The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-06-02
WHEELING. WEST VA SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 2. 1866.

of the late rebellion, are now aIlenS,
foreigners, not citizens of the United
States; and you have no more r1gnt;
except as might makes right, to extend
over them the provisions of your mu-
nicipal law for the collection of taxes,
and for other purposes, than you have
10 extend them over the people OF Mex
leo, China, or the Russian empire And
why is JEFF Davis to-day State prison
er if you can deal with him only in ac-
cordance with the law of nations
The United States, sir, by the result of
the late war, have acquired no right by
conquest which does not legitimately
belong to them as sovereign. 1t WIS
simply q reaSSertion and triumphant
vindication of their disputed sovereign
ty. The application of the law of ma
tions works an extension or enlarge
ment rather than a forfeiture or limita-
ton of the rights of revolted subjects
during the revolt, but all the rights and
remedies of the sovereign, and all the
pains and penalties which the law de-
nOunces against the offenders, an en-
largement OF power IN the government,
and an abridgment of the rights of the
offender, attach Immediately upon the
vindication of the national integrity.
know that am now trenching upon
the doctrines of the distinguished gem
tleman from Pennsylvania, Mr.. Ste
Vens, and I desire Information from
uDOl pOluI L A1On tInAVs nv
init, for sake of argument, that all
within the lines of the late rebellion
we're and are "alien enemies" BY
what principle or upon what authority
would you define the limits of the late
rebellion with sufficient certainty to
When and by whom were they SO de-
fined? Was it by the President in his
proclamation OF August 16, 1862 The
Government OF Great Britain accorded
"belligerent rights" to the rebels, by
proclamation of the Queen, on the 18th
day of May, 1861. The right to the ex-
ercise of "belIigerent rights" by the
United States has been recognized by
the Supreme Court from the 18th of
May, 1861, and the President frequently
changed the limits by proclamations of
different dates, and on April 2, 1866, de-
clared it "without form and void, {"
without "local habitatiou or name."
AS / remarked in this House, on the
Sth day of January last, "the rebellion
was never bounded by State lines, but
its authority was extended wherever its
power could carry it," The Supreme
Court of the United States, upon this
point, e Black, page 673, the decision
being made during the existence of the
rebellion,) say:
ut has a boundary marked by lines OF bay
onets, and which can be crossed only by
force; south of this line IS eneIny's territory,
because IL is claimed and held in possession
by an organized, hostile, and belligerent
power.
Now, who can define any fixed limits
to the rebellion? To-day that ''line of
bayonets" is at Gettysburg, and all
"south of that line is enemy's territory,
because IL is held by an organized hos
tile and belligerent power" tomorrow
that line is at Richmond, and then all
between Gettysburg and Richmond is
not enemy's territory, because it is not
held by the enemy. To-day that elmo
of bayonets" bears hard upon Louis
vile, and "all south is enemy's territo-
ry''-to-morrow that line is at Chatta-
nooga, Atlanta, Savannah, Columbia,
Raleigh! To-day that line is at Jeffer-
son City; tomorrow at Little Rock, at
at Galveston, at the Rio
Grande-nOwherel Now, who, 1 ask,
ever has defined or ever shall or can de-
fine the limits OF the rebellion, so as to
determine that all were enemies within
certain fixed geographical limits? How
long occupancy by the enemy and
peaceful acquiescence by the inhnbiS
IauTs, does it require to convert the citi-
zen into "A "public enemy" a day, a
month, or year? I trust the gentle
man from Pennsylvania never got
south of that 'line of bayonets," and
thus became an "alien enemy" though
it strikes me / have heard that The
cline of bayouets" was at some time ex-
tended north of some of his property,
which must now be liable to seizure by
the Government as "enemy's property"
because it was within ''eneInyts terri
tory" "claimed and held in possession
by an organized hostile and belligerent
power"
What, sir, is the legitimate bearing of
this doctrine upon the fundamental
principles of our government? This
bill, sir, contains on its face, though
somewhat yelled, and is SO interpreted
by its author, the monstrous doctrine
the enormity of which have been en-
deavoring TO expose. Recognize this
doctrine as principle in our govern
ment and rebellion viii cease to be an
individual crime, and treason will be
impossible. because the instant you
engage in them you become an "alien
enemy" entitled to "belligerent
rights, !" and can be dealt with only in
with the law of nations as
"public enemy" In this way, sir, 1
admit that the committee has found
the great panacea for all our troubles
the great and "irreversible guarantee
against rebellion and treason"-by le-
gulizing them. Wonderful discovery
Yet how plain, how simplel How is
Columbus UutStripped in teaching his
wondering admirers how to set an egg
on end
The invention all admire, and each, how
He to be the inventor missed !; 30 easy It
Once found, which, yet unfound, most would
have thought
impossible"
What, think you, would our revolu-
tionary fathers, who said that levying
war against the United States was
treason to be punished by the munich
pal law, think if they should rise from
their graves to find what fools they are
discovered TO have been2 "Angels
and ministers of grace spirits of
Washington, Jefferson, Madison and
Hamilton, 'defend us" from such
heresy.
1, sir, am neither misrepresentation the
principles of this bill nor placing false
upon this doctrine. 1t is
the one leading idea which has been
persistently pressed by the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. SteYens) in
connection with every measure which
has been introduced looking to restor-
alton of the Union. 1t is the construc-
tion which he gives to this bill, of which
he himselfis the author. 1t is the prin-
ciple further presented by him in the
following section of the bill offered by
him to the House on yesterdays:
SEC. 8. All persons who held office, either
civil or military, under the government call
ed the "Confederate States OF America" or
who sWors allegiance TO said government, are
hereby declared 10 have forfeited their ciu-
LANCE 10 the Unitei states. and shall not be
entitled to exercise the elective franchise un-
I'll i've years after they shall have fled their
intention or desire 10 be reinvested with the
right of citizenship, and shall swear allie
glance TO the United States and renounce al
legiance to all other governments or Pretend
med aud oath taken in the same courts that
are authorized by law 10 naturallze forelgn-
ers.