The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-14
RECONSTRUCTION.
Hon. Thaddeus Stevens ON the
Great Topic Of the Hour.
An address Delirered to the Citizens Of Ian
caster, Penn, Sept 6, 1865.

CASTER, 1eHH-, sept ot icoo
FELLOW CITIZENS In compliance with
your request, | have come to give my views
of the the present condition of the rebe
States-of the proper mode of reorganzing
the Government, and the future prospects q
the Republic. During the whole progress o.
the war | have never for moment felt doubt
or desponency. | knew that the loyal NORTH
would conquer the rebel despots who sought
to destroy freedom. But since that traitorou,
confederation has been subdued, and we have
entered upon the work of Reconstruction" OF
restoration" cannot deny that my hear
has become sad at the gloomy prospect before
us.
Four years of bloody and expensive war
waged against the United States by eleven
States. under a government called the " Con.
federate States of America, to which they
acknowledged allegiance, have overthrown all
governments within those States which could
be acknowledged as legitimate by the Union.
The armies OF the Confederate States having
been conquered and subdued, and their terri.
tory possessed by the United States, it be-
comes necessary to establish governments
therein, which shall he republican in form and
principles. and form ''more perfect Union
with the Parent government. 1t Is desirable
tnat SQCN course Snoniu De pursued as 10
exclude from those governments every vest
ige of human bondage, and render the same
forever impossible in this nation and to take
care that no principles af seif-destruction
shall he incorporated therein. In effecting
this, it is to be hoped that no provision of the
constitution v ill be intringed, aud 10 princi-
PIE Of the law of nations disregarded. Es-
uecially must ve take care that in rebuking
this unjust and reasonable war, the authori-
ties of the Union shall indulge in no
acts Of usurpation which may tend TO impair
the stability and permanency of the nation.
Within these limitations. we hold it to be the
duty Of the Government to inttict condgn
punishments on the rebel belligerents, and so
weaken their hands that they can never again
sndangel the Union and so reform their
municipal institutions as to make them Re
publican in spirit as wen as in name.
We especially insist that the property of
the chief rebels should be seized and appro-
pfiated to the payment OF the National debt,
caused by the unjust and wicked war which
\ they instgsted.
\ How can such punishments be inflicted and
silch forietures produced without doing vio-
lence to established principles?
Two positions have been suggested,
Airst--To trsat those States az. never hav-
ing been out of the Union because the Con
sttution forbids secession, and therefore
fact forbidden by law clg!a ret exist
Sgcond-io accept the position in which
they placed themselves as severed from the
l-nioh an independent government de facto,
aud an alien enemy to be dealt with accord.
ing to the laws of war.
j seems to me that while we do not aver
that the United States are bound to treat them
ns mn aiion ehetny, yet they have a right to
elect SO to do it it be for the interest of the
Nation; and that the Confederate States are
estopped from denying that position. South
Carolina, the leader and emboeinsst Ut ct ,he
febeilion, i'm the month OF January, 1881,
passed the following resolution By the unani
nous vote of her Legislature;
.,Resolued, That the separation of South
Garolina from th Federal Union is final, and
she has no further interest in the Constitution
OF the United States, and that the only APP
propriate negotiations between her and the
Federal Government are as to their mutual
relations as f1reiga States
The Convention that formed the govern
ment of the Confederate States, and all the
eleven States that composed il, ADOPTED the
same declaration, and pledged their lives and
fortunes to support it. The government rails
ed large armies and hy its formidable power
compelled the nations Of the civilized world,
as well as our own Government, to acknowl-
edge them as an Independent belligerent, en-
titled by the law OF nations 10 be considered
as engaged in a public war; and not merely in
an insurrection. 1t is idle to deny that we
treated them a. helligerent, entitled to all
IL rights, a:.I subject to all the liabilities Of
ta AIKEN enemy. We bfockafed their ports,
extont Of coast Llockaded marked the &C.
Ia, Of fhair tarr
ritory criminally acquired but de .ft,cto theirs
We acknowledged their sea rovers as priva-
teers and not as pirates, by ordering their cap
tive crews to be treated as prisoner of war.
We acknowledged that commission from
the Confederate Government was sufficient
to screen Semmes and his associates from the
fate of lawless huceaneeIs. Who hui an ac-
lhowladged Government de .iure or de tacto,
Gould have power to issue such commissions
The invaders of the loyal States we're not
treated ss outlaws, bnt as soldiers af war. he
cause they were commanded by officers hold
Ing commissions from that Government. The
Confederate States were for four years what
they claimed to be, an alien enemy, in all
their rights and liabilities. To say they were
States under the protection Of that Constitu-
tion which they were rending. and within the
Union which they were assaulting with bloody
defeats, simply because they became bellge
rents through crime is making theory override
fact to an absurd degree. 1t Will, / suppose
at least be conceded that the United States, IL
not obliged so to do, have right to treat
them as an alien enemy now conquered, and
subject to all the liabilities of vanauished
foe.
If we are also at liberty to treat them as
never having been out Of the Union, and that
their declarations and acts were all void be-
cause they contravened the Constitution, and
therefore they we're never engaged in public
war but were merely insurgents, let us inquire
which position is best for the United States
If they have never been otherwise than States
in the Union, and we desire to try certain Of
the leaders for treason, the Constitution re-
quires that they should be indicted and tried
"by an impartial jury Of the State and dis
trict wherein the crime shall have been COM
mitted, which district shall have nean nreyi.
esaly ssesstaiasd ~ lew"