The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-04-21
The President and Congress.

States in Congress shall be admitted TO seats in
that body. 1t is true that Congress, in the very
beginning of the rebellion, solemnly declared
that the war was carried on only to preserve the
unity Of the States, and that.when this great OBJ
ject was attained, the war ought to cease. 1t is
true also, that armed rebellion has been conquer
ed-that the forces ofthe beligerant States have
been scattered, and that their great leader is a
prisoner and with this as the status of the lately
seeded States, the active operations of the war
have ceased. The Government has redeemed its
pledged word as soon as the armies of the Con-
federacy were surrendered to the properly con-
stituted officers, our armies were, in a great
measure, Withdrawn from the Southern States.
The soar ceased but grave questions were yet
to settle. The Southern States elected their Rep
resentatives to Congress, and with good deal
of their old-time arrogance, demanded their adj
mission. Congress very properly hesitated about
admitting these men, requiring some assurance
that the claimants to seats in that body were at
least, as unquestionable in their loyalty as could
be selected from those qualified in the different
States. That the most UNDERSTANDABLE men were
not selected is easily proved, by instancing Geor-
gia, the Legislature of which-State refused to
elect the Hon. Joshua Hill, one of the ablest men
in the South and the most loyal, preferring to
send as their representative to The United States
Senate the Hon. Alexander b. Stephens, late
Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy.
Upon this question the President and Congress
A. he
ded States were qualified and had presented suf-
fcient evidences of loyalty to be represented in
the National Councils. To solve the problem
thus presented, the House of Representatives APP
appointed a committee to take the evil
dence of the leading men of the South, and of
those qualified to Judge as to how far the profess
sons of loyalty by the Sonth extended, and what
those professions really were. This evidence, or
part of it, has recently been published, and, to
a candid reader, must convey the impression that
Congress is right in this matter-that the South
ern States have not yet come up to the standard
of loyalty that would entitle them to be repre-
scented in the law-making branch of our govern
ment-that, in fact, they only lack the physical
poaper to be as deeply in rebellion to day as they
were at any time during the last five years.
Gen. Lee himself, in his published testimony,
admits no jury of Virginians would convict JEFF
ferson Davis of treason, Notwithstanding that
that man stands out before the civilized world as
one who was the I" head and front of gigan-
tic attempt to overthrow his government. To
show the opinion of others as to the condition of
the rebeious States, let us hastily glance at
their evidence
Major General Geo. II. Thomas says that while
the people of Alabama are anxious to have their
State restored to her position in the Union, they
are not personally friendly to Union men, and
have bitter feeling Of political hostility to
them There is in Alabama strong and deci-
ded disloyal sentiment. If the Federal troops
were entirely withdrawn, Union men could not
have justice done them, and unless they had very
warm personal friends they could not live in the
State. The General does not think that Georgia
differs materially from Alabama. He had sew
eral communications informing him of secret Or
CARNATIONS in the South hostile to the United
States, from reliable and truthful persons, whose
but how far Reorganization extends he was I'M
able to say. The object is to embarrass the
Government in its administration of affairs, and
if possible, to repudiate the National debt, and
to gain such ascendancy in Congress as to pre-
vent its payment and also in case the Govern
ment can be involved in a foreign war, to watch
their opportunity to again inaugurate rebellion
Gen. Grierson the cavalry leader of the South
west, testified that the great majority of the peo
pie whom he met in Georgia. Alabamama, Mis-
sissppi and Tennessee, did not think they had
done anything wrong by their connection with
the rebellion their only regret being that they
had not the means to carry out their designs.
He believes there is now an organization existing
throughout the South for the renewal of the re-
bellion, and great desire seems manifested to
foreign power, in order that the late rebels
might have an opportunity to again turn upon
the Government. The spirit of resistance to the
Government still exists, and is as strong as ever
among the leading men of the South.
Gen. Chas H. Howard says the feeling of a
majority of the people of the South is not friend
" to TO the Government of the United States
The feeling against the men who have been loyal
from the beginning was Enthusiastically bitter
If the military were withdrawn from South
Carolina, no Northern man could stay there I'M
less he courted the favor of the influential He
represents the condition of Florida and Georgia
the same as that of South Carolina, with the dis
loyal sentiment controlling both States.
Mr. Chas. Fl. Lewis late Secretary of State for
Governor Pierpont, believes that at the time of
Lees surrender the masses Of Virginia were ia
vorably disposed towards the Government but
the politicians were making great efforts to
change the feeling, and he was afraid this had
met with much success, as many of the old poll
ticians and the press were engaged in promoting
dissatisfaction with the Government. Many of
the leading Secessionists would be glad to see
the country involved in foreign war, in the
hope that they could again get up secession
party. These same politicians protested loyalty
to the Union, but he was free to say that he dis
trusted them.
Many others testified to the same effect, that
at least the leaders in the South were eminently
disIoyal to the Government, and entertained
opinions antagonistic to its best interests 1t is
these very men-these leaders that are now ask
ing admission to Congress Should they be
trusted Which is right, Congress or the Presi-
dent
Chaste.