Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-25


iCOnsIitutIOnnIity of the Presi-
dents HDOlicy-Ex1rncts from Sem
ator DOolIitle's Speech.
We have already published telegraphic
synopsis of the very remarkable speech de-
livered by Senator j. r. Doolittle, of Wis
consin, on the 18th inst, In the United
States Senate, in support of President
Johnson's policy Of restoration. The fol-
lowing extracts from full report OF the
speech we reproduce: Eit3 .La .,..
THE REBELLION DID NOT DESTROY ANY
.e.. l.fa .aH.an STATE, fU g.i uI E-l#.."
Take the case OF Georgia. the Empire
State of the South. Did the rebellion at
temptto destroy the State of Georgia, as a
State2 Not at all. It did attempt to dis
nUIVe all relations wiblI UiIO U..iGVd CC1sS~s,
and transfer them to the rebellious Conted-
eracy; to throw off allegiance to the Fed
eral Constitution, and come under the Con-
federate Constitution in short to take
Georgia as State out of the Union and
put it into another Union, in new conted-
Grafton. Had the rebellion succeeded,
would the State OF Georgia have been de-
strOyed? Itwould certainly have ceased to
be State in this Union, but it would have
still existed as a powerful State, not as a
.errltcry' . IN It's new pOiis''S' The T, onIy
effect, in case the rebellion had succeeded,
would have been to make Georgia State
outside of this Union, State in another
Union. .# ..s .......
Now that the rebellion has utterly failed
to put the State OF Georgia into new
Union, did the attempt to do SO, and the
crushing of that attempt, put Georgis as a
State out of this Union? Or destroy
Georgia as a State in this Union? Or re-
duce Georgia from State in this Union to
be a Territory?
Did General Sherman destroy or rintend
to destroy the State of Georgia? Did the
President order him to destroy it2 By no
means: he went to save, not to destroy.
Did Congress direct the President TO
destroy it? No; but it did direct
him, in the most solemn form,
to prosecute the war to preserve
Georgia as a State in the Union, with all its
dignity, equality, and rights unimpaired,"
and that when that object was accomplish
ed, the war ought to cease. To that end
Congress clothed the President with great
er military power than any nation has de-
veloped in modern times. And all this tre-
mendous power of the President Is confer
red by law of Congress. ....... u
.,.. THE TERMS OF PEACE.
Inow inquire, what must be the terms and
conditions of peace in order to put an end
to civil war in these United States? | an
SWer, the Constitution of the United States
| is the paramount and indisSoluble bond of
union and relationship and peace among
the several States. An attempt to over
throw that is. civil war. Submission to
that is peace. Therefore, neither the
President, nor Congress, nor the Supreme
Court, nor all put together, can make any
other treaty of peace or bond of relation
ship among the States. Nothing short OF
successful revolution, or of decision OF
the sovereign people of the United States
| tn amend the Constitution, can change the
relationship between the States one jot OF
| title. Though men and parties may change,
the Constitution as the basis of that rela-
tionship in this Union will remain perpet-
ual.
What terms had the President a right to
demand of these States, or of their people,
as conditions precedent topeace, and the
withdrawal of the army?
First. And before all, and as the basis
of all, unqualified submission to the Con-
stitution of the United States, and all laws
of Congress passed in pursuance thereof
Second. The annulling of all acts, laws
and pro ceedings by which the States made
| or prosecuted war against the United
States, including the rebel debt.
Third. Acquiescence in the situation
which the war has brought upon them, in
cluding the abolition of slavery, for and on
account of which they made the war; fol
| the sincerity of such acquiescence, and as
| the supreme test tof its good faith, the
adoption of the Constitutional amendment
| by which slavery, the cause of the war, Is
| on dar a6son mo h
erty made sure, by being placed under the
guardianship of Congress in every State
and Territory forever.
| Fourth. The practical resumption OF
their political duties upon those terms, as
States In the Union.
| These are the conditions, in substance, upon
which President Lincoln almost three years
ago announced to the people of these States
| the terms of pacitication to which he pledged
the support of the Executive Government
These are the substance of the terms of
fered by President johnson.
| Several of the States, or the people OF
| several States, have accepted them, aud of
fer now to resume all their political duties
as States in this Union, and practically en-
| Joy their rights as such. Shall we allow
! them to do so? .,.
If these terms have been accepted by
OlOeO OOdIcS, VI OiiCpCOplO VI OuSoo CCabSS, III
good faith, is not the faith OF this nation
pledged? just as much pledged as by the
terms contained in the surrender OF their
armies?
THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNORS.
But the question is sometimes put: BY
| what power, then, if these States are still
in the Union, does the President appoint
those Provisional or Military Governors
The question is important. But to that
question the answer, in my Judgment is
perfectly clear. The President does moi
make the appointment of these agents
call them by what name you will, Proyl-
sional Governors, Military Governors, COM
missioners, agents, heralds of peace, Gen
erals, anything you please-nor does he
employ these agencies-by virtue Of hi;
authority as a civil magistrate. They are
not civil appointments. They are in no
sense civil officers, for there is no law under
uyhiah fhau ra onnOintoI .af oil 'Thau a ru