The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-08-29
HILLsBoRoUGH, N. c., AUGUST 20, 1866

Northern ascendancy may exclude South.
ern States from one Congress--the ascen.
dancy 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 principle
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 sectional exigencies or lorbear.
ances 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-
Pile Of our government, and with the very
existence Of free Institutions. II is, in
deed. the identical practice which has rem
dered fruitless all attempts hitherto to es-
tablish and maintain free governments in
Mexico and the States Of South America.
Party necessities assert themselves as SUI
perior to the fundamental law, which is set
aside in reckless obedience to their behests.
Stability, whether in the exercise Of power,
in the administration of government, or
in the enjoyment Of rights, becomes impos-
sible; and the conflicts Of party, which.
under constitutional governments, are the
conditions and means Of political progress,
are merged in the conflict OF arms to whicl,
they directly and inevitably tend.
| II was against this peril, so conspicuous
and so fatal to all free governments, that
our Constitution was intended especially to
provide. Not only the stability, but the
very existence Of the Government is made
by its provisions to depend upon the right
and the fact of representation. The Con-
gress, upon which is conferred all the le-
gislative power OF the National Govern.
ment, consists Of two branches, the Senate
and House Of Representatives. whose joint
concurrence is essential to the vitality of
any law. OF these, the House Of Repre-.
sentatives, says the Constitution, (article
/, section 2, !" shall be composed of mem-
bers chosen every second year by the peo-
pie of the seversl States" Not only is the
right of representation thus recognized as
possessed BY all the States, and by every
State without restriction, qualification or
condition Of any kind, but the duty of
choosing representatives is imposed upon
the people Of each and every State alike,
without distinction, or the Authority TO
make distinctions among them for any rea-
son or upon any grounds whatever. And
i in the Senate, so careful is the Constitu-
,ion to secure to every State this right Of
representation, il is expressly provided
that mo State shall, without its consent,
be deprived Of its equal suffrage" in that
Z body, even by an amendment of the Con-
stitution itself. When, therefore, any State
i is excluded from such representation, not
only IS a right of the State denied, but The
constitutional integrity Of the Senate is
i impaired, and the validity Of the Govern
ment itself il brought in question. But
Congress at The present moment thus ex-
cludes from representation, in both branch
es Of Congress, ten States Of the Union,
DENYING them all share in the enactment
of laws by which they ate to oe governed, ],
and all participation in the election Of the
/ rulers by which those laws are 10 be en-
II forced. In other words, a Congress in
which only twenty six states are represent
ed, asserts Il right to govern, absolstely
and in its own discretion, all the thirts. 81 K
States which compose the Union--to make
their laws and choose their rulers, and to
exclude the other ten from oil share in their
own government until IL sees fit 10 admit
them thereto. What IL there 20 distinguish
The power thus asserted and exercised from
the most absolute and intolerable tyranny!
j Nv. Nor do these extravagant and un-
Just claims on the part OF Congress to pow
ers and authority never conferred upon the
Government by the Constitution, lind any
warran, in the arguments or excuses urged
on their behalf. Ii is alleged.
i First, That these States. BY the act ol
|. rebellion and by voluntarily withdrawing
their members from Congress. forfeited