The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-08-30
PLYMOUTH, INDIANA THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1866


til they shall perform such acts and CONS
ply with such conditions es it may dictate.
Obvio usly, the reasons Tor such exclusion
being wholly within the discretion Of Cons
gress, may change as the Congress itself
shall change. One Congress may
exclude State from all share in the
Government for one reason and, that rea-
son removed, the next Congress may ex-
clude it from another. Obe State may be
excluded on one ground to-day, and anoth-
er may be excluded on the opposite ground
Tomorrow. Northern ascendancy may
exclude Southern States from one Con-
gress the ascendancy Of western or of
southern interests, or Of both combined,
may exclude the northern or the eastern
States from the next Improbable as such
usurpations may seem, the establishment
of the principles now asserted and acted
upon by Congress will render them by no
means impossible The character. indeed
the very existence Of Congress and the
Union is thus made dependent solely and
entirely upon the party and exigencies of
lorbearances Of the hour.
We need not stop to show that such ac-
ton not only finds no warrant in the Con-
stitution, but is at war with every princi-
PIE Of our Government, and with the very
existence of free institutions L. is, in
deed, the identical practice which has rem
dcred f.uitless all attempts hitherto to es>
tablish and maintain free governments in
Mexico and the States Of South America.
Party necessities assert themselves as Su>
peror to the fundamental law, which is set
aside in reckless obedience TO their bchcsts.
Stability, whether in the exercise Of power,
in the administration OF government, or IN
the enjoyment Of rights, becomes impossi-
Bile and the conflicts OF party, which, un.
der constitutional governments, are the
conditions and means Of political progress,
are merged in the conflicts ofarms to which
they directly and inevitably tend
1t was against this peril, SO conspicuous
and 50 fatal to ell free governments, that
our Constitution was intended especially
to provide. Not only the stability, but
the very existence of the Government is
made by It's provisions to depend upon the
right and the fact OF representation.
RIGHT OF REPRESENTATION.
The Congress. upon which is conferred
all the legislative power Of the National
Government. consists of two branches, the
Senate and House Of Representative;
whose Joint concurrence or assent is essen>
tial to the validity of any law. OF these,
the House of Representatives, says the
Constitution, (article |, section >. "shall
De composed OF members chosen every
second year by the people Of the several
States" Not only is the ri sht Of repre-
sen.ation thus reco gnizel as possessed by
al the States, and by every State without
restriction, qualification or condition Of any
kind. but the duty Of choosing reTresenta>
tives is imposed upon the people Of each
and every State alike, without distinction.
or the authority to make distinctions among
them, for any reason or upon any grounds
whatever. Aud in the Senate, SO careful
is the Constitution to secure to every State
this right of Representations il is expressly
provided that ''nr State shall, without It's
consent, be deprived Of its equal suffrage"
in that body. even by an amendment ofthe
I
State IS excluded from such representation
not only is 4 right Of the State lcnicd, but
the constitutional integrity Of the Senate
is Impaired, and the validity Of the Gov,
ernment Itself is brought in question:
But Congress at the present moment thus
excludes from representation. IN both
branche. OF Congress, ten States Of the
Il. Il
actment of laws by which they are to be
covered. and all participation in the cleo
ton OF the rulers by which those laws are
to be eniorces In other words, Con
gress in which only twenty.six States are
represented, asserts the right to govern
absolutely and in its own discretion, all
the thirty-six States which compose the
Union-to make their laws and choose their
rulers. and to exclude the other ten from
all share in their own government until it
sees fit to admit them thereto. " hat is
there to distinguish the power thus asserted
and exercised from the most absolute and
iatoI cradle tyranny?
PRIVILEGE, OF CITIZENSHIP RESTORED.
t. Nor Go these extravaoan aud unjust
claims on the part of Congress to powers
and authority never conferred upon the
Government by the Constitution find any
warrant N the ARGUMENTS or excuses urged
on their behalf 1t is allcgei,
First, That these States, by the act of
rebellion and by voluntarily withdrawing
their members from Congress forfeited
their right Of representation, and that
they can only receive it again at the hands
OF the supreme legislative authority of the
Government, on its own terms and at its
own discretion. Ii representation ia Con-
gress and participation in the Government
were simply privileges conferred and held
by favor, this statement might have the
merit Of plausibilitY. But representation
is under the Constitution not only ex-
prcssly recognized as a right, but it is im>
posed as duty; and it is essential in both
aspects to the existence of the Govern
ment and to the maintenance of its aus
thority. In free government fundamental
and essential rights cannot be forfeited
excent aUainst individu,ls bv dpo nrco,.cs