American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-29
what is n State?

Whatever the differences of phyloso-
ply in the various views entertained OF
the present relation Of the late rebel
States to the Union, there are practical
ly but two radically different opinions
one that of the late rebels themselves and
the Northern Copperheads, which is,
that the rebels in certain States having
laid down their arms the States are by
that fact restored to all their former
rights and privileges in the Union; and
the other that of the President and loyal
men in Ill the States, which is that they
can resume their ancient position only by
the consent of the Government and upon
such terms as it may impose. The grounds
upon which this latter view is held are
very many aud even conflicting. But it
would be difficult to find a clearer or
stronger statement of one view than the
one we subjoin:
" A people having government is, so
long as it continues to have it, that kind
of body polite which we call State. So
long, and no longer, one year or thou
sand years. While Rome had such Rome
was State, and Poland, aud Agiers, aud
Naples, and Mexico of tho Montezumas,
and Peru of the Incas; but losing their
governments Peru and Mexico became
possessions of Spain, and Naples of Vie
tor Emanuel, and Algers of France, aud
Poland of the partitioning powers, and
Rome of the hundred nations and tribes
that broke through her barriers. If the
land they stood on had teen submerged
in the sea, those states would not have
been more eflcctually destroyed than they
were when their governments were over.
whelmed by conquest.
On the other hand, the Old Thirteen
were mere colonies until they acquired
governments, then they became States,
and finally ratified the Constitution, States
IN the Ution So all the new accessous
except Texas were first Territories, then
States, then on admission, States in the
Union just as well call clock case
which never had machinery in it, or from
which the machinery has been removed,
clock, as people which never had a
government, or whose government has
been destroyed, State, Todo so is sim
ply to change definitions. Land rising
ten thousand feet above all other lands
around is a noun ain Who, if it were
to sink, leaving lake in its place, would
call it a mountain still
estates in the Union differ from States
out of it, only in certain relations they
bear to each other. These relations ccas
ing in fact as to any one or more States,
the difference in fact ceases also, and
such States are out of the Union. No
doubt we lawyers often say very pretty
things, and poctical too about matters
which have ceased in reality to exist, as
stW e.eistiRg IN contemplation OF Tar ;and
the uninitiated think we mean something,
they not rejecting that law is not an in-
telligent being, but mere mandate issued
by supreme authority, and therefore can
never contemplate at all, though those
who administer or talk about it may
Say, then, that the law contemplates or
not what We viii, if there be no govern
ment in fact, there is in fact no State, or
where there are in fact no relations Of
F'unity there is in fact no union.
sts" Five years ago, then South Caro- ina
was State in the Union BY force, and
not by any cunning arrangements of the
alphabet, she broke up these relations,
one and all, expelled every officer, over
threw every law, seized every fort, aud
excluded every vessel Of the United
States, The other ten did substantially
the same. Contemplation of law The
fact of a union between them and the
United States was as untrue as between
may, more untrue--than between Jap
an and the United States. Notonly was
there total separation, but that separation
Z, was guarded by three hundred thousand
men under arms. To call that union is
simply to defy dictionary and common
sense. aa
"But eleven remained still States, for
they maintained their respective govern
ments- For 6 time. st length that
long line Of armed exterior was, as field