The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-24
National Union Address.
ICotinued.l

1t seems TO US, in the exercise of the calm
est and most candid judgement we can bring
to the subject, that such claim, so enforced,
involves fatal overthrow of the authority of
the constitution, and as complete a destruc
ton of the government and Union as that
which was sought to be effected by the states
and people in armed instruction against
them both. 1t cannot escape observation
that the power thus asserted to exclude GER
tain states from representation is made to
rest wholly in the will and discretion of the
congress that asserts it. 1t is not made to
depend upon any specified conditions or cir
cumstances, nor to be subject to any rules or
regulations whatever. The right asserted
and exercised is absolute, without qualifica-
tions or restrictions, not confined to states in
rebellion, nor TO states that have rebeled it
is the right of any congress, in formal pos
session of legislative authority, to exclude
any state or states, and any portion of the
people thereof, at any time, from representa-
ton in congress and in the electoral college,
at its own discretion and until they shall per-
form such acts and comply with such condi-
tons as it may dictate. Obviously, the reas-
ons for such exclusion, being wholly within
the discretion of congress- may change as the
congress shall change. One congress may
exclude state from all share in the govern
ment for one reason, and, that reason remov-
ed. the next congress- may exclude il for an.
other. One state may be excluded on one
ground to-day, and another may be excluded
on the opposite ground to morrow. Northern
asoendency may exclude southern states
from congress--the asesndenoy of western or
of southern interests, or of both combined
may exclude the northern the eastern
states from the next. Improbable ~ such
tha hl,nhr oF
the principle now asserted and acted upon by
congress will render them by no means i'm
possible. The character, indeed the very ex-
istence of congress and the Union is thus
made dependent solely and entirely upon the
party and sectional exigencies of forbearances
of the hour.
We need not stop 60 show that such action
not only finds no warrant IN the constitution,
but it it is at war with every principle Of our
government, aud with the very existence OF
tree institutions. Il is. indeed. the identical
practice which has rendered trultess all at
tempts hitherto to establish and maintain free
governments in Mexico and the states OF
South America. Party necessities assert
themselves as superior to the Fundamental
law, which Is set aside in reckless obedience
20 their bshests. Stability, whekler
in the exercise Of power,
in the administration O. government, or in
the enjoyment of rights becomes impossible;
aud the conflicts of party, which, under con
stItutionsl governments, are the conditions
and means of political progress. are merged
IN the conflict of arms to which they directly
and inevitably tend
Ii was against this peril, SO conspicuous
aud SO fatal to all free governments, that our
constitution was intended solely to provide
Not only the stability, but the very existence
of the government IL made by its provisions
to depend upon the right and the fact of rep
rssentatIon. The congress, upon which is
conferred ell the Legislative power of the ma.
tlonal government, consists of TWO branches
tue senate and house of representative
whose joint concurrence or assent is essential
to the validity Of any law. OF these, the
house OF representatives, says the constitu-
ton, (artcle section 81 ':shall be composed
of member chosen every second year by the
people of the several states" Not only is
the right of representation thus recognize ed
as possessed by all the states, aud by every
state without restriction, qualification OF con.
dilion of any kind, but the duty of choosing
representatives Is imposed upon the people OF
each and every state alike, without distinc.
tiun, or the authority to make distinctions
among them, tor any reason or upon any
grounds whatever. And 10 the senate, so
careful is the constitution to secure to every
state this right of representation, it is ex-
pressly proved that ''no state shall, without
its consent, be deprived of its equal suffrage
In that body, even by an amendment OF the
constitution itself When, therefore, any
state is excluded from such representation
not only iss right of the state denied, but the
constitutional integrity of the senate is i'm
paired, and the validity OF the government it.
self Ia brought in question. But congress at
the present moment thus excludes from rep
resentatIon, In both branches of congress- ter
states OF the Union, denying them all share
In the enactment of laws by which they are
to be- governed, aud all participation in the
election of the rulers by which these laws are
to be enforced In other words, congress-
in which only 26 states are represented as.
ssrts the right to govern, absolutely and in
its own discretion, all the sc states which
compose the Union-to make their laws and
choose their rulers, and to exclude the other
10 from all share In their own government
until il gees ft to admit them thereto. What
is there to distinguish the power thus assert.
ed and exercised from the most absolute and
mtolerable tyranny?
4. Nor DO these extravaganza and uni ust
claims on the part of congress to powers and
authority never conferred upon the govern
ment by the constitution find any warrant in
the arguments or excuse urged ON their be-
halt. LIZ Is alleged:
l. That these states, by the act of rebel
lion and voluntarily Withdrawing their mem
bers from congress, forfeited their right of
representation, and they can only receive it
again at the hands of the supreme legisla-
tive authority of the governments, on its own
terms and at its own discretion If repre-.
sentation in congress and participation in the
government were simply privileges conferred
aud held by favor, this statement might have
the merit of plsusibillty. But representa-
ton is under the constitution not expressly
recognized as q right. but il is imposed as .
duty and it is essential in both aspects to
the existence of the government and to the
maintenance of its authority. In free gov
ernments fundamental and essential rights
oannos be forfeited, except against individu.