The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-31

<Ac oOOkA dAtCi tiAdb Udtttc dS tuc ultluUcEG
of Congress could conveniently assemble, in
that hour of deep humiliation to us all,
resolution passed both Houses of Congress,
by an almost unanimous vote, declaring our
purpose in the prosecution of this war, and
especially the determination of Congress in
relation to the status and rights Of the South
ern States. In that hour Of defeat, when hum
bled before the nations and before the Su-
preme Ruler Of the world, Congress, almost
unanimously in both Houses, declared -
That this war is not prosecuted upon
our part in any spirit of oppression, nor for
any purpose of conquest or subjugation, nor
purpose of ofoverthrowing or interfering with
the rights or established institutions Of those
States, but to defend and maintain the su-
premacy of the Constitution and all laws
made in pursuance thereof, and to preserve
the Union with all the dignity, equality, and
rights Of the several States unimpaired: that
as soon as these objectsare accomplished the
war ought to cease" II M
This, bear in mind, was after the passage
of the Collamer statute and within two
weeks after, 1t is the later, the more solemn,
and the more expicit declaration of the in
tention of Cong carrying on the war.
| Tile Senator from Massachusetts says that
statute intended to put eleven States out of
this Union. Certainly the statute says no
such thing. He must infer it. He rests
upon inference only; while this resolution,
twelve days afterward, in express terms de-
clares the intention of Congress to keep them
in the Union, to preserve the Union, with
all the dignity, equality, and rights of the
several States unimpaired" By these words
and none can be stronger, Congress in express
terms excludes the possibility of that infer
ence. It does more; it rejects his whole
theory of disunion. We expelled Bright, of
Indiana, for writing letter to Jefferson
Davis, styling him g President Of the Con-
| federate States" thus, while Senator, ac-
knowledging the Confederacy, and sympa-
| thizing with the secessionists in arms
Had the Senator from Massachusetts, on
the 25th of July, 1861, when we passed that
resolution to which have referred, as to the
status of the Southern States and the pur-
| pose of Congress in prosecuting the war to
| put down the insurrection, risen in his place
here and declared that the Union was dis
solved; that Congress, by the Collamer
statute, had put eleven of the States out of
the Union; that the war was to be prosecu-
ted for the purpose of conquering, holding,
| duu SOfCiuiL1 tuOSC CiCfCu ptdlGS diftl tCll
millions of people for an indefinite period Of
time, not as States urderthe Constitution
but as conquered provinces, and without
representation, to be governed by the un.
limit ed power of Congress, or by the sword
as Territories, I do not say that any action
would have been taken against him person
ally, for his rights as Senator would have
been his protection and more than that
the sincerity of his motives and his unques
toned patriotism would have shielded him
hut, I do say, that if he had then avowet
that doctrine, and been made amenable fo
the guilt of his theory, he would have beer
expelled from the Senate as secessionist, a
least disunionist, for certainly such the
cry, announced then, would have given ait
and comfort to the rebellion at home, ant
moral power to its friends abroad. ~
1t will be remembered that resolution wa
offered in the Senate by Mr. johnson, tn
present President of the United States, VIII,
was then, and for long time afterward re
manned Senator from the State of Tennes
see, and that, too, long after the Collamc
statute, according to the Senator's theory
had placed Tennessee outside the Union.-
What! Tennessee represented in the Union
and at the same time outside the Union =
Dead and yet alive!
But some may say that resolution passet
Congress too soon after the battle of Bul
Run to be taken as conclusive upon thi
question.
| will refer to other acts Of Congress
possible still stronger. e
The Constitution says:
Representatives and direct taxes be ap
portioned among the several States which
!. may be included within this Union, accord
ing to their respective numbers y
/ Under that authority, Congress, after tn
passage of the Collamer statute, did both
apportioned both direct taxes and represen
tatives among the several States, including
the Southern as well as the Northern ant
Western States of this Union. I read from
the eighth section of the act of August, 1861
aAnd be it further enacted, That a direc
tax of $50, ,0O0, 600 be, and is hereby, annu
ally laid upon the United States, and tn
same shall be, and is hereby. apportioned t.
the States respectively, and in manner fol
lowing: