The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-06-11

| Gently in rebellion.
First-The seats of Senators and Rep
resentatives from the so-called Confed
erate States became vacant in the year
| 1861, during the second session of the
Thirty-fourth Congress, by the volun-
| tnry withdrawal of their incumbents,
with the sanction and by the direction
of their respective states. This was
done as hostile act againstthe Consti-
tuition and Government OF the United
States with declared intent to over
throw the same by forming n Southern
Confederation, This act of declared
hostility was speedily followed by an
organization ofthe same States with Il
Confederacy, which levied and waged
war, by sea and land, against the
United States. This war continued
more than four years, within which
period the Rebel armies besieged the
Capital, invaded the loyal States, burn
ed their towns and cities, robbed their
citizens, destroyed more than $4,000
luyal soldiers, and imposed an increas-
ed national burden of not less than
50, 500, 900, 900, of which seven or eight
hundred millions have already been
met and paid. From the time these
Confederate States thus withdrew from
their representation in Congress and
levied war against the United States,
the great mass of their people became
and were insurgents, traitors, and all
OfIleIn assumed ana occupied. Iu0 pO-
litical, legal and practical relation of
enemies Of the United States. This pO-
sition is established by acts of Congress
and judicial decision and is recognized
by the President in public proclamu-
tions, documents and speeches.
Second-The States thus sconfederated
prosecuted their war against the Uni.
ted States to final arbitratnent and did
not ceuse until all their armies were
captured, their military power de-
stfoyed, their civil officers, State and
Confederate, taken prisoners or put TO
flight, every vestige OF State and Con-
tederate Government obliterated, their
territory overrun and occupied by the
Federal armies, aud their people re-
duCed to the condition of enemies con-
quered in war; entitled only by public
law 10 such rights, privileges and con-
ditions as might be vouch-safed by the
cOnquerer. This position is also estab-
lished by judicial decision and is recog-
nized by the President in public Procln-
nations, documents and speeches.
Third-Having voluntarily deprived
themselves of representation in Con-
gress, for their innate purpose of de-
sLroying the Federal Uulon, and hay-
ing reduced themselves by the act of
leYying war to the condition of public
enemies, they have no right to COM
plain OF temporary exclusion from
y
voluntarily renounced their right 10
representation and disqualified them
selves by crime from participating III
the Government, the burden now rests
upon them before claiming TO be rein
stated in their power, conditions to show
that they are qualified TO resume Fed
eraI relations. In oroer TO do this, they
must prove that they have established,
with the consent of the people, rePubli-
t;an forms of governments, in harmony
with the Constitution and laws OF the
United States, that old hostile purposes
have ceased, and should give adequate
guarantees against future treason and
rebellion which will prove satisfactory
to the Government against which they
rebelled, and by whose arms they were
subdued, viz:
Fourth-Having by this reasonable
withdrawal from Congress and by ha-
grant rebellion and war forfeited all
civil aud political rights and privileges
under the Federal Constitution, they
can only be restored thereto by the per-
mission and authority of that constitu-
Lionul power against which they re-
belled and by which they were sub
dued.
Fiflh-These rebellous armies were
conquered by the people of the United
States acting thereupon all the courts
and branches of the Government, and
not by the executive department alone.
The powers of Congress Hre not so vest.
ed in the President that he can nix and
regulate the terms of settlement, confer
Congressional representation upon con-
quered rebels and traitors, nor can he
III any way qualify much of the Gov
ernment 10 exercise its law-making
power. The authority to restore rebels
| 10 political power in the Federal Gov
eminent eau be exercised only with the
concurrence of all the departments in
which political power Is vested, anu
hence the proclamationS OF the Presl-
dent to the people OF the confederate
states cannot be considered as extend
ing beyond the purposes declared, and
can only be regarded as provisional
| permission by the commanding Gen
eral n-Chief of the army TO do certain
acts the validity whereof is to be deter-
mined by the constitutional govern
inent, and not solely by the Executive
power.
! is, then, whether conquered enemies
| have the right and shall be permitted
at their own pleasure and on their own
terms to participate in making laws
| for their own conquerors: whether CON
quered rebels may change their theatre
| of operations from the battle neldsr
where they were defeated and over
| thrown, to the halls OF Congress, and
| through their Representatives seize upon
the Government which they fought to
| destroy; whether the National Treas
ury, the army of the nation, its navy,
| its forts aud arSenHls, its whole civil ad-
ninistration, its credit, its pensioners,
the widows and orphans of those who
| perished in the war, The public honor,
| neuce and safety shall all be turned
| over TO the keeping of its recent enc
mes without delay and without impo-
sing such conditions as in the opinion
! OF Congress the security of the country
and its institutions may demand
Seyenth-The history of mankind ex,,
| bibits no example of such madness ana
| folly. The instincts of self-Preserya-
tton protest against it. The surrender
h Y Grant to Lee, and by sherman 70
= Anson, would have been disasters ol
10 SoS., magnitude; for new armies could
S,s,.o been raised, new battles fought,
- ~ e Government saved the anti
'nar,iva oOlicy which, under the pre-
:. coeteif9 -, 1fding bloodshed, allowed the
.oi,oiIio, NJ ~ take form and gather force.
.,.S',,i,i no Snr Oassed in infany by the
,n,,t,.hless vic kedness that would now
en- nrrender the ha lis of Congress TO those
90 recently, in rebellion until proper
precautions shall have been taken .tS.s'si toseI
cure the national iai1n a"e 'tAo N''Ni
safety. .,.,,,,,, q, The
rann1t and in evidence submitted, that
no proof has been afforded to Congress
OF a constituency in any of the so-calleu
Confederate States, unless we eAceP
the State OF Tennessee, qualihed 70
elect Senators and Representatives IN
Congress. No State constitution OF
amendment to State constitution mas
had the sanction of the people. All the
so-caIIed legislation of the State Con,
4 .N1rF hn hnnn hAO