The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-12-12

of the National Legislature
1t is true. it has been assumed that the
existence Of the States WAS terminated by
the rebelious acts OF their inhabi ants,
and that the insurrecti"n having beet
suppressed, they were theuceforwatd' TO
he considered merely Ms conquered terri
tories. The lie isstive, Executive, aud
Judicial Departments of the government
have. however, with great distinciness
and uuiform consistency. refused to sane
,ion An assumption So incompatible with
the nature Of our republican system, and
With the professed objects Of the war
Throughout the recent legislation of Con
gress, the uodeniable fact makes itself ap.
parent. that these ten political connuni
ties are uo'hing less than State. nf shis
Unlon. Al the very commencement OF
the rebellion, each House DECLARED, with
onanimity ~ remarkable as it Was sig.
nlhcan', that the war was not "wagel,
upon our port, IN any spi,lt of "ppress,on
noe for any purpose Of conquest or sul il
CATION, nor pTp"se "f ov-rthrowiug or
interfering with the rlghls or established
! institutions OF those Sin'.s. bot 10 def.nh
aud m,utain the supremacy Of t"e Con
s,ituion aud sl! laws nnde in pursuance
| thereof, and 10 preserve the Uuiun with
all the dignity, equality aud rights of the
severs; States ununpaireh; and that IA
soon No tLcse objects" were accomplish
ed the war ought to Cease"
Ia some ,n>tsnces, SauAiors were per
mitted /" continue their l-g,i uive fuuc,
| ti"ns, while in other instances Reprsses
| ta,vps wers elec'e ell and admitted to seats
| after their State had Formally declared
their night to Withdraw from the Umiun
and were enleaVoring To MAINTAIN tina,
right by force of arms All of the Sts,es
whose people we're in insutrect,nn, AS
States, were included iu the apporiion.
ment Of the direct tax OF twenty millions
Of dollars annually isrd upon the United
States 10y the act approved 5th Angus,
1861. Congress, by The &C, "f March 4,h
| 1862, and by the "ppDrtonment uf repre-
seut.,ion hereunder, also rec"yuiz- ii the'r
presence rs S'a,es in the Umon aud
they have, for Judicial purposes. been d
| vlded into districts. ns States alone can
be divided. rns same rec ignition ap
pears in the rec.n, legislainu in reference
tn Tennessee, which evidently rr~ts upon
| the fact that the tuncti"n, of tEa States
! we're not d"s''oved hv the r-brlh IN, but
mersl suspended; aud that principal is
Of course applicable /" those States which.
Ike Tennrsses, attempted TO renounce
their places IN the u n,on.
,h
-menr of the Govoromant upon this sub.
ject has been equally defnits aud uniform,
aud the purpose Of the war WAS spec,H ,si
y stated il the Proclsma inu issusd hy
NV pr"hscs..or on the 22ri dAv of : -
,emh-r. 1882 II wa. thgn soemuIv pro.
claimel and declared that "hrreaf,sr, as
heretofore, the war will bs pr"-s.u'-d tor
tho subject of practically restoring the
constitutional reia ION bet e.n lh. United
States An! each 81 the STATE. and the
people thereof, IN which States that r.Ia,
ton ia or may bssusp-nisd or disturbed"
The recognition Of the States bv The
Juiicrsl Department OF the Government
has also been clear ard conclusive in all
proceedings affecting them Ms Safes. had
in ths Supreme Cpurr, and Dl>rrict Courts
In the sdnlssIon of Srn,tors AID R-ps
reSen;a,lv-s from any and AL the StLes
there can hs nn nat ground OF sppr-hen.
sion thai parsons Who are dis oval Will To-"
clothed with The power Of leg station fnr
this could not happen when tn" Cnns,I,u
,inn and the laws are enforced hy vryi
liant aud faithful Congress. Each House
is made the Judge of the elections, re
turns, aud qualifications Of its own mem
bsrs," AMI NAV. with tn concurrence uf
twouhirds. expel a member When y
Senator or Representative presents his
certificate Of election. he may NJ o"ce hr
admitted "r rej-cEed or, shonli there he
anv question ~ TO his ehgib,litv. hra ere
den,als may b. referred f,s invrs,iyarion
To the appropriate committee. II atnit
ted TO seat, Il .ust H. npon evidence
! satisfactory to the House Of which ha
| thus b.rome. msmher, that he possesses
| the reqnisit constitutional and legal Qrsi.
icalons. Il refuse! admission rs - msm
Der fo, want Of due al'-g ance tn the GOV.
eminent. and returned to- his constituents.
they are sdmo"ishsI that none hut per
SONS Iowa 10 the United STATES will he
allowed y voice in the Legislative Counr
ellis Of the Nation, and the p"li,ics' power
aud rn"rsl influences Of Congress are thus
effectively eYertsa IN the interests Of lov
| atty 10 .hs Governmsn, and a,ieiiy 10 tbs
Union. Upon this qnrs'i.o. so VjtalIy
affecting the restorsrios ofthe Union and
the rsrrssnency Of our present form of
Government. my convictions. heretofore
expressed, have Undergone 40 change :;
but, on the contrary, their correctness b -
been conarmed by reflection and tias-
II the admission of ioysl memhsrs TO seats
IN the respective Houses Of Congress vas
wise and expediss' year ngo. !, is ~
sss viSe and sxosJisnt nov. " this
ancmaIans coa iiton 10 right now-it in
the exact conditions Of tI-se States y, the
p'ss'st time, j, is la~iut 20 excIud. ,hsu
from repressn tatinn. | do not see rhs, the
9ns.tios wit bs changed by tho efiux of
I