The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-02


down armed resistance to the authority of the
government, and preventing the disruption Of /
the Union, and that these objects having been |
accomplished the war is at an end.
"a. That the states being still in the Union
ana the people OF those states no longer being |
In reoellionsbut having ceased resistance, and |
submitted to the authority of the constitution
and laws, they are entitled to be again placed
upon footing OF equality, in all respects,
not, In our form of government, have states
with gradations of rights under the constitu-
ton.
4th. That to give them this equality they |
must be represented in the national lepisla- |
ture.
3 9Th. That that representation must be by |
the men they choose to elect for that purpose,
as no other power can appoint senators and |
representatives for them; and that unless |
they are representated by the men of their |
own choice, they cannot be represented at |
all.
6sh.- That whenever the people of any of
those states. In accordance with the require |
ments OF the constitution and laws, elect sen
ators and representatives who are willing to
take the oath prescribed by the constitution
and laws, they ought to be Observation-Disclosures
each house at all times at full liberty to Judge
OF the elections. returns. and qualifications of
the members applying for admission. That
is matter with which the president has new
er attempted to interfere. The difference be-
tween him and congress upon this subject, /
understand to be this: He maintains that the
states are in the Union and entitled to be rep
resented in congress by loyal men. whilst
congress insists that they are no longer states
In the Union, but outlying conquered provin-
ces. not entitled to be represented at all, even
by loyal men. The difference between these
two policies is easily recognized, and their
different bearings upon the future of the
country easily appreciated. The one leads to
peace, harmony, unity, faternity-to the sof
tening of sectional prejudices and animosities
to the healing of the wounds inflicted upon
the body poltlc-to the repairing the dam
ages OF war; and building up the waste places
to binding more closely than ever the
chords that unite US; and TO opening before
US a new career of prosperity, greatness and
glory.
The other, in my judgement, is the reverse
of all this and if persevered in, will lose all
the advantages we hoped for from the costly
victories that have been won. 1t will fOment
spirit of discontent-keep alive the anlmos
| tiles engendered by the war-alienate the
people more and more from the government
-retard the revival of Industrial pursuits
perpetuate disunion-necessitate a large
standing army, with its attendant evils, and
! finally change the entire structure and char
! scter of the government. In fine, one Is a
| Union, the other disunion policy and be-
| tween the two, the people must choose. Let
| US hope that the choice will be wisely made.
| This is not q time for passion. The country
| is In peril-more, l believe, than OF any tlne
| during the war. The purest patriotism and
| the best craftsmanship are required to secure
the fruits of the sacrifices we have made, and
| the victories we have won, and angry discus
sion and denunciatfon are not very favorable
| 60 the development of either. The rebellion
| is suppressed, bat the country is not saved
and, ia the present temper of the public mind
it is not certain it will be. All may yet tie
lost, and if lost will never be regained.
1t is certain that all will be lost unless the
states are restored to their constitutional re
latious to the general government and every
days DELAY increases tho difficulties OF res
toration, and the dangers of our situation
Will a rlpre favorable or suspicious time ev-
er come ? l think not. The people whf
were in the rebellion have ceased their resist
ance to the government; acknowledged Its
; authority evowed their visa to remain IN
der It's profession ; and are living IN obedi
ence to ITS laws What more can they do =
The rest 10 with us We fought them fon,
; years in the field to make them stay In tbs
: Union. and now that they have yielded to tn
= demand, and avow a Willingness and wish Il
:. do all we required, we ought not to hgh
. them in congress TO make them go out.
: One of the greatest perils which threaten:
US now, is the tendency TO Capitalization, th'
{ absorption of the rights Of the states and tn
= concentration of all power In the general gov
!! eminent. When that shall be accomplls he'd
if ever, the days of the republic are number
Q ed. constitutional government will DO sup
planted by a centralized despotism, to b
succeeded, in time, by revolution, dlslntegra
0 ton and anarchy. Within their constitution
D al spheres the states are as sovereign and su
= prems as the general government in 1t
sphere, and safety is to be found only b.
q confning each to it's appropriate orbit
@ The danger is in the encroachment OF thu
2 general government upon the powers OF tn
i states, and the tendencies are all In that d
t recsion. The states are powerless to lnvad
& the domain of the federal government, and
q is vital to the preservation of our admirabi
: form of government that the states shall b
| fully protected in the possession and exercls
J., OF all their constitutional rights, function
and powers. IF the federal government
l, | usurps them, the constitution, which the fatk
3 ers of the republic fra~ed with SO much ski
# and wisdom, fails of the purpose OF its crea
t ton, and will no longer protect the rights
Il was intended to secure
n The bills Familiarity known as the ciyi
s rights bill and the freedmen's bureau bill
|, both OF which were vetoed by the presio ent
% went far in this direction. Had sthey bot
10 become laws, and both been executed, IL
e powers of the state governments would hav
t, been SD bstantially overthrown wherever the
ID operated. The state tribunals would has
y been, to a very great extent, superseded b
N by those of federal appointment, and they
10 the very worst type-federal military. The
y would soon have found pretexts and NEAR
b. to intermeddle with aud control most sui
ne iects of mere local and domestic concern
IN Had the president failed to assert his We
g. power, he would have but poorly discharge
a. his obligations to the constitution. 1t wonl
I'd in my judgement, be difficult to frame bill
of more in conflict with the spirit and letter
n. the constitution. When the passion and g
IN element OF the hour shall have passed ava
nj it will be matter of astonlshment that got
so and abIe men were found to advocate them
r. cannot now go into the details of the
I'd bills. The veto messages state the objecti,
he to them with great force and clearpess. Bo
ct bills make, to some extent. privileged ella