Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-08

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The present Congress had refused seats
to the members from the Southern States.
In President LincoIn's proclamation of am
nesty, he declared that whenever one tenth
of the qualified voters in any State should
organize State Government and elect
members to Congress under the Constitu-
tion and laws, their States should be recog-
nized as in the Union. In Louisiana,
though, though thiee-tourths OF its terri
tory was held by the rebels, Michael Hahn
and Benjamin Flanders presented them
selves at Washington, demanding seats in
the House of Representatives byylrtue OF
an election under Mr.. Lincoln's proclama-
tion. Chas. Sumner and Thad. Stevens de-
clared that these men had been elected By
Federal soldiers, and not by citizens OF
Louisiana. Nevertheless, they were both
admitted to seats and sworn in as members
of the House. Yet, two years laterspwhen
the war was over, Horace Maynard, Col.
Stokes, Judge Campbell and others, elected
to Congress from Tennessee, were denied
their seats, being kept ont by the influence
of Thad. Stevens. ,,oor
( Anew dogma had been introduced into
our politics-that the Constitution is of no
account in war times and that the DEGREES
Of Congress should take its place. 1t was
In accordance with this dogma that it had
been determined to keep the Southern Rep
resentatives out of their Seats till Congress
should declare their States in the Union.
The great effort of the Radical party now
is to sustain Congress in this usurpation of
power, They make this the issue, and call
supporting Congress, "loyalty"-a word
imported from foreign despotismss IL is
loyalty to Thad. Stevens, but disloyalty to
the Republic, for whoever attempts to
lessen the respect Of our people for the
Constitution, is more dangerous man and
a worse traitor than even the armed rebel
who, during the war; attempted to shoot
down our national flag.
Secession did not originate in Sotth Car
olina or with Southern traitors. The first
traitor who promulgated secession doctrine
was Josiah Quincy, of Massachusetts,,
who declared, when the bill was pending
in Congress in 1911 for the admission of
Louisiana, that If the bill passed, itwould
be the right of all the States, and the duty
OF some, to withdraw from the Unior,
peaceably, if they could; foreibly, If they
must. South Carolina only borrowed her
secession ideas from Massachusetts,. In the
same spirit of secession, the Hartford Con-
vention was held, during our second war
with Great Britain, for tile purpose of an
nexing New England to Canada and plac
ing it under the BritishG Government. The
same spirit of Disunionism is rife in New
England at this time. Hence, Sam. Shella-
barger, like the New England Radicals,
claims that the Southern States are out of
the Union, .t.H.a.a.,a
Col. Connell claimed that there was no
power competent to take or keep State out
Of the Union. He insisted that the South
ern States should be recognized still in
the Union, not for the sake of their people
merely, but for the sake of Northern men
who had right to emigrate t0lthose States
and enjoy all the rights and privileges to
which they had been entitled in their for
mer homes. Such emigrants should have
in Congress and be protect
ed in their rights. He despised the man
who could consent to live under the Amer
can flag without its protection, or who
would live where, as Ben. Butler had said,
ne would have no rights which negro was
bound to respect. .r...
Thad. Stevens declared in Congress that
5he Southern States had forfeited all their
rights. Sumner, Lovejoy aud other lead
ng Republicans denounced the sentiment,
Ind insisted that Stevens had no right to
peak for the party. He calmly told them
hat before the lapse Of two years, they and
;he party would come up with him and
lgree that the Constitution is imperative
n the rebel States, and that. those States
should be held and treated as subjugated
provinces. His prediction has proved true;
he leaders OF the party have not only
.ome up with him, but have gone ahead of
lim. Tonight Thad. Stevens controls the
whole Radical organization. a .-
Strange that men should be so blinded
Is to follow such leader. But thousands
ire deferred from doing what they believe
% be right through fear of being called
TwoIdays before Gov. Cox's
the speaker, with other gen.
lemen, was in the Governors room. Ex-
Iov. Charles Anderson, after striding
bout the room, denOuncing radicalism,
sked Gov. Cox if he had read Voorhees,
esolutions sustaining President johnson,
nd what he thought of them. Gov. Cox |
espoIded with animation, that as for him,
penly and publicly, he would stand by |
hose resolutions. "They will, continued |
ioy. Cox, :" call me Copperhead. Names |
ave no. terror for me. Withstand by the |
lght." The speaker thanked Gov. Cox for |
eacbing him that lesson. He has been
llking in that way ever since. But where
ow is the Governor? The name of Cop
erhead has scared him away from what
. knew to be right, and he is now follow
lg the crowd of dumb driven cattle nn-
er the lash Of Thad. Stevens.
Shellabarger and the Radicals in Congress
oted negro suffrage into the District of
and its extension into the terri
,ries of the Northwest. Such a man is not
t to represent white constituency, The
,rritories belong to the white people of