The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-08-30

Si*ittS - tNe OcESlli iIticn 2Et tdNS o. tIC
United States which is made by that fun
damenta law the essential condition OF
representation in its Government No
man within the insurgent States was al
lowed to take the oath to support the Con-
stitution Of the United States. and as a
necessary consequence, no man could law
/ fully represent those States In the coun-
ellis Of the Union. But this was only an
obstacle Of the enjoyment OF the right and
the discharge of a duty-it did not
annul the one nor abrogate the other; and
it ceased to exist when the usurpation by
which it was created had been overthrown
and the States had again resumed their
allegiance to the Constitution and laws OF
the United States.
TIE REBELLGON AN INsURRECTIoN.
,Sccoad.-But it is asserted III support
Of the authority claimed by the Congress
now IN possession Of power, that it flows
directly from the laws of war that it is
among the rights which victorlou: war al>
ways confers upon the conquerors, and
/ which the conqueror may exercise or waive
in his discretion. To this we reply that
the laws in question relate solely, so far as
the rights they confer are concerned, to
wars waged between alien and independ>
ent nations and can have no place or force
IN this regard, in 4 war wage1 BY 4 gov
erEment to suppress an in direction Of its
own reopie, upon is own soil, against its
authority. If we had carried on successful
war against any foreign nation, we might
there have acquired possession and jaris-
dictlOn Of their soil, with the right 10 IN
force our laws upon their people and to
impose npon them such laws and such OBJ
legations we might choose. But we had
before the war complete jurisdiction over
the sol! of the southern States, limited on
+ " by the Constitution. Our laws were
the only national laws in force upon it
The Government Of The United Statea%a as
the only Government through which those
States and their people had relations with
foreign nations. and its flag was the only
! flag by which they were recognized OF
known any where on the face Of the earth.
In all these respects, involving national
Interests and rights, our possession was
/ perfect and complete Il did not need to
be acquired, but only to be maintained
and victorious war against the rebellion
could DO nothing more than maintain it.
1t could on y vndicate and re establish
the disputed supremacy of the Constitu-
ton. 1t could neither enlarge nor di-
minish the authority which that Consti-
tut;on cOnferS upon the Government by
which it was achieved Such All enlarge
mcnt of constitutional power can be effect
ed only by amendment to the Constitution
+ itself. and such amendment can be made
only in the modes which the Constituto |
itself prescribes. The claim that the sup
preston Of an insurrcctinn against the
Government gives additional authority
and power to that Government. especially
that it enlarges the Jurisdiction of Con-
gress, and gives that body the right to ex-
cludc States from representation in the
National councils. without which the
natiun Itself can have no authority and
10 existence, seems to Us AT variance alike
with the principles Of the Constitution
and with the public safety.
WAY TO AMEND TIE CONSTITUTION.
7nrd. But it is alleged that in certain
particulars the Constitution OF the United
States fails to secure the absolute justice
and impartial equality which the principles
of our Government require; that it was in
this respect the result Of compromises and
concessions, to which, however necessary
when The Constitution was formed, we are
no longer compelled to submit, and that
now, having the power, through success
tul war and Just warrant, tor It's exercise
in the hostile conduct Of the insurgent
section. the actual Government OF the Uni-
ted States may impose It's own conditions.
and make the Constitution conform in ali
its provisions to lis own ideas Of equality
and the rights Of man Congress. at It's
last session. proposed amendments to the
portant particulars the authority Of the
General Government over that Of the sew
cral States, and reducing by indirect dis
/ iranchisemcnt. the representative power of
the States in which slavery formerly exist
ed and it is claimed that these amends
ments may be made valid as parts Of the
original Constitution without the concur
renee of the States to be most seriously
atieclca Nv them or may be imposed upon
those States by three fourihs ofthe remlln-
ing States, as conditions of their readmis>
sion to representation in Congress and in
the Electoral College.
FULL CONCURRENCE OF THE STATES RE-
QU1SITE.
1t is the unquestionable right of the
people Of the United States to make such
changes in the Constitution as they, upon
due deliberation, may deem expedlent.
But we insist that they shall be made in
the mode when the Constitution itselfpoints
out-in conformity with the letter and the
spirit Of that instrument, and with the
prime pies OF sclf>govcrnmcnt and Of equal
rights, which lie ut the basis of our repub-
lean institutions We deny the right os
Congress to make these changes in the
fundamental law without the concurrence
Of threc,fourths of all the States, including
especially those to be most seriously affect
ed by them; or to impose them upon States
or people, as conditions Of representation