The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1866-06-27

lorce into Inc Union, upon lnsulllclent
and incomplete data, the unpardoned
and impatient rebels, After showing
that the war left the Southern States
entirely exhausted, and that they chad
protracted their struggles against tho
Federal authority until all hope of sues
cessful resistance had ceased, and only
laid down their arms because there was
no longer any power to us them," he
proves from the Presidents own words
that those States, when the rebellion
was crushed, "were deprived of any
civil government, and must proceed to
organize anew" The President waited
six long weeks before sending any infor-
nation in response to the call Of Con-
gress, and when it came, snys this
report:-
1t was incomplete and unsatisfactory
Authenticated copies of the constitutions
and ordinances adopted by the conven-
tions IN three of the States had been
submitted extracts from newspapers
furnished scanty information as to the
action of one other State, and nothing
appears TO have been communicated as
to the remainder. There was no evil
dence OF the loyalty of those who partic-
ipated in these conventions, and in one
State alone was any proposition made TO
submit the action of the conventions to
the final judgment of the people.
Thus treated by the Executive, the
committee was compelled to act for
itself:
Failing to obtain the desired informa>
tion, and left to prope for light wherever
it might be found, your committee did
not deem it either advisable or safe to
adopt, without further examination, the
suggestions of the President, more espe
claly as he had not deemed it expedi-
ent to remove the force, to suspend mar
tial law, or to restore the writ of habea,
corpus, but still thought 1t necessary to
exercise over the people of the rebe!ious
States his military power and jurisdlc.
tion.. This conclusion derived greater
force from the fact, undisputed, that in
all those STATES, except Tennessee, and
perhaps Arkansas, the elections which
were held for State, officers and mems
bers of Congress had resulted almost uni
versally in the defeat of candidates who
had been true to the Union, and IN tn G
election of notorious and unpardoned
rebels-men who could not take the
prescribed oath of office, and who made
no secret of their hostility to the Gov
ernment and tine people of the United
States.
Under these circumstances anything
like hasty action would have been a:
dangerous as it was obviously y unwise
1tappeared to your committee that hut
one course remained, viz: to investigate
carefully and thoroughly the state Of
feeling and opinion existing among The
people of these States 10 ascertain how
far their pretended loyalty could be re
lied upon, and thence to infer whether il
would be safo to admit them at once tc
a full participation in the Government
they had fought four years to destroy
1t was an equally important inquiry
whether their restoration to their tor
mer relations with the United States
should only be granted upon certain
conditions aud guarantees, which woult
etfectually secure the nation against a re
currence of evils so disastrous as those
from which 1t had escaped at so enor'
nous sacrifice.
On the Presidential project OF admit
ting such persons into Congress. Tn,
report says
1t is moreover contended, and will
apparent gravity, that from the peculiar
nature and character OF our Government
no such right on the part of the con
queror can exist; that from tte momen
when rebellion lays down its arms, ant
actual hostilities cease, all political right
of rebelious communities are at ono,
restored; that because the people of
State Of the Union were once an organi
zed community within the Union the,
necessarily SO remain, and their right t
be represented in Congress at any ant
all times, and to participate in the gov
ernment oi'he country under all circum
stances, admits of neither question no
dispute. Ii this is indeed true, then i
the Government OF the United State
powerlcss for its own protection, an,
fagrant rebellion carried to the extrem
of civil war is pas'ime which any Stat
may play at, not only certain that it cal
lose nothing, rn any event, but may b
the gamer by defeat. If rebellion sue
ceeds, it accomplishss its purpose an,
destroys the Government II it fails tn
war has been barren Of results, and tn
f battle may he fought out in the legisla
tive halls of the country. Treason de
feated in the field has only to take pos
session Of Congress and the Cabinet. "
On the new cry Of taxation with
out representation the reply is conclu
sive-
That taxation should be only with tn
consent of the people, through their owl
representatives, is cardinal principle O
all free governments; but it IL not tru
that taxation and representation must g
together under all circumstances and q
every moment Of time. The people Q
the District Of Columbia and Of tn
Territories are taxed, although not repre-