The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1865-12-13
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A.-NA .aS

nee. to resume their places 70 me two
branches Of the National Legislature, and
thereby complete the work Of restoration.
Here it is Tor yeu. fellow-cit'zens 81 the
Senate, and for you, lellow .eluzeas OF the
House Of Representatives,. to Judge each
Of you fer yourselves, OF the elections. re-
turns, and qualifications OF your ewn mem
bers.
The full assertion Of powers ot the Gen.
eral Government requires the haidtns OF
Circuit Courts Of the United States within
the districts where their authority has
been interrupted. In the present posture
Of our public affairs, strong obIect'uns have
been urged to holding thase courts In any
of the States where the rebellion has exist
ed and it was, ascertained, by inquiry,
thai the Circuit Court OF the United States
would. not be held within the District OF
Virginia during the autumn or early VIM
ter, aor until Congress should have An
opportunity TO. consider an act on The
whole subject" To your deliberations
che restoration of this branch of the ciyll
authority OF the United States j. therefore
necessarily referred. with. the nope that
early provision will BIZ mide tar ti's re.
sumption of all its iuncuons. L IS mint
test that treason, mas; diagram, IA tharicter,
has, been committed. Persons wan Are
!. charged with its co.nmission. sh'nli nave
tair aud impartial trials inthe iishest c'sn
tribunals of the country, IN arder th4t me
Constitution aud the laws may oe iNis sli.
dictated the truth clearly established Anu
affirmed that treason. is crlile. that tral-
toes should be plnlshed and. the ofence
made Infamous; aud, at the SINE tlar,
chat the question may be juiicially settled.
finally and foreyer. that no State OF iis-osa
will has the right to renoaace lis place IN
the Union.
The relations Of the General Government
towards. the four millions OF inhabitants
whom the war mas called lnto ireedsh
have engaged nv most serious coa.ldera-
tion. On the proprIety oil attempting 10
make the fresdmen electors by the proclI.
nation OF the Executive. ions Tor ny
counsel the Constitution. Itself, the inter
pretaiions Of tina. instrument by rs alshats
and their contemporaries. and resent legs
lation. BY Congress. When. A. The iirst
movement towards independence, the Con-
sress of the United States Instructed tas
several States 10 institute governments Of
their own, they left each Stale - decade i1r
itself the conditions for the enjoyment o.
,he elective franchise. Daring the perm |
of the Confederacy, there continued 70 Is
ist a. very great diversity IN tie quaillcl.
tons of electors IN the several States AMI
even within State distinction Of qiati
fcatoas prevailed with regard 10 the on
GERS who were 20 be chosen. Inc CUnsu-
tuition. of the United State, recognises
these diyersltles when II enJoias thai, -
the choice Of members Of the House oi
Representatives Of the United States. +" the
electors in each State SHALL haze the quali-
locations requisite far electors Of the most
numerous branch of the State Legislature.
Alter the formation OF the Constitution, ~
remained, as before. the uaI,orin usage Tor
each State toenlarse the DpIy OF is cler.
tors, according 70 its avn i.idgmen; anil
under this system, one State alter another
has proceeded - inrrease the NJ nbsr nf
its electors. until now universal. suffrage,
or something ve.y neyr Il, 1. the general
rule. Soixsi Was TINS reservations 4 pow.
~ in the habits Of the people. and 80 IN.
questioned has been the Interpretation ol
the Constitution. that during the civil war
the late President never hlrDared the pur
pose-cerlalnly never ayoScI III: purpose
--,i Ilsres irdiny Il; All - a. 4ct, 81
CJ,srs,,. during thlt perlol, nothing en-
b. fsanI which. dufing ths c1httnu,Il: ~
hJailltis., much less after their close.
wolld hare sanctioned any departure by
tae Executive from policy which, n, 81
unifornly obtained. Moreover, a.csa.es.
sion II the elective franchise to the freed
men. by act Of the President OF the Untea
States, must have bern extended TO all CO.
lore men, wherever found, and so masl
have established change Of saffrage in the
Nsrtl.rn. Middle, AMI Western States. not
les, than ia the SJlthern aud Southwes.
tern. Such an act w.lld lave created a