Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1864-01-28

form. slavery still fingers but it il
robed in the habiliments Of the grave
waiting only for the rights of sepul
turc. How these shall be performed
the world may not care (; for over 1T
accused remains the star of freedom
shall forever shine, and the loud no
sannas of an cmancipated race bt
sungthrough all succeeding ages.
The victim Of q morbid and trea.
sonable ambition, slavery, has beer
murdered in the house of its friends
Upon them, not us, the responsibility
of its death must forever rest. The
Union as it was, the people of the
North were willing to maintain and
abide by but. as the South detcrmin
ed otherwise, it is our duty now, t.
insist upon the Union as it should be
and as our fathers intended it.
My ardent wish is, that this desola'
ting war may speedily close, and thu
insurgent States resume their politica
rights in the Union.
That we may properly understand
the theory OF reconstruction, it il
important to avoid misapplication o
the term. The rebellion having failed
Of success, the Union is not dissolved
and, therefore, the disorganized States
only require to be reconstructed
Had they succeeded in achieving THEN
separation, the Union, to that extent
would have been dissolved, and the
question of reconstruction have Pre-.
scented different aspect.
Having, by treason to the Govern.
ment, and the inevitable consequent
ces of civil war, accomplished the de-
struction of their local organizations
and not their observance from the
Union, they stand in the attitude Of
States, with their government sub
verted and overthrown. Re-organiza
ton, therefore, becomes an indispensa
Bile prerequisite to the resumption OF
their powers, and privileges, as SOW
ereign States in the Union. Without
this, they have no appropriate medium
through which their constitutional
rights can be secured or exercised.
They cannot choose Senator'S, or Rep
resentatives to Congress, participate
in the election of President, or en-
10y any other regulation designed for
the common benefit of the States.
And it is only by means of State Gov
ernments, that they can perform the
functions of States, and discharge the
various obligations and duties they
owe to the General Government. I'm
til then, the people of these disorgan-
lied States must, from necessity, de-
pend for protection upon the Federal
Government, under the arm of its
military power. But this theory by
no means implies that these States
must be reduced to o territorial con-
dition, maintained, during their terri
torial minorage, under Government
provided for them, at the expense of
the National Treasury, and be read
mitted into the Union as States. 1t
simply means, what is obviously true,
that they have State limits, territory
and people, without the essential ma
chinery of State Governments, which
arc the test and means Of their politi
cal existence.
Government represents, not merely
land and certain defined territorial
limits, but the people who established
it, and speak and act through it, as
their political organ. These people
in consequence of their treason, hav'
ing disqualified themselves for the ex
ercise Of political rights, and priv
ieges, their State Governments have
thereby become suspended. and mus
remain ia allegiance, until this disquali
fication is removed by act of Fedora
authority.
Reduced to this condition, the pro
visional control over these States, un
til fully recognized, and restored, il
vested in the Federal Government
but when restored, it must be under
governments which have emanated
from their own people, under Consti
tutional restrictions. | recognize the
right of every State to regulate and
shape its own institutions, but this
right can and should be exercised
only, in clear conformity with the let
ter and spirit Of the Federal Constitu'
ton.
The Constitution prescribes, thai
"The United States shall guaranty
to every State in the Union, a repub
lican form of government" This pro
vision clearly implies an obligation
on part of the United States, not only
to guaranty this form of government
"to every State" but the guaranty is
to all the States, that the government
of each State shall be republican in
form, whether the people thereof will
it or not. This is the plain spirit, and
intent of the compact otherwise, the
right already adverted to. that each
State may regulate its own institu-
tions, would become a source Of immi-
nent peril to the Union. Without this
salutary check upon the action Of
States, we might soon have q cluster
of anti-republican governments,
springing up within the limits of the
Union, to accomplish its retrogression
and ultimate overthrow.
The events of the last few years,
having fully demonstrated the ire.
prcssible antagonism of slavery, tc
our Republican institutions, and lief
the question no longer to abstract dis
cussion, or Interpretation, our mani
fest duty, under the constitution, !,
while the authority is rightfully in
our hands, to see that no new or re.
modelled Government is received,
which presents this obviously anti.
republican feature.
Under proper auspices, and a just
regard for mutual rights, the process
of reconstruction may keep pace witt,
the advance of our arms. With suit
able assistance the people Of the in
surgent States may be restored to
their legitimate rights in the Union as
rapidly as the hostile power is expel-
led from their borders. To effect this
consummation, some rule should be
prescribed, plain and just in itself
compatible with the dignity Of the
Government, and the perpetuity OF the
Union. Emerging from the calami