The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-06-21


Secondly-The admission of Senators and
members of Congress from such States 60
seats in the Congress of the United States.
The first part was undertaken by Presl-
dent Johnson, and whether. properly Or
improperly, IL Is now hardly worth whlle
TO discuss inasTnuch as the State Govern
nents reconstructed upon this plan are
in operation, and the programme submit
ted by the Reconstruction COmm1ttees
does not, as / understand it, oontem-
nod nod fcaf1on beVond ratifVine the Consti-
tational amendment, and making their
Constitutions and laws conform to its pro-
visions. ,fs
strueting the State governments, treat
ed the rebellious Inhabitants Of those
States as having by their treason forfeited
their political and civil rights, and ne
granted them permission to recognize
State governments only upon certain con-
ditions, and excluded from all paTticipa-
desfgnated. unless they should first receive
a personal and specific pardon. he pro-
-vided thatino one should partlGpate IN
the work of reconstruction wi th9ut first
having taken an oath, the terms Of which
he prescribed. tV ~ 49,
He then provided that the governments
which might be reorganized should, not De
recognize d until they had formally abo-
Ilished slavery in their several States, had
ratified the amendment OF the Constltu-
ton Of the United states, which. forever
TerritOrities, had repudiated their several
war sflittss 80 soc and be si9d, ad h testify as
competent witnesses in the court. The
second partEof reconstruction, the admis-
sion Of Senators and Representatives from
the rebel States to seats in Congress, is a.
matter oyer which the President has no
control or jurisdiction The Constitution
declares that each House shall be the Judge
of the qualifications of its own members,
and i'm this respect one House has no con-
troll over the other. Each House judges for
itself whether the person claiming TO be
admitted as "a member has been properly
elected; or has been elected by. q people
who have right to be represented in Con-
gress, or whether he is man of such char
acter as would be entitled 70 sit in their
Sody as a man and equal :. for if he be a
convictedfeIon or a traitor who has shed
the blood OF loyal men in efforts to destroy
the Government, they have right to say
they viii not give him fellowship
ButbeyOnd and above these rights, which
it may be said are special and technical,
there Is the broad and comprehensive right
essentially inherentin all governments, to
protect itself against the nnalignity and fu-
ture Vaccinations of vanquished rebels.
In this work of reconstruction, so-called,
two leading purposes should be kept in
view. I'M
i. That nothing shall be done to injure
or destroy the general theory or scheme OF
goyernnent as oeqpeathed 70 us by oFr
q Thatsuch security be taken as can be
to prevent the recurrence of future rebel
lions, and to prevent those who have
been in rebellion, but are restored to their
political rights, from defeating necessary
legislation, or bringing about legislation
which would be reasonable or diShonora-
BILE and thus accomplishing in the Govern
ment what they had failed to do by force
OF arms. If il should be deemed essential
to the safety of the Government that Sem
atOrs and Representatives from the States
lately in rebellion should not be admitted
to seats In Congress until the representa-
tive power in those States had been SO re-
duced that they could not by uniting with
a reasonable faction in the North control
the Government and perhaps destroy it,
Congress would have the right to exclude
a sn stch time O as t snef e states
of reduction had been Accomplished.
provided such measure of reduction. is
sGhAIne nc the Government, and il within
case, the measure or reducrTon wound % aaif
amendment to the Constitution earafizfnp
the represention in Congress, and in the
election OF PRESIDENT and Vice President.
by taking from the white people of the
Southern States the right to represent and
act for four millions and a half OF negroes
measure, so far from violating the general
theory or scheme of the Governments in
accordance with IT, because it gives to the
same number of people in the North an
equal power with q like number in the
South. 1t deprives the people ofthe South
OF no just right, because it leaves to them
the enjoyment of the same power that
is possessed by an equal number in the
North, and surely they ought not. by reag-
son or justice, to ask for more This meas
ure would De accomplished by an amend
ment to the Constitution, which is always |
in order and proper. There is nothing rev
in amending the Constitution I
on the contrary, tits the safety-valve, pro-
Vlded by itself, by which revolutions are 4
avoided by making the instrument con- |
form TO the changed conditions and circtlm-
stances Of great nation. But if it be |
SAID taat.aSESoon as the rebellion was con- !
cludeG, the Senators and REPRESENTATIVES.
from the rebeIlious States had an inlmedis
ate right, without condition. TO resume their
sears N congress, how could any amend
ments TO the Constitution be adopted TO /
guard against future rebellionS or the con-
of Jheione from which we have
lust escapea2 Twenty Senators from the 1
reoeI states added to the present number
OF Democratic mem bers, would constitllfe
considerably more than one-third of that /
o99dy, and you'd etfeetually prevent the
adopflon OF any amendment, and would
thus secure 0the Southern States. perhanSs
for all time, the gross and wicked fneouaI-d
Ivy OF representation which they now pos
sesS. IfltShall be said that upon the con,
clusion of n rebellion, rebels shall have a
right torQn from the battlefield, or from ]
me hoof Of a rebel Congress back to seats
"a the Congress of the United States, in
llme TO prevent the adoption fanny amend
ments to the Constitution which have been I
necessary by the changed colidi- /
Jon Of the country, or the enactment of 1
such Laws as are required to preserve the
future peace of the Country, ii is but to re- /
peat In another form that rebellion is no 4
oHense, and that the government has no +
right to protect itself from destruction by |
legislation of arms AYiAt# fgFE5FF-lI'i
II when the Government was trying to !
oorroWs money to prosecute the war, it had /
been announced that soon as the war I
was oSef-the question of making appro-
priations to pay the interest ON the money
borrowed would be referred to the votes Of |
rebepCongressInen, / ask how much mon /
ey- could have been. borrowed 4? If when /
we were calling for volunteers to fill up I
the loyaEarmfes, 1T had been proclaimed /
that the first effect of putting down the re-
bellion would be to FIJI up Congress with !
rebel members, who would have right to 1
vote on all questions growing out of the |
war; on all squestions of reeonstruction,
ask how many volunteers we could have |
And submit las a general propositionj
that rebellion cannot be discouraged trea- /
SON made odious, loyalty encouraged, and i
patriotism rewarded, ifwhen q rebellion
has been Suppressed, rebels are admitted /
to make laws for the loyal and administer /
the affairs of a. Governments they have /