New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-16
TruH VITAL QUESTION.

Throughout our great struggle, the enemies
in Congress of the War Cor the Union submitted
proposition after proposition affirming that the
revolted States were not ont Of the Union. (Sce
Vallandigham's resolve, Dee. 5, 1862. Iiol-
mans, Dec. Ia, 1868, and many otbers.) The
Republican majority uniformly laid these TO-
solves on the table, thereby indicating its de-
cidcd dissent from their doctrine and purpose.
This same old song is now revived in the III
terest of the defeated Rebels, who propose to
rule the Nation that they proved too weak in
power but not in will to ruin. Thus The N. \.
Times says:
I'VE are as long as Congress holds that States arc
out OF the Union, cnactng he. Ibe reverse Oh thS
propostion was ai, med in 1851 by an almost unani'
nous vote of Congress To maintain that position the
people gave up millions of treasure and rivers OF Doo
nd now Congress. after the Rebellion Is conquered
stutifync its record holds that the States which We
insisted could not be taken out OF the Union are on ~
Success would have converted the EeDciiloh lnto
revolution Then the rcbcious States wouid pave DO
come an independent Confedcrac!. But ueicat "h'e'
the States in the Union and the Union intact.
We believe the Editor of The Times has not
yet responded to request made In the House
that he would dtfne the State which he insists
has never been out of the Union. III he means
the territory included within the limits of Viz
gina, Georgia or Texas, there is 10 room for
disagreement. But if he means the political
corporation whereof William Smith, or Joseph
f. Brown. or Pendleton Murrah, was Governor
one year SINCE then the loyal people OF the
United States decidedly dissent. They recog'
-, ,I Stota IN
councils of the Union
But if by a State The people are intendcd-and
you mean the ,rhoie people-wc can easily come
to AL understanding. We will take South Car
DINA for an illustration of the matter really III
dispute. She has population whereof a large
majority are unquestionably loyal to the Union
and hostile to a monopoly ofpower by the au-
thors and uphoiders of the late Rebellion. This
majority do not choose to repudiate the Ma
tional Debt nor to be taxed to pay that incurred
in UNFOLDING the Rebellion. Let the State be
so reorganized us to give this loyal majority a
fair and equal voice in its government, and we
have no shadow of doubt that her "restora-
ton will soon be complete.
But the lTcsiucnl ) SOuln tdIollId 10 iha"c
up almost wholly of cx-Rebels-of men who sub
NIT to the Unon as a dire necessity-who keenly
deplore the victories of It's arms, and curse the
Emancipation policy whereby its triumph was
sccured-and who are determined to keep the
loyal majority not only DISTINGUISHED but unedu-
Gated, dependent, and as nearly slaves as pos
siblc. Now, then, the loyal people have not
layished millions of treasure and rivers OF
blood in order TO rcestahlish the selfish, des'
potc rule of the defeated Rebel oligarchy OF the
South over their loyal fellow citizens. They
do not regard such restoration as worth It's
fearful cost. They demand instead recon
struction which shall secure u the loyal
majority of the South Carolinians a voice in the
government of their own State and Of the
Unon-a chance to live aud labor. 20 earn and
enjoy, under equal and just laws. This is venom
ously resisted by the Rebels of the South and
the Copperbeads of the North. And this raiseo
the Main Question now fifty engrossing the
public attention. Why does The Times seek to
shuttle it out of sight