The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-12-12

United States. All OF the States
in which the insurrection had ex-
listed promptly amended their
Constitutions, so as to make them
conform to the great change thus
effected in the organic law Of the
land declared null and void all
ordinances and laws Of secession !;
repudiated all pretended debts and
obligations created for the revoIu-
tionary purposes Of the insurrec-
ton and proceeded, in good
faith, to the enactmen ofmeasures
for the protection and ameliora-
ton of the colored race
Congress, however, yet hesitated
to admit any Of these States to
representation and it was not
until towards the close Of the
eighth month Of the session that
an exception was made in favor of
Tennessee, by the admission of
her Senators and Representatives.
l deem it a subject, Of profound
regret that Congress had thus far
failed to admit to seats loyal Sena-
tors and Representatives from the
other States, whose inhabitants,
with those Of Tennessee, had en-
gagged in the rebellion. Ten States
more than onc-fourth of the
whole number-remain without
representation ; the seats Of fifty
members in the House Of Repre-
sentatatives and Of twenty men,
bers in the Senate are yet vacant
not by their own consent, not
by a failure Of election, but by
the refusal of Congress to accept
their credentials. Their admis-
sion, it is believed, would have &C
complished much towards the re-
newal and strengthening Of our
relations as one people, and re-
moved serious cause for discomfort
on the part Of the inhabitants OF
those States. It would have ac-
corded with the great principle
enunciated in the Declaration of
American Independence, that no
people ought to bear the burden of
taxation, and yet be denied the
right Of representation. 1t would
have been in consonance with the
express provisions Of the Consti-
tuition, that "each State shall have
atleast one Representative" and
'that no State, without its con-
sent, shall be deprived Of its equal
suffrage in the Senate" These
provisions were intendedto secure
to every State, and to the people
of every State, the right of repre-
sentation in each House Of Con-
gress and so important was it
deemed by the framerso ofthe Con-
stitution that the equality of the
States in the Senate should be
preserved that not even by an
amendment of the Constitution
can any State, without it's con-
sent, be donied a voice in that
branch of the National Legisla-
turc.
sr,T7-S OF T-HREpRESESTED STATES.
tits true, it has been assumed
that the existence Of the States
was terminated by the rebellious
acts oftheir inhabitants, and that
the insurrection having been sup
pressed they were thenceforward
to be considered merely as con
Quered territories. The Legisla-
tive, Executive, and Judicial De-
partments Of the Government
have, however, with great dis
tinctness and uniform consistency,
refused to sanction an assumption
so incompatible with the nature
of our republican system, and
with the professed objects of the
war. Throughout the recent leg
islation Of Congress, the undenia-
bic fact makes itself apparent,
that these ten political commune
ties are nothing less than States
of this Union. At the very com
mencement Of the rebellion, each
House declared with a unanimity
as remarkable as it was signif-
cant, that the war was not "waged
upon our part, in any spirit of op,
preston, nor for any purpose OF
conquest or subjugation, nor pur-
pose Of foverthrowing or interter,
ing with the rights or established
institutions Of those States, but to
defend and maintain the suprema'
cy Of The Constitution and all laws
made in pursuance thereof, and tc
preserve the Union with all the
dignity, equality, and rights OF
! the several States unlmpalred
and that as soon as these objects
were accomplished the war ought
to cease" In some instances
Senators were permitted to con
tinue their legislative functions
while in other instances, Repre-
sentatives were elected and ad
mitted to seats after their State:
had formally declared their right
to withdraw from the Union, anc
were endeavoring to maintain
that right by force Of arms. Al
Of the States whose people were
in insurrection, as States, were IN
Guided in the apportionment O.
the direct tax Of twenty million: