Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-04-24
"PEAcE AND UNION"


We have bean accustomed to associate
the words Peace and Union in that
close and inseparable relation that en-
bodied the idea that the one was the nee
essary consequence of the other; that the
one being secured. the other was estab-
lished. In late speech in the United
States Senate, Mr.. Collamer. of Vermont,
comba,s this proposition. He takes the
ground that peace secured BY the subju-
CATION of the rebellion does not restore the
rebellious States to their former status in
the Union, but that it is for Congress to say
when that state Of things exist. Congress
is not bound to receive their members, or
to treat them as being regular. loyal. inte-
gral members Of this Union because they
have surceased fighting and surceased
military operations until we have seen
return to loyalty and an obedience to their
allegiance and the performance Of their
fealty, a true restoration Of themselves to
their former condition of loyalty and
obedience and that must be for Congress
to decide: that Congress ought only to
admit those States as being in their nor
NAL condition when the States furnish
evidence of loyalty and obedience that
it is not enough that they stop their hos
tiity and are repentant. They should
present meet fruits for repentance. They
should furnish to US by their actions some
evidence that the condition of loyalty and
obedience is their true condition again,
and Congress must pass upon it; other
wise we have no securities. 1t Is not
enough that they lay down their arms.
Our courts should be established, our
taxes should be gathered, our duties
should be collected in those States and
before they come to perform their duties
or privileges again as members of this
Union. they should place themselves in an
attitude showing to US that they have
truly taken that position, and Congress
should pass upon it: Mr.. Collamer pro-
pounds the following case:
"Suppose in all candor that Congress had
BY experience become convinced that they
could not sustain State within the Union,
with republican form Of government, hold
ing slaves suppose We had tried it over, and
We had beaten them and made peace with
them, allowing them to keep their slaves, and
they had repeated their rebellion over and
over until every man became convinced that
it was utterly impracticable and impossible
to have a republican form of government
under such an aristocracy a. that engender-
ed and sustained; and suppose Congress 10
all candor and seriousness became convinced
that we could not keep this guarantee in rela-
ton to those States that hold slaves, and they,
being at war with us, chose to lay down
their arms or we beat them, dispense their
forces, and question arises about fixing the
status Of those States again, their political
condition in relation to this Government, that
is, in making peace say that Congress has
a right, If il is convinced in all candor, to say
that in order to preserve our plighted public
faith contained in that guarantee we will
destroy and abolish that institution; for we
can not keep our guarantee WltnouL ooin8 u.
Can not Congress under the general provision
Of the Constitution make AN laws proper and
necessary to carry into effect the powers
granted in the Constitution Clearly. II
that is so, then Congress may, in fixing the
status Of these States, il they are convinced
Of the proposition have just stated. make it
one Of the conditions Of their again exercis-
ing their franchise as integral members Of
this Union, that they shall be placed in po-
sition which will enable the Union to con-
tinue and exist"
The Senator certainly supports his point
strongly; and we incline to the belief that
the momentous events which have trans
pired since that speech was made, will go
far to shape the legislation Of lawyers
upon the subject, in accordance with the
views of Mr.. Collamer.