New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-30
REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS-

Had the reyoted States a right to representation IN
Congress while they were fighting to subvert the
Union II not did that right enurc to them. ALSO
luteIy and Internationally, the moment their military
forces were compelled to ground arms By the victor
ious hosts of Grant, sherman, and Thomas
Mr. valaudigham and his adherents (impmPeTly
termed Disunionsts. since they always believed in
preserving the Union by conceding to the savehold
ers all they could ask would takc) consistently
hold that the Rebels forfeited no rghts and en-.
titled to resume their seats in Congress at aug time
VAL moved this in Congress; but was heavily voted
down. Those who fought against the Rebellion
always held that they did not fight for the privilege
Of being governed by the Rebels.
Andrew johnson in his better days, held firmly
with the majority. While he always maintained that
Estate once in the Unou could neither be taken out
nor destroyed he insisted tha. hr rights IN u might
be suspended by rebellion, and that her restoration
mus be the work Of her loyal people.
Thu IN his speech at Nashville (June ., 1901 on
receiving the news of his nomination al Baltimore as
Vice president he said:
IN calling Convention to restore the State who shall re-
store and rcs,tabsb n, Shall rho gave Ap infasRos
and Tia man, dsroy Isks 10 participate
work Of reorganization Shall he who brought
misery upon the State be permitted TO control s des
ds and oSous freely poured out S hare best 'HioHv
vii go for naugit all battle fields which have been
dead heroes during the Rebellion will have been
made memorable in yar."
WAY all This carnage and devastation II was that Urea
might be put down ana traitors punished Therefore
that shOplGfdk bdck 'a' se ok Of rtsiorsoH
II Ave thousand Tennessee loyal % the
Constitution loyal to Freedom. loyal to Justice no" 'Hi end
aifI H eloid control M ok Of reorganization and r.tor
a6sO,y say that the irror has o,sd 70 BE- ei
,n and in joining the Rebellion ha become Public enemy
his citizenship md sought 10 destroy our government We
say The most honest and ndrsDas foreigner who comes
from England or ermay 90 uNe among u.s. sd 70 AGA 70 he
wealth OF country Before can he citizen VOC must
who voluntarily enouncc their homes to 1--we with vs. What
say the traitor who although born aud reared
which always projected Lin 80 Judgment a. that h should
be mecfd ord,ai be0re he rHord 10 eeHsAP
denies the validity Of the oath Is peured man. aud not TO
be trusted BoJe sss repsni9 Rbs can BE- fra'id id he
these widows orphans draped the streets Of Nash
willie in mourning should suffer for his great crime
Treason must be made odous and traitors must be punished
and Impoverished
Such was the platform on which Andrew Johnson
deliberately planted himself, when candidate for
Vice President. They not words OF haste aud
passion evoked by President LincOlns cruel murder
but were his deliberate, ma,ured ,,UtiOns Over
and again was their substance reiterated by Mr. John
son in conversation, in letters and II speeches. And
in his conversation (reysed by himself before il
said:
rhe power Of those persons who made the attempta
belon has been crushed aud want TO reconstruct
the State G@erGmens and arsf Povr 10 DO IL Ts STAT,
he taken up aud adopt,d progress this canGot
be In moment. We are making very hpd progress
rapid that sometimes eanrotreaize IL IL hpFa' hea
W mun NOT be ia TOO mrAeC larry 1t 10 better to let
them reconstruct themselves titan force them 10 II or ghy
go nrOns JOxo hands and elscI Ken IN
Hess lie end, ans obitss nsm 10 e0,Tee her erroT''
With regard to Negro Suffrage, he told Mr.. Stearns
that be thought il should be introduced gradually,
and through the action Of the States saying:
III we're in Tennessee should try introduce Negro
Suffrage gradually frat those who had served IN the Army
fcstioD for others-say t2Oo. or s2jo."
As to the representation Of ponfranchised classes,
| he said:
Many years ago moved 10 the legislature of Tennessee
that the superintendent Of representatives IN Congress should
"1he spportionment ia now fred until 1872; before that
time we might change the basis Of Representation from popa
yg SGTs a. rs q so stc ana II
the elective stea,s g az who
| an enlightened public Judgment"
Such are the bases Of restoration indicated By An
drew Johnson. He never minated, nor dreamed,
that those who had attempted 10 overthrow the Gov
eminent should have equal voice in settling the
terms OF reconstruction with those who struggled and
suffered to uphold and preserve it, but the contrary,
most emphatically. And the Congress that he con-
stany referred to entitled to review and revise his
action in the premises was Congress representing
loyal States and loyal men.
In full and clear accordance with MIR. Johnson's
earlier and better suggestions, Congress, at its late
session. gave to this subject the careful consideration
demanded by its importance, and at last, by an over
whelming majority, proposed the following Amend
n.n In thn Federal Constitution as the basis WlcrcOl