Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1866-07-04

II Adoptedr q legislature should be con-
yenod to pass the laws necessary to carry
1t into effect. When a state thus orCan-
lied claims representation in Congress,
the election OF representatives should be
provided for by law in accordance with
the laws of Congress regulating rer-o>
sertaion. and the proof that the action n
ken has been in conformity to law should
be submitted 70 Congress.
In no case have these essential rreIim-
mary steps been taken The conventions
bled seem 10 have assumed that the
constitution which had been -eputlia SEQ.
and overthrown was still IN existence ana
operative 10 constitute the states mem bers
OF the Union, and 20 have contented them
selves with such amendments as thev be-
heved rere requisite IN order &c ensure
their returc'to an immediate partictration
IN the government of the nited States.
NCt waiting 70 ascertain whether the pao
pie they represented would adopt even the
proposed amendments, they at once called
elections Of representatives to Congress- in
nearly all instances before an executive
had been chosen TO issue certificates of
electlet under the state laws. and such
elections as were held were ordered bv
the conventions n Cre instance. n, least
the writs of elections were signed by the
Provisional Governor. Glariag irregular.
tiles and unwarranted ASSUMPTIONS Of
power are manifest in several cases. par
ticularly in South Carolina, where the
convention, although disbandcd bv the
Provisional Governor, on the ground that
1t was a revolutionary body assumed TO
district the State
1t IS quite evident from all these facts.
AID indeed from the whole mass Of the
testimony submitted by the President to
the Senate, that In no instance was regard
PAID TO any other consideration than OBJ
tanning immediate admission TO CONGRESS-
under the barren form of an election. in
which npprecauti0gis were taken to secure
regularity OF proceedings or the assent Of
the people. No Constitution has been Ie
gally adopted, except perhaps in the State
OF Tennessee, and such elections as have
been held were without authority Of Law.
our committee are accordingly forced
10 the conclusion that the states referred
TO have not placed themselves in a condi-
ton to claim representation In Congress.
unless ali the rules which have. since the
foundation OF the government, been deem
ed essential in such casses should be dis
regarded.
1t would Be competent for Congress- To
Confederate States to reprcserstariou nj
once, trusting that time and experience
VIII set ali things right Whether it would
be advisable to do So however. must de-
pend upon other consider lions, Of which
II means to treat But it NAV well be OBJ
served that the inducements to such a
step should be OF the very highest charac-
ter 1t se-as 70 your committee not un-
reasonable to require salts factory evi-
deacc- that tbs Ct1luaaGas- an! esasz5t4-
be permanently adhered to by the people
of the States seeking restoration after be-
irg admitted to full participation III the
government, and Will not be repudiateI
when that object shall have been accom-
ulished And here the burden of proof
rests upon the late insurgents, who arc
seeking restoration TO the rights and priv
iIeces which they willingly abandoned,
and not upon the people Of the United
States who have never undertaken direct
ly or indirectly to deprive them thereof
1t should appear ailirmativeiy that they
are prepared and disposed in coed faith to
accent the results Of the war, to abandon
their hostility to the government, and 70
live in reacc and unity with the people of
the loyal states, extending to all classes Of
citizens civil rights and privileges, and
conforming 10 the republican idea of lih-
ertv and equality They should exhibit
in their acts something more than unwll-
ling submission to an unavoidable neces-
sitv: a feeling, ii not cheerful certainly
not offensive and defiant, and they should
eyince an entire reUudiation Of al hcstIi-
itv 10 the general government by an ac~
ceptance Of such just and favorable con-
ditions as that government should think
the public safety demands Has this been
done? Let US look at the facts shown by
the evidence taken by tie committee,
WHAT Is DEMANDED HY THE LATE REBELS.
Hardly had the war closed before the
people Of these inSurrectionarv states
come forward and hau@htilv claim, rs a
right the privilege Of participating at once
I'm that Government which for four years
they had been fighting to overthrow Al
LEVIED and encouraged bv the executive 70
organize state governments, they NJ once
place in power leading rebels, unrepent-
ant and unpardOned. excluding with con-
tempt those who had manifested aa az
tachmert - the Union, ana TrCtcrrln-, IN
many instances those who had rendered
themselves the most obnoxious In the
face Of the law requiring an oath which
would necessarily exclude all such men
/ from Federal office, they eject az eeha-
/ tors and representatives Ia Congress men
( who had actively participated IN the re-
. bellion, insultiu-ly denouncirg tie iaw n
#unconstitutiouaL II i only necessary TO
. instance the election 70 tie Senate -t the
late Vice President Of the CoutedeTacv, q
man who, against his own declared con
victions. mad lznt ali the weight OF hi5 ac-
knowIsdged ability and Of his Influence q;
\ most p-omineut public man to the cause
Of the rebellion. and who, unpardoneC
rebel IS he IS. with that oath staring hsl
in the face had the assurance % lay h
credentials on the table of the senate
Other rebels Of scarcely less note or rcta
rietv were selected from other quarters
Processing no repentance gloryinT ap.
parentlv in the crime they Lad committed
avOwirg still. as the uncontradlcted tes
timony Of MIR Stephens and many other
pr0ves. an adherence To the peruiciou
doctrine of secession. and declaring tia
they Welded only to necessity, they lnsI:
with unanimous voice upon their rights :
States, and proclaim tha: they Will sub
: nit 70 no conditions Whatever PreilmInar
20 their resumption q power under ina
constitution which they stAl claim t.
right to reP1di2te.
sPr-IF OF TIE SOUTHERN FAEss-
2 Examining the evidence taken ~ yoU
r committee stlE further, IN connection WIi
: facts TOO notorious 70 be disputed. !. AZ
= pears ths. he so1.hs<a press, with fe
exceptions c1j -l2se -lo-.iT - 1sg=s'