Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-08-29


State shall without its consent be de-
prived ofits equal suffragein the SEN
ate of the United States has been
annulled, and ten States have beenre-
fused, and are still reused, represen-
tation altogether in both branches of
the Federal Congress. And the Con-
gress in which only part ofthe States
and of the people Of the Union are
represented has asserted the right
thus to exclude the rest from repre-
sentation, and from all share in maxi
ing their own laws or choosing their
own rulers until they shall comply
with such conditions and perform such
acts as this Congress, thus composed,
may itself prescribe
That right has not only been as
serted, but it has been exercised, and
is practically enforced at the present
time. Nor does it find any support
in the theory that the States thus ex-
cluded are in rebellion against the
Government, and are therefore pre-
cuded from sharing its authority.
They are not thus in rebellion. They
are one and all in an attitude of loyalty
towards the Government, and ofsworn
allegiance TO the Constitution of the
United States. In no one Of them is
there the slightest indication of re-
sistance to this authority, or the
slightest protest against its just and
binding obligation This condition Of
renewed loyalty has been officially
recognized by solemn proclamation of
the Executive department The laws
of the United States have been ex-
tended by Congress- all over ,hese
States and the people thereof Fed
eral courts have been rcopened, and
Federal taxes imposed and levied, and
in every respect, except that they are
denied representation in Congress and
the Electoral College, the States oncein
rebellion are recognized as holding the
same position; as owing the same OBJ
legations and subject to the same du-
ties as the other States Of our common
lUnion
UNRESTRICTED REPRESENTATION NEcEs-
GARY.
IL seems to us, in the exercise of the
calmest and most candid Judgment we
lean bring to the subject, that such a
claim, so enforced, involves as fatal
an overthrow of the authority of the
Constitution, and rs complete a des.
struction of the Government and
Union, as that which was sought to
be effected by the States and people
in armed insurrection against them
both. 1t cannot escape observation
that the power thus asserted to ex-
clude certain States from representa-.
ton is made to rest wholly in the
will and discretion of the Congress
that asserts it. 1t is not made TO de-
pend upon any specified conditions Of
, circumstances, nor to be subject tc
any rules or regulations whatever
The right asserted and exercised il
) absolute, without qualification or re
striction, not confined TO States in re
bellion, nor to States that have REBEL
+ ed it is the right Of any Congress il
. formal possession of legislative au
r thority to exclude any State or States
r and any portion of the people thereof
: at any time, from representation il
S Congress- and in the Electoral College
D at its own discretion and until the,
r shall perform such acts and compl,
! with such conditions as it may dictate
c Obviously, the reasons for such eN
clusion being wholly within the dis
Y cretion of Congress, may change a
i the Congress itself shall change. On
If Congress may exclude State from a
s share in the Government for one res
h son and, that reason removed, th
}, next Congress may exclude 1t 10
o another One State may be exclude
on one ground to-day, and anothe
may be excluded on the opposit
n ground tomorrow. Northern ascent
J. ancy may exclude Southern State
e from one Congress-the ascendanc
J. of Western or of Southern interest
o or of both combined, may exclude til
Northern or the Eastern States frol
4 the next. Improbable as such usu
d pations may seem, the cstablishmeI
D. Of the principle now asserted and a.
d ted upon by Congress, will rend'
n them by no means impossible III
4 Congress and the Union is made d
s. pendent solely and entirely upon Il
ID party and sectional exigencies or 70
10 bearance of the hour.
Weneed not stop to show that SUI
action not only finds no warrant in d
IS Constitution, but is at war with eve
n principle of our Government, and wi
n. the very existence of free institution
W It IS, indeed, the identical practi
y which has rendered fruitless all !
r. tempts hitherto to establish and mai
of tain free governments in Mexico al
ht the States of South america Par
Is, necessities assert themselves as sup'
'ct ior 10 the fundamental law, which
ht - o.,I =, ,.ool- laco nbodianoo fa fh,