Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-06-22

the feuefai Ont0ll, anu an equ3Hy intense
love for the late Confederacy, nurtured by
the war is decisive While it appears that
all are unwilling TO submit, at least for the
time being to Federal authority, it is equally
clear the ruling motives is a desire to OBJ
tain the advantages which will be derived
from a representation in Congress. Off
GERS Of the Union army, and Northern men
who 20 South to engage in business, are
generally detested and prescribed South
ern men who adhered to the Union are bit
terly halted and reientlessly persecuted in
some localities, prosecutions have been IN
stitnted in the State courts again Union Off
GERS for acts done in tbs line ofofflcia duty,
and similar prosecutions are threatened else
where as soon as the United States troops
are removed ; all such demonstrations shog
a state Of feeling against which it IS unmis-
takably necessary to guard. The testimony
Is conclusive that after the collapse of the
Confederacy the feeling Of the people of the
rebellious States was that Of abject submis-
sion having appealed to the tribunal of
arms, they had no hope except that, by the
magnanimity of their conquerers, their lives
especially their property, might be preser-
we'd. Unfortunately, the general issue of
pardons to persons who had been prominent
in the rebellion, and the feeling Of kindness
and Cancellation manifested by the Execu-
tive and very generally indicated through
out the Northern press, had the effect to
render whole communities forgetful Of the
crime they had committed, defiant towards
the Federal Government, and regardless of
their duties as citizens The concilia- cry
measures of the Government do not seem to
have been met even half way The bitter
ted States, under such circumstances is
without parallel in the history ofthe world.
In return for our leniency we receive only
an insulting denial of our authority, in re-
turn for our kind desiIe for the resumption
of fraternal relations we receive only inso-
lent assumption Of rights and privileges long
since forfeited the crime we have punished
Is paraded as a virtue, and the principles OF
republican government which we have VIM
dicated at so terrible cost are denounced as
unjust and oppressive. III we add to this
evidence the fact, that although peace has
been declared by the President, he has not
to this day deemed it safe to restore the writ
Of habeas corpus, to relieve the insurrecto-
ry States of martial law, or to Withdraw the
troops from many localities, and that the
Commanding General deems an increase of
the army indispensable to the preservation
Of order and the protection floyal and well
disposed people in the South. The proof
Of a condition of feeling hostile TO the I'm
ion and dangerous to the Government
throughout the iusuuectoTy States would
seem alarming.
We now propose to restate, as briefly as
possible, the general facts and principles ap
plicable to all the States recently In rebel
lion.
First-the seats of Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes from the so-calied Confederate
States became vacant in the year 1861, du-
ring the second session of the Thirty fourth
Cong,eHs, by the voluntary withdrawal OF
their lncumbents, with the sanction and by
the direction OF their respective States
This was done as hostile act against the
Constitution and Government Of the Uni
ted States with declared intent to over
throw the same by forming Southern Con
federation. This act Of declared hostility
was speedily followed BY an organization of
the same States with a Confe1eracy which
levied and waged war, hy sea and land
against the United States. This war con-
tinued more than four years, within which
period the Rebel armies beseiged the Capt.
tai, in ugaded the loyal States, burned their
towns and cities, robbed their citizens, de-
stroyed more than $50 600 loyalsoldiers, and
imposed an increased national burden Of not
less than IS, SOC, 900, 600, of which seven or
eight hundred millions have already been
met and paid. From the time these Con
iederate States thus withdrew from their
representation In Congress and levied war
against the United States, the great mass of
their people became and were Insurgents
traitors, an all Of them assumed and occu-
pied the political, legal and practicable re-
lation Of enemies of the United States
This position is established by acts of Con
greas and judicial decision and is recognized
by tho President in public proclamations,
documents and speeches.
Setond-The States thus confederated
prosecuted their war against the United
States TO final arbitrament and did not cease
uutil all their armies We're captured, their
military power destroyed, their civil officers,
State aad Confederate, taken prisoners or
put to fight. every vestige of State and
Confederate Government obliterated their
territory overrun and occupied by the Fed
eral armies, and their people reduced to the
condition Of enemies conquered in war en-
titled only by public law to such rights
privileges and conditions as might be youch
safed by the eonQueror. This position is
also established by judicial decision and is
recognized by the President in public proc
lamations documents and speeches.
Third-Having voluntarily deprived them
selves of representation In Congress, for
their innate purpose of destroying the Fed
eral Union, and having reduced themselves
by the act Of flevying war to the condition of
public enemies, they have no right TO com
plain of temporarV exclusion from Congress-
but on the contrary, have voluntarily re
nouneed their right to representation and
disqualified themselves by crime from par
ticipating in the Government, the burden
now rests upon them before claiming to be
rcinstated ia their COVER, conditions to show
that they are qualified to resume federal re
lations In order to do this, they must
prove that they have established. with the
consent of the people, republican forms of
Government, in harmony with the Consti-
tuition and laws of the United States that
old hostile purE Eoses haveccased, and should
give adequate guarantees against future
treason and rebellion which viii prove salts
factory to the Government against which
they rebelled, and by whose arms they were
subdued, viz
Fourth-Having by this reasonable with
drawal from congress aud by fragrant rebel
lion and war forfeited all civil and political
rights and privileges under the Federal Con
they can only be restored thereto
by the permission and authority of that
power against which they re-
belled and by which they were subdued.
Fifth-These rebellious armies were con-
quered by the people Of the United States,
acting thereupon all the courts and branch