Maryland free press., 1866-08-23

Vi - eNiubInft1xe-lR ues8eflHteof u Y 49,
States has been annullei, aud ten States have
siegeqH9 in b9ilrl,rs.lehss, the Federal Con-
gress; and the Congress, in which ouy part oi
tue States and of the people Of the Union are re-
pFesentr Pa asscrSt The right thus To exclude
the rest from representation aud all share in max
ing tiieif OF sb5osffis ffeiF own rulers
9niih they shall comply NTH sueh eondiiiuns
n M Reffurinl such attS as iiis sGongreSJ thus
rninpossdj nssy itself prescribe That right Ins
not only sbeen asserted but il has BEEN exsc.ea
ana y fraefieily sniorced nj the preseAts tiaie.-
Nof aees 10 fiid my SUPPORT I'D tho ii sDry that
INC States thus exciuacd are in rebellion against
lhc goyernment, roand therefore prccludsd from
sharing its aathoritys They mot thus in
peihpn ,br ihey areorie and all in attitude u;
ioyait towards the government, and ut sworn
eiieSianceto the constitution off United States.
Tin none OF themsy there the slightest Indication
oi resistnee 2t0 fthiSy authority or tue slightest
lrolsst against its just and binding ebl igation
THIS condiiion of rcncwed loyalty has lbecn OIL
ggE'ly recaghiz,liby solemn proclamation of tue
executive Department. the iasss OF The United
s.Ne' Deen ektcifdcd by Congress 9al these
States, and the Ieopleithereoi; icder,tiroarts have
pen ieopened and telcral takes imposed and
levied; and, in every respect except THAT they
ay dsned, Tepreseptat ioa an Eougfrss and the
electoral e9llegfi the States once in rebellion are
ilpw recognized as hHldiIg The sithe position, It's
owing he same obligations aad SUBJECT To- the
some tuties us the ofRef States of Dur common
U ion.AiiDidEliffY 40 - ~ tytifi
SEA ms to us, in the exercise of the calmcs
aud most candit Judgment We en bring 10 The
SUBJECT fhat Such u clia, so e;ltorced1 involves
as ktil dill overthrow of ta aiiithority Of The con-
stitntutioh and aa cuInliletsa destruction Of The
government and ,Udvp us that which as sough,
~ oc caeeted " We States aud people iu arurd
1nsnrretUoh q gtist thcln both Ii tannot escape
obsefs'ntioh' Ihit the power thus asserted 10 sx-
crude certain States from representation i made
70 rest wholly on tle viii and discretion ,of tlie
Congrtss thit asserts ii. III Is not made, TO de-
pend ulop tify specified condition, or, circum-
se.nces Ror. obc subject to any rules or regll,-
hons whatever The right asserted and exercised
Is absolute, without qualification or rcstriction.-
not confined u States ip rebellion nor TO States
that have fec.icd-it is lie riyLt ~ NV n Ton.
gress, III Formal Possession OF the legislative au-
thority, to exclude any State or States and any
porlionlof the people thereof, at any time. from
representation in Congress and in the rlectornl
College, fitsas1i discretion, ana until they sha
perform such acts and comply with snch condi-
tons us il niiy dictate. q. s'i. NJ iI1i. .''-'1i
P, oestshslyi1 the 1reaSons for such exclusion
beiag wholly within the discretion of Conprsss
may sli'n3ei.s 'lcd'gtgress itself shall clIsniJe
phe 'eohehess may OK iudo State from all share
IN lne governments for ono reason: ard that reas-
on reihovsd, the next Congress iiiay exclude 4,
tor another. One State may be excluded On onr
gfentid 10 das,and another may be excluded on
the opposite. ground Tomorrow. Northern AS
eeifaancy' ibayitxcutie Southern States from one
congress. rdfhe ascendancy Of Western or iof
Son'hern Interests, or of both confined. NAV ~
clnde thc uriirru or the Eastern States from IN,
NEXT. ;,5 Isq .s-g,!' - .i:-,I.p ini- -IT' ~
."impfobntle as such ,tsurpations may seem, the
establishment oiiRe principle now asserted ana
acted upon by Congress willrendrr by no means
impossible the characters indeed the very e1is' ence
OF Congress and The U MON is thus made denend
eni s1ieiy ana entirely upon the party aud Sec
nohai exig<ncies aud svrbcaranccs of the hour
t'ie eneet NOT stop To show That such action no;
only inds no warrant in. The constitution, but is
Ut war wiili every principle of our government,
and vain The very existence of free institutions Il
Is; indeed, the Identical practice which hns rem
dered ffnitless all iatenpts hitherto to establish
ianh maintain tree gorernlncntfn Mexico and the
States OF South America: "a. =! ..g',-.l . ~
: Party necessities assert themsel, es as s,,nor,
to the fundamental laws which Is set inside in
rockies obedience Ito their beiIcsts Stability
whether IN the exercise Of power, in the admin
istration of government, or i'm tile endowment of
rights beeomes iippossble--and the conflicts of
party. which under constitutional governments
arc MISCONCEPTIONS and mcans cfpolitiral progress
are merged 10 the conflicts of arms, to which
they directly and inevitable tend.
II was against this peril, so conspicuous and so
fatal toall Tree governments, that our constitu-
GQG Mas intended especially TO provide. Not on
~ tile STABILITY but the very existence O. the poy-
crLment is nade, by its provisions, to depend mn
ON the right and the fact of representation. The
Congress upon, which is conferred the legislative
power of the national government consists OF
two branches, the Senate and House of Represep-
tatives, whose joint concurrence or assent. is cs
sential 10 the validity ofnny law. Of these,
1.-THE House of Rcprcsentatiyes''-says the con.
stitution, article ], section 2-sshall be compos-
ed oi members chosen every second year by the
people Of the several States.r Not only Is the
right of representation thus recognized as possess
cd by all the States, and BY every State, without
restriction, Qualification or condition ofany kind,
but the duty of choosing REPRESENTATIVES is i'm
posed upon the people of each ahd every State
alike, without distinction, pr the authority 10
make distinction among them, for any reason or
upon amy grounds whatever. And, in the Sen.
ate-so careful is the constitution to secure to
every State this right of representaton-itis ex-
prcssly provided that mo State shall without
tsconsent, be deprived of its equal suffrage" in
tiiat CoIy, gwen ", qn smendment of tho consti-
When therefore, aRy State is S ,14cctuadasd from
such reepressntatipq ipt only is righ; of the
State denied, but the constitutional integrity of
the Senate is impaired, and tile VALIDITY Of Inc
government itselfis brought in question" But
congress ut tile present moment, thus excludes
from representation in both branches Of Congrcs,
ten States Of the ,Jnion, denying them all share
III the ciiaetihent Of laws by which tbey are to be
governed and all participation in the election of
the rulers by which those laws are to & enofced.
In other words, a Congress in which My TWEEN.
y-six States represented, asserts the Ri ht to go,-
crn exclusively, and in its own disc elton, all
thirty-six States which compose the Unior; to
mike ihei- own liws and choose their rulers,
and 10 ,xeitde the other ten from oil share ia
their own RGperHfent until il secs fit & admit
them, thereto" What is there to distinguish the
over thus asserted ana exercised from tLe most
'.bsohie and intolerable' tyfannya Nor do these
,&travtgant'ah d hGjhst claims on the part of
C6ngress 10 powers and authority never confer
rcd upon the gf'vcrnmeht blythe constitution find
any Vibrant in the arguments or excuses urged
on their behalf. i. is alleged:
. First--That these States, by the act OF rebel
lion and .hsl' Voluntarily l'withdrawing their
members from Congress, foifeited their rish Of
and that they can only receive il
ieainH Mt tile iiahds Of the suprche legislative au-
ihority of tile government On us own terms and
its own dstretiDn.R'If representation III Con.
gross and participation in the governmi Mt were
simply privileges conferred and held by favor,
this statement might have the merit of plausible
49, a