Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-03-01
cnARLEsToWN, THURSDAY, MARCH l. 1866.

I
place Of abode, and IL therefore, he docs not Ind
| in one community or State mode Of life SUIT
cd to his desires; or property remuneration for
his labor. he can move tn another where that
laboris more esteemed and better rewarded. In
truth, however, each State, induced by its own
wants aud interests, will do what is necessary
and proper to retain within its borders all the
| labor that is needed for the development Of its
resources The laws that regulate supply and
demand will maintain .licir force, and the wa
res of the laborcr will be regulated thereby.
There is no danger that the exceedingly great
demand for labor will not operate III favor of
the laborer. neither is snifi lent consideration
given to the ability Of the freedmen to protect
and take care uf themselves. 1t is no more
than Justice to them to believe that rs they
have received their freedom with moderation
and forbearancc, so they will iii 'tinguish them
selves by their industry and thrift, and soon
show the world that in a condition Of freedom
they are 'self-sustaining, capable of selecting
their own employment and their own places Of
abode. of insisting for themselves on q proper
remuneration, and of establishing and main
tanning their own asylums and schools Ii is
earnestly hoped that instead of wasting away
they will, by their own efforts, establish for
themselves a condition of respectability and
prosperity. 1t is certain that they can attain
| TO that condition cnly through there own mer-
| its and exertions.
In this connection, the query presents itself,
whether the system proposed By the bill will
not, when put into complete operation, practi-
cally transfer the entire care, support and con-
troll of four millions of emancipatcd slaves to
agents. overseers, or task masters, every county
and parish throughout the United States con-
tanning freedmen and refugees Such asystem
would inevitably tend to concentration OF
power in the ExccutiveSwhich would enable
him. if so disposed, to control the action of this
numerous class, and use them for the attainment
of his own political end. / cannot but add
another very grave objection to this bill. The
Constitution imperatively declares, in conncc-
ton with taxation, that each State shall have
at least one representative, and fixes tho rule
for the number to which in future times each
State shall be entitled. 1t also provides that
the Senate Of the United States shall be COM
posed of two Senators from each State, and
adds, with peculiar force, that no State without
its consent shall be deprived of its equal suii-
rage in the Senate. The original act was. ne
cessarily passed in the absence of the States
chiefly to be affected because their people were
then contumaciously engaged in the rebellion.
Now the case is changed, and some at least of
the States are attending Congress by loyal Rep
resentatves, soliciting the allowance Of constl-
tutional right Of representation. AT the time,
however, of the consideration and the passing
of this bill, there was no Senator or Reprcsen-
tative in Congress from the eleven States which
are to be mainly effected by its provislons.---
The very fact that reports were and are made
against the good disposition Of the country is
an additional reason why they need and should
have representatives of their own in Congress
to explain their condition, reply to accusations
and assist by their local knowledge in the per-
| fecting of measures Immediately affecting them
selves. While the liberty of deliberation would
then be free, and Congress would have full
power 10 decide according to its judgment,
there could be noobjection urged that the States
most interested had not been permitted to be
heard The principle is firmly fixed in the
minds Of the American people that there should
be no taxation without representation. Great
burdens have now to be borne by all the coun-
try. and we may best demand that they shall
be borne without murmur when they are voted
by majority of the representatives Of all the
people.
would not Interfere with the unquestion-
able right of Congress to Judge each House for
itself of the election returns and qualifications
of its own members, but that authority cannot
be construed as including the right TO shut out
in time of peace any State from representation
to which it is entitled by the Constitution. AT
present all the people of eleven States are ex-
cluded-those who were most faithful during
the war not less than others. The State oi
Tennessee. for instance, whose authorities en-
gagged in rebellion, was restored to all her con-
stitutional relations tothe Union by hepatrlot-
ism and energy of her injured and betrayed
people before the war was brought TO termi-
nation. They had placed themselves in rcla-
tions with the General Government, had estab-
lished a State Government Of their own, and
as they were not included in the Emancipation
Proclamation. they, by their own act, had a.
mended their Constitution so as to abolish slav-
ery within the limits Of their State, know no
reason why the State Of Tennessee, for example,
should not fully enjoy all her constitutional re-
lations to the United States.
The President of the United States stands
towards the country in somewhat different
attitude from that Of any member of Congress
who is chosen from single district or State
J The President is chosen by the people Of all the
States. Eleven States are not at this time rep
resented in either branch Of Congress. ltwould
seem to be his dutx on all proper occasions, to
present their Just Claims to Congress. Thereal-
ways will be differences of opinion in the com
munity, and individuals may guilty of trans
gressions of the law; but these do not const-
tute valid objections against the rights Of a
State to representation. i would in no wise IT,
terfere with the discretion of Congress with re-
gard to the qualifications of members, but
hold it my duty to recommend to You, in the
interests of peaccand the Interests the Union,
the admission of every State toits share in pub
lie legislation when, however insubordinate,
insurgent or rebellious its people may have
been, it presents itself not only IN an attidlde
Of loyalty and harmony, but in the persons oi
representatives whose loyalty cannot be qucs-
toned under any existing constitutional or le-
gal test. 1t plain that an indefinite o. re :
manent exclusion Of any part Of the country
from representation must be attended by a
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