Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-05
The Radicals triumphant I'm
6lOmRreNa.

The Radicals, TriumPhant I'm
rri-rgr yd Congress. os,s'a b.
The Republican members of Congress In
caucus on Saturday night by unanimous
vote, virtually placed the question Of the
admission of Southern members In the
hands of Hon. THADDEUs STEVENS, which Is
Thought to be equivalent to settling it that
none of them will be admitted at this ses-
sion of Congress, at least. In this con-
nection, the public is informed that the
Republicanl members will act as unit. Mr.
STEVENS is a radical Of the most ultra char
acter-is in favor of sweeping confiscatlon
and of the exclusion of Southern Repre-
sentatives for an indefinite period The
Nep York EDening Post has correctly ehar-
acterized him as an obstinate, hot-heaueu
"bigot.p .l yri.tH s1a
His true that Congress is made the sole
Judge Of the qualifications Of its members
by the Constitution of the United States !;
but that body can derive from that instru-
ment no authority to deny representation
toany State. 1t guarantees, in express and
unequivocal terms, representation to each
State. There is in that Constitution MOTH
ing more specific and unquestionable than
this guarantee; and yet the Republican
caucus at Washington, on Saturday nighb
by resolution, provided for the formation
Of Joint committee of flfteen-nine on the
part of the House and six on the part of
the Senate,
"Who shall inquire into the condition Of the
iStates ,sfich formed the sO-cdLted Confederate
States of America, and report tchether they, or
anu of them, are entitled to be represented
in either House of Congress, with leave TO,
report at any time, by bill or otherwise;
and until said report shall have been made
and finally acted on by Congress, no MEM
her shall be received into either House from
anv of the so-called Confederate States; and
all papers relating to representatives Oh
said States, shall be referred TO SAID COM
mittee, without debate" % f.
After the adoption of this resolution oy
a unanimous vote, it was put into the hands
Of Mr.. STEVENS for presentation in Con-
gress. OF course, that pretty effectually
settles the question Of the admission OF
Southern members, and it settles it adverse
" to them. too. The inquiry that this res
olution provides for, is not to be into the
qualifications Of any Of the Southern MEM
bers-whether they have been fraudulently
elected, or whether they are Rebels unsanc-
tilted either by an amnesty oath, orsby
pardon from the President. Nothing OF
this sort is contemplated. The inquiry Is
to be ''into the condition of The States to'lIch
formed the so-called Confederate States Of
America, and rep1rt ,uhether they or any Of
them are entitled to be represented in either
House Of Congress-" a .af
This action, upon its face, commits the
members of that Republican caucus to the
opinion that the late insurrectionary States
are out of the Union; for If in the Union,
the inquiry Into their condition." with
view to ascertain whether they, or any of
them, are entitled to be represented in
either House Of Congress-" is not perth
nent ;-if 10 the Union, they have an abso-.
Lutte right to be represented in each House
of Congress. Itiis not for Congress to say
whether State in the union is ''entitled
to be representedf ii either House Of Con-
gress.Y The Constitution Of the United
States has settled that question so effectu-
any thatit lifts II, out OF the range of .legit-
innate disputation. The only question that
the Constitution allows the members OF
Congress to Enquire into,p is, are the Rep
resentatfves sent up by those States quail
fed to sit as members, by reason ofa legal
election and proper age and by having been
purged of their disloyalty by an amnesty
oath or a Presidential pardon, ,il7' ~ 2 2. 'l