain fact
Against plain truth Of the case, and with
out necessity, it was assumed that the Leg
islature of fragment of the State repre-
sented the whole for the purpose of assent
ing 10 its division and the erection there
from of new member of the Fedora
Union.
We pass from this case to speak of mat
ter more recent, A State government ha
been set up in Louisiana, under the super
vision of a major general of the United
States Army, which although it holds tn
allegiance of but part of the population
we suppose is to have the former repre-
sentason of that State in Congress ant
in Tennessee and Arkansas there hav
, been proceedings OF similar description
The indications are clear and full, that i
cases and in others of similar characte
which may follow them, the President c
the United States, through his officers o
the army in command in the States to b
represented, dictates and will dictate AM
control the whole proceeding for renewed
representation, and upon principles mos
unequal, unjust aud odious.
A recent attempt to set up one of thcs
bogus States in Florida, under presideu
tial agent, must be fresh in the recolec
ton of the country, as must also be tn
military disaster by which that attenp
was rendered abortive.
But why refer to particular cases ! VIII
reason upon events that have happened, 20
upon probabilities which present them
selves before US The President of th
ITnitad States has. himself, in his messa o.