Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-12-13

Wieuiti tuc CuiDcu Otdics, of aiiy
place subject to their jurisdiction,
was ratified by the requisite nvm-
Der of States; and On the 18th
day of December, 1866, it was Of
fcially declared to have become
valid as part of the Constitution
of the United States.
All of the States in which the
instruction had existed promptly
amended their Constitutions, so as
to make them conform to the great
change thus effected in the organ
ic law of the land; declared null
and void all ordinances and laws
of secession; repudiated all pre-
tended debts and obligations crea-
ted for the revolutionary purposes
of the instruction; and proceed
ed in good faith, to the enactment
of measures for the protection of
| the colored race. Congress, how
ever, yet hesitated to admit any
! of the States to representation ;
and it was not until towards the
close of the eighth month of
the session that an exception was
made in favor of Tennessee, by
the admission of her Senators and
Representatives.
he REGRETS THE NoN-ADMIssIoN OF
LOYAL SENATORS AND REPRESEN-
TATIYES FRoI THE SOUTH.
/ deem it a subject of profound
regret that Congress has thus far
failed to admit to seats loyal SEN
ators and Representatives from the
other States, whose inhabitants,
with those Of Tennessee, had en-
gagged in the rebellion. Ten States
more than one-tourth of the
whole number-remain without
representation; the seats of fifty
members in the House of Repre-
sentatives and of twenty men,
bers in the Senate are vet vacant
mot by their own consent, not
by failure Of election, but by the
refusal Of Congress to accept their
credentials. Their admission, it
] is believed, would have accom-
plished much towards the renewal
and strengthening of our relations
as one people, and removed serl-
Gus cause for discomfort on the
! part of the inhabitants of those
States. 1t would have accorded
with the great principle enuncia-
ted in the Declaration of Ameri-
can independence, that no people
ought to bear the burden of taxa
ton, and yet be denied the right
of representation. 1t would have
been in consonance with the eX-
press provisions of the Constitu-
ton, that "each State shall have
at least one Representative" and
"that no State, without its consent,
shall be deprived of its equal suff-
rage in the Senate" These pro-
visions were intended to secure to
every State, and to the people of
every State, the right of represen-
tation in each House of Congress:
and SO important was it deemed
by the trainers of the Constitu-
ton, THAI the equality of the
States in the Senate should be pre-
served; that even by an amend
ment Of the Constitution can any
State, without its consent, be de-
MED a voice in that branch in the
National Legislature. :
RECOGNITION By CONGRESS THAT THE
TEN EXCLUDED STATES ARE STILL
PARTS OF THE UNION.
1t is true, it has been assumed
that the existence of the States
was terminated by the rebelliOus
acts of their inhabitants, and that
the instruction having been sup
pressed, they were thenceforward
to be considered merely as con-
quered territories. The Legislative,
Executive and Judicial Depart
ments of the Government have,
however, with great distinctness
and uniform consistency, refused
TO sanction an assumption so in
comnatible with the nature of our
Republican system. and with the
protested objects of war. Through
out the recent legislation of Con-
gress, the undeniable fact that
makes itself apparent, that these
ten political communities are moth
ing less than States of this Union.
At the commencement of the
rebellion each House declared, with
a unanimity as remarkable as it
was significant that the war was
not "waged, upon our part, in any