The weekly clarion., 1866-12-27
TerrItorIaI Obstacles.

ing ana exercising Ihe poheIS oi SO'
ordinate departments Of government,
does not appear to progress as rapidly
as Washington dispatches led us to be-
lieve few days since The job is the
most stupendous ever undertaken by
Congress, and as the details are ex.
amined the difficulties in the way Of its
accomplishment loom up before the
overriders of the rights ofthe people.
Territorial existence for the States of
the South" is all very fine to talk
about and parade through the columns
ofabolition newspapers, but when the
consequences of such legislation is
carefully examined, we opine many of
the moderate revolutionists will pause
in their mad career. Congress of
course must act upon the presumption
that we are conquered provinces, and
in consequence of rebelling against III 4
Government, are deprived of all pola
ical rights When it is remembered
every message, proclamation and State
paper, issued from the Presidents
office since the date of secession, hds
declared the war to be an insurrectioA,
a revolution against the laws of tile
| United States, and when it is borne In
mind that the acts of the very Cob
grcss now clamoring for territorib ibl
governments at the South, DECLARED
that we were never out of the Union-
that all our laws were null, unconsth
tutional and void, the reader will disi
cover why the territorial bill has not
been rushed through. When Congress-
last spring passed an act to fix the
number of Judges of the Supreme
Court of the United States and ID
change certain judicial circuitS,
we were clearly recognized As
States, for Congress cannot hold theBe
courts in territories. |
The second section of this act prp-
vides that the districts of Maryland,
West Virginia, Virginia, North Carp
Ina and South Carolina shall consti
tkte the fanrthl oi-s~it, tilav uIo ais.
tricts of Georgia, Florida. Alabama \
Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas shall /
constitute the fifth circuit; that the
districts of Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky |
and Tennessee shall constitute the
sixth circuit; and that the districts of
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and
Arkansas shall constitute the eighth
circuit.
So here we have another impedimentl
to the scheme of Stevens and Julian,
and an equally formidable one will be
found in the Civil Rights bill, to say l
nothing of the Supreme Court, which .
would be called upon to decide the con-
of the laws, and from \
whose decisions Congress has no ap a
peal. Indeed, when Congress consid b
,rs the results that must necessarily .
low from recognizing the South Rs {
provinces, and admitting
hat our little COnfederacy was a de-
acto government, the radicals will
very probably abandon the enterprise.
Already we see that the Confederate =
'onds in Europe have advanced to 64d. :,
n consequence of this measure. y
Sensible men know that the North .
aust pay our war deSt if we do not :
elong to the sisterhood, and that
hen we are taken back the "conquer-
lg" power assumes our Indebtedness,
hich in Virginia alone foots up near id
: forty-four millions ofdollars. These, gC
nd hundreds of other points, will un- pr
force Congress to don its VI, M
thinking cap" and cohnt the cost and te,
of the territorial expert If
ent. If, however, that body is deter LEI
ined to override all law and prece. ~ ~
ent, we would be glad to have them TO
Ipedite matters. If we are to be re,
aves, our States cyphers, and that in otl
rument, which has always been re- Pr
Irded as a bulwark Of safety, is to be -, "S
tirely ignored, let us know it imme- rer
ately. We are prepared for any un
te-even an unhinching application Of
territorial policy. Let us get to the ,
d of our troubles at once. Our re- -,
,tion Of pending a1nndments was !,
animous, and now we want the ron
'ains and penalties" if come they the
lst, of falling to obey a tyrannical at
indate. req
~ khai