American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-11-15
THOMAS ROBINSON. Ed
Reconstruction.

illogical IN itself and displays SUCH
want of consistency in the Herald, that
we deem it worth passing notice. The
very first sentence, although technically
true, is intended to convey falsehood.
In it we are told that "Individuals in
certain States South, rebelled against the
constituted authorities of the United
States" This is intended to convey the
idea that the States did not revolt. Again
we are told, that "the punishment of a
State, because its citizens rebelled, is an
absurdity" Now what are we to under
stand by State Certainly it don't
mean simply the territory of which it is
composed. Tho territory, or physical
geographical boundaries composing a
State had their eSistance long before the
State had its existence. The organiza-
tion Of State is a political act; and is
always consumatcd by act of Congress.
Now the question is, has the Rebel States
revolted against the Government of the
United States or has ''individuals" only
rebelled ? The former, we think is the
case The winter of go and '61 found all
the States occupying their "proper rela-
tions to the Federal Government" Their
Governors their legislatures, and their
members Of Congress, had all been cleo
ted under the laws and constitutional
guarantees of the United States. They
did not revolt in an irregular way as Gin
dividuals," but they use the, already cx-
isting machinery Of the State Gooe,n-
n,snts to effect their disloyal purpose
They pass their ordinance OF secession,
by their State Legislature-thcir Cover
nor signs the ordinance Their members
of Congress are requested to withdraw
from Washington and repair to Montgom-
cry. And all this is done not by "indi--
viduals" only, but by States in their soy-
ereigh O. capacity Now, was not this
conduct on the part of these States suffi-
cient to justify the Government of the
United States in treating them as Rebel
States, at least after their adhering to
their treason so long? But says the Her
aid, "Thc ordinance of secession, and, in
short, every act done under rebel author
ity was a nullty." Why then is it not
treated as a nullity? Why is it that the
several loyal legislatures of these States
deem it necessary to repeal it,-thus
treating it as a valid enactment, subject
to modification Or repeal just as other
valia enactmcnts? Why is il necessary
to bring 50 much ''presure and persua-
sion" to bear, in order to have the rebel
debt repudiated IF all their enactmcnts
are usurpation, all this pressure to un-
do what has been done, is unnecessary
The question, in that view of the case
would properly belong to the Courts
But again, our neighbor inclines
strongly to the opinion that these
States by their treason, have forfeited
their political rights as States. Congress
first extended to them the great boom
their political character. They used it
to overthrow the author of their being
in SO doing they forfeited all their rights
not only political but civil; and can in
the future only enjoy such as conqueror
pleases to give During the last four
years, we have heard great deal about
the tyranical exercise of power, on the
part of the President of the United States
But that was when President Lincoln was
using the powers vested in him by the
Constitution, for the suppression of the
rebellion and the destruction of its auth
ors. OF course, it was natural that
Northern Democrats should howl; the
more so that they could not5ite. But as
soon as they begin to believe that Presi-
dent johnson intends standing between
those rebel States and justice (we cannot
believe it yeti they pounce forward
and, patting him on the back shout,
"bravo bravol' We have yet to believe
that the President feels mqeh fattered
by their carresses. But if their theory
is right nor, it was right last year Ten
nessee, Louisiana and Arkansas, were all
reconstructed then. They got up an cleo
torial ticket, AMI were, in the exercise of
their sovereign rights, going into polit-
ieal canvass, when the Democracy OPEN
ed their Presidential campaign. What
position did our neighbor, in common
with his party then hold? For what
reason did they refuse to allow delegates
frum the reconstructed States, to occupy
seats in their national convention? For
what did they adjourn that convention to
meet at the call of the Chairman, any
time between the time Of its adjournment