The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-12-14

that leach State shall have at least. one
representative" and "that no State
without its consent, shall be deprived Of
IT. equal suffrage in the Senate" These
provisions We're intended to secure to every
State, and to the people of every State,
the right of representation in each House
OF Congress and 50 important was ii
deemed by the trainers of the Constitution
that the equality of the States in the
Senate should be preserved, that not even
10y an amendment of the Constitution can
any State, without its consent, be denied
voice In the branch of the National Leg
islature
STATES ARE NOT CONQUERED TERRITORIES.
1t is true, it has been assumed that the
existence of the States was terminated by
the rebrlliouS acts of their inhabitants,
and that the insurrection having been sup
pressed, they were lhenceforward TO be
considered merely as conquered territories,
The Legislative, Executive and Judicial
Departments of the Government have,
however, with Great distinctness and uni
form consistency, refused to sanction an as
sumption 50 incompatible with the nature
of our republican system, and with the
proteSSed OBJ hjects Of the war Through
out the legislation Of Congress, the unde-
niable fact makes itself apparent that
these ten political communities are nothing
less than States OF this Union AT the
very commencement of the rebellion. each
House declared, with a unanllnltv rs re
markable aS it WAS 81 significant, that the
war was not waged, upon our part, Ill
any spirit OF oppression, nor for any pur-
pose oi conquest Or subjugaiion, nor pur-
pose of ovcrtlrowing OF interfering with
the rights or established institutions of
those States, but to defend and maintain
the supremacy OF the Constitution and all
laws made III pursuance thereof, aud 10
preserve the Union with all the dignity,
equality, and II ghts of the several States
un.mpaIred and that as soon ;l> these OBJ
lectS were accomplished the war ought
to cease" In some instances. some Sen
ators were permitted to continue their leg
i>lative functions. while i'll other instances
Representatives were elected and admitted
to seats after their States had formally
dcrlarcd their right to withdraw from the
Union, and We're endeav"rin" to n.ail,,;,in
that right b, force OF arms. All of the
States whose people We're in instruction,
a~ States. were included in the appor-
tionment of the direct tax oi' twenty
millions of dollars annually laid upon tie
Uaitcl States by the act approved 9th
August, 1861. Congress, by the act OF
March 1, 1862, and by the apportinn-
mrnt oi representation thcrcunicI, aI,c
recognized their presence as State, III the
Union and they have, tor Judicial pur-
poses, been divided into districts. a.
States alone can be divided. The same
recognition appear, III the recent le.i>la-
ton In reference 10 Tennessee. which cyi-
IDENTIFY rests upon the fact that the tunc-
tion> OF the State We're not destroyed 10y
the rebellion, bat merely suspended: and
that principle Is of course applicable To
those States which. like Tennessee, at
tempted to renounce their places in the
| Mon
The action OF the Executive Depart
ment OF the Government upon this sub
jcct has been equally definite and uniform.
and the purposes Of the war was -pccili-
calIv stated in the proclamation issued bv
nv predecessor on the pa day of Sep
tcmbvr, 1862. 1t was then SoIcmnIy pro-
claimed and declared that d" hereafter. ;ls
heretofore, the war will be prosecuted lol
The object Of practically restoring the CON
>!itulionaI relation between the Unite,
States and each OF the States ana the poo
/ pie thereof, iii which States that relation
is or may be suspended or disturbed"
The recognition of the States by til,
Judicial Department OF the Govcrnmen
( has also been clear and conclusive III Ill
proceedings affecting them IL States, hlt
in the Supreme, Circuit and Distric
! Courts.
No DANGER IN ADMITTING REPRESENT,
In the admission Of Senators and Rcr
rcsentatives from any and all OF the States
there can be no Mt ground of apprchen
sion that persons who are diSloyal will b
clothed with the powers of legislation
for this could not happen when tn
Constitution and the laws are enforced b,
Il vi.iiani and faithful Congress. i.icI
House is made the Judge OF the e!ec
tions, returns and qualifications OF lis owl
members, and may, with the concur
renee of two-lhirdS, cXpel member,
When Il Senator or Representative pre-
sents his certificate of election, he may Il
once be admitted or rejected; or, shoul,
there be any question as to his eligibility
his credentials may be referred for inveS
tigalion to the appropriate Committee
! Ii admitted TO 4 seat, it must be upon evi
dence satisfactory to the House OF whic
he thus becomes member, that lie pos
sesses the requisite constitutional and lega
qualifications If refused admission Is
member tor want of due allegiance to til
Government, and returned to his consiilu
cnts, they are almonishcd that none bu
persons loyal to the United States will b
: allowed voice in the Legislative council
, Of the nation, and the political power an
T moral influence of Congress are thus etfeC
, lively exerted in the interests OF loyalt
: to the Government and fidelity to til
> Union. Upon this question, 50 vital
: affecting the restoration OF the Union, an