Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-04-27
Tie Representation of the late Rebel
States.

The Representation of the late Rebel
States.
President johnson in his recent speech to
the soldiers and sailors, asked earnestly,
"what now remains to he done to complete
the restoration Of these 1.-THE Southern States
to all their former relations under the Gov
eminent p He answered his own question:
-''lt Is to admit representation. And if
traitor presents himself, cannot either House
know that he is a traitor? can they not kick
him out of the door, and send him back, say
ing to the people who sent him, you must
send us loyal man p Is there any difficult
ty about that p
Well. there is a difficulty about all this
The difficulty is that the tribunal Will which
it rests to decide whether the late rebel
States are in condition which entities them
to APPROXIMATION, has not as yet determined
that question. 1t is for Congress to decide,
wien and on what terms the late rebel States
shall be admitted TO the final and oOnsum-
mating act OF restoration, and Congress has
not yet decided it. Mr.. johnson may be-
lieve, az doubtless he honestly Is. that the
Southern States are in a condition Of 10y
atty which warrants their readmission to
political power in the government but
other men whose opinion is just as good as
his, may not agree with him and as the
case stands, 1t is the opinion OF some other
men, representing the people in the halls Of
the national Legislature, and not his, which
must rule in this matter.
An article in the last number Of Harper S
Weekly sets this subject forth so clearly, that
we copy it entire
Those Union men who ask impatiently why
Congress does not Immediately admit any mem
Der from late insurrectionary State who can
take the oath, do not seem TO reflect that the ad-
mission Of a member is the recognition that the
State from which he comes has fully resumed all
its rights in the Union. Ii is assuming the very
point which Congress appointed a special COM
mittee to investigate and determine. II is the
final act in the process Of reorganization. The
President so understands it. He said to Cover
nor Cox of Ohio, that when loyal representa-
tiyes we're admitted ''the work would be done;"
for, in his Judgment, the States in question
"were restored in all other respects"
If there are Union men who hold that no fur
Their measures precedent to complete restoration
of all their functions TO the late rebel States are
necessary, they will naturally complain that
their representatives are not admitted. lfthere
are those who think that Congress, as at present
composed, i. uncOnstitutionslly incompetent to
act upon this or any other subject, they will
protest against the absence of such States. If
any think that its action, although perfectly
lawful would be FASTENED or improved by the
representation OF the absent States, they will
properly demand their presence. But if neither
the competency nor the capacity of Congress be
questioned, and if anything still remains to be
done in the legislative work Of reorganization,
why take any step that may embarrass it p
Those who think continued exclusion impolitic
must show why, In such q situation as ours, the
utmost prudence and deliberatlon are Inexpe-
dent Whatever may be the feeling in loyal
States, we are very sure that there is 10 sincere
Union man in South Carolina or Alabama who
is not more anxious that all possibility Of peril
from the resdmission of Carolina to Congress
should be plainly averted, than that the State
should be admitted.
If the disturbed States have a right to be rep
resented at once, it can only be upon the ground
that they have reorganized their local govern
ments in manner satisfactory to Congress -
This was the condition imposed by President
johnson in bis appointment Of Provisional Gov
ernors The Convention of the State Ito
present such a republican form Of State Govern
ment as Will entitle the State to the guaranty Of
the United States therefor Who was to give
this guaranty Congress, Of course Has
Congress giv,uit2 Until Congress gives il what
claim has the Sta'e to representation The
President, indeed, is Of opinion that Congress
ought to give it. He goes further. He dispen-
ses with the action Of Congress as unnecessary.
He said to Governor Cox that the States were
restored in all respects but representation. and
that il was too late Q question their right to be
represented
This is the Presidents opinion often and
strongly stated. But still the decision Of the
question does not rest with him The guaranty
Of the United States can he given by Congress
alone; aud when President johnson virtually
declares that bis opinion settl's the matter. that
to differ with his view Is 70 endauger the Union,
and that he Is carrying out the policy Of his
predecessor, he iorgets that President Lincoln in
his last public speech, after abiding to the diff
ferences upon the subject Of Reorganization
among Union men, SAID ofthe State Government
which he had erected II LOulelhua, Hul WHICH
had the same authority with those that Presi-
dent johnson had erected elsewhere, Il distinct
" stated that this was not the only plan which
might possibly be acceptable; aud | also dis
tinc,ly protested that the Executive claimed no
right to say when or whether members should be
admitted to seats IN Congress from such States.
The plan was in advance submitted to the then
Cabinet, and as distinctly approved by evory
member of it - Mr.. Seward. in his letter to
Mr.. Adsms relating the history Of the confer
ence with the Confederate Peace Commissioners
at Fortress Monroe, tells US that President Lin
coin said the same thing TO the ENJOYS there.
Since, then, the admission Of any member
from a disturbed 5 ate is the FINAL and solemn
recogrition by the sole competent authority that
the State has fully resumed its relations in the
Union, that admission should certainly be de-
lsyed until every reasonable precAuton has been
taken against the inevitable risks of the situa-
ton We cannot see upon what grounds those
who hold that some precedent measures are still
necessary urge the immediate admission OF rep
resentatiyes from those States