The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-06-13

80; .eS:.. -: 6:!~ i-r3N:a4mge 'I35
.:," .i4G.:le ia1yT.'. : c?F E:!-:. sns
d the Mltuuiou,... >sS,:':. :, ::.; "s: q:
WEDNESDAY JUN!;1 Jul y
'a.litln1 e.n,e,nnie,?" .,,n ,Whtenu. and BY whom
were thcy SO defned7 Was it BY the
Presidsntin his proclamation ofAugust
l6, 1851 L? The Government Of Great
Britain accorded !" bslligerent, rights
to tho rebels, by proclamation. Of tho
Quse o, on the 18th day Of May, 1851.
1:6e right to the exercise Of "belligsrent
sightH BY tho United States has besn
rscog pized 5by tho Supreme Court from
the, 10th day Of May, 1861, aud th.
President frequently defined, the limits
by,pt oclamations OF different dates. =. As
I remarked In this Horse, on tho 8th
day os Js nu,ry last, 'F4bo rebellion WI
uovst' bounded by state line', but dts
authority was extended wherever it'
power could carry it,. Tho Supreme
Court Of tho United States, upon this
point e Black, page 673, the decision
bsing made during the existence Of the
rebelliou) suy: -. ,@ ..:.
at has a boundary marked by lines Of
bayonnts, and which can bo crossed only by
force; south Of this lneis enemy's territory,
becauIo it is claimed and held in possession
by an organized, hostile, and belligcrent
power -. .'"'.'
Nov, who can de6ne'any fixed limits
to tho Rebellion7 To-day that "lino
of bayonct," is at Gettysburg, and all
"south Of that line is euemy's territory,
because it is held by an organized hos
tile ard belligerent power" tomorrow
that liuc is at Richmond, and then oil
between Gettysburg md Richmond is
not cncmy's territory, because it is not
held by the enemy. To-day that /" limo
Of bayonets" bears hard upon Louisville,
and all south is eucmys territory
to morrow that limo is at Chattanooga,
Atlanta, Savannah, Columbia, Raleigh
To.day that line is q! Jefferson City
to. morrow at Little Rock, atShroveport,
at Galveston, at tho Rio Graude-no
where. Now, who, ! ask, ever has dc.
fined Or ever shall or can define the lin
its Of tho rebellion, so rs to determine
that all were enemies within certain
geographical limi.s7 How long; occu'
pancy BY the enemy and peaceablo nc
quiesccnce by tho Inhabitants, does j
require to convert the citizen into "pub'
lilo enemy" q day, amonth, or year?
I trust tho gentleman from Pennsylvania
never got south of that :" line Of bayo'
nets" and thus became an ".alien enc.
my" though it strikes mo have hoard
that tho liuo Of bnyonets" was at some
time extended north of somc Of his
property, which must now bc liublo t.
seizure by tho Government as " cncmy''
property" because it wos within " enc
my's territory" "claimcd and held 10
possession by an organized hostile and
belligercnt power"
What, sir, is the legitimate bearing Of
this doctrine upon tho fundamental
principle Of our Government This
bill, sir, contains on its face, though
somewhat yelled, and is so interpreted
BY its author, tho monstrous doctrine
the enormity Of which I havc 9 been en-
dcavorug to expose. Recognize this
doctrine rs n principle in our Govern
ment, and rebellion will cease to DO an
individual crime and treason will bc i'm.
possible, because the instant you engage
in them you become an Gallon enemy"
entitled to bclligercpt rights" and
can bo dealt with only in accordance with
the law Of nations us "public enemy"
In this why sir, Gadmit that tho committee
has found the great panucea for all oul
troubles-tho great and irrcvcrsible
guarantee against rebellion and treason"
by logalizing them.
I, sir, ain neither misreprcscntlnS tho
principles Of this bill nor placing false
construction upon this doctrine. 1t is
tho ono leading idea which has beer
per,i,tently pressed by the gentleman
from Pennsylvania Mr.. Stevens in
connection with every measure which
hos been introduced looking to rcstor'
ation Of the Union. It is the construc
ton which hc gives to this bill, Of which
ho himself is the author. It's the prin
ciplo further presented by him in th'
following section Of tho bill offered b,
him to tho House on yesterday: ..
SEo. 8. All persons who held Office, eithe
civil or military, under tho government calle'
tho " Confederate States Of America or Whs
sworc allegiance to snid government, are here
by declared to hnye forfeited their citizenship
and 10 have rcnouncod their allegiance to th
United States, and shall not be entitled I
exercise tho elective franchise until f7c year
after they shall have filed their intention Q
desire to bc reinyestcd With tho right OF cit'
zcuship, and shall swear allegiance to Ia
United States and reuounce allegiance 10 a.
other governments or pretended governments
the said application 70 be filed and oath TAX"
in the same courts that ore authorised oy 10y
10 nnturali1e foreigners. e.. &C.,. =.
"Forfcit their citizenship" not citi
zeps, thca aliens. Citizens only can D.
,ur;shcd for treason, Jef. Davis "hol'