Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-11-22
THE RIGHTS OF A T

% -
All this talk and gibberish and hifalut-
ing about the " sacred rights Of States"
as applied to the States lately in rebellion
is but that much waste Of breath and
rambling nonsense. These States have no
rights-except what the National Govern
ment may choose to allow them. They,
as well as their people, forfeited all their
rights as States by their rebellion and re-
nunciation of the Constitution, and until
they are recognized by Congress and re-
stored or re-admitted into the Union, they
have no more rights as States than SO
many provinces in Mexico. They have
been ~subjugased and their rebellion put
down by force Of arms, and where that is
done, according to all rules of war, the
conquered party has no rights-except
what the conquerinG power is pleased to
grant. They have rights, according to
humanity and the rules Of war, which be-
long to a conquered power or province,
but none of the rights which belong to
States, under the Constitution.
When the Southern States rebelled and
took up arms, they not only forfeited all
their rights as States, but they solemnly,
openly and intentionally renowned all
such rights, so they are doubly cut of
from all claims and %pre,ensions of the
kind. How then can sensible men talk
about the rights Of the Southern States"
as if they were still States of the Union,
the same as the loyal States: They hare
no rights, and annot possibly have any,
until accorded to them by the Govern.
ment. And it is upon this principle and
| this fact that the President acts, in deal
ing with those States. 1t is upon thi:
principle that he appoints Provisional
Governors for them and directs the form
of government which they are to organ.
ize and submit to Congress for its approval
or rejection.
And that is the principle upon which
Congress will settle the question Of re-
organization. Congress will not be gov
erned or prescribed by any rights" o
these rebellious and defunct States ; anc
it will not be the "rights" Of rebels or o
rebel States that will determine the matter
but the rights Of loyal men and Of thu
United States Government.
In the present condition Of the South
there is no right in any rebel State which
can or should for a moment prevent or il
any manner control the action of the Gen
eral Government. %Traitors have nj
r~ights-except the right to be hung" wa
the doctrine Of the President, as well as o
the loyal people, all through the war
And it i. true. Until pardoned and re
instated, by the President or the Govern
ment, a traitor and rebel had no rights
whntever-except the right to be punish
ed. And the same is equally true a. t
States in rebellion and States that hav,
been conquered, or in which the rebellion
has been subdued by arms. War puts a,
end to all rights. The conquered part.
loses all, while the conqucring party &C
quires and possesses all. If this is no
true, then there i, nothing true, in law, il
Government or in anything else. How
silly and how presumptuous then to hea,
men talk, or to read in newspapers, abou
the rights Of the Southern States" ant
of what may and what may not be done
as to interfering with their rights"