The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-03-28

/ for the purpose Of "a government. create the
State, and breathe the breath OF life INTO it.
They part with portion Of the sovereignty
Inherent in them, and invest IL in tue au-
thOrity Of the State. But still il is not q
State until Congress, by the powers gran
ted them by the Constitution admit it into
the Union, with all the rights Of States al
ready in the Union. When thus admitted,
The people Of that state, and the State
Itself, by the powers conferred upon it by
the people, Acknowledged iealty to the
Union. When thus admitted, a State yiO-
lated its rights as u State, when il ceased
10 exercise the functions for which IL was
organized, or 70 divert and pcry,d them
from the support OF the government When
It no longer exercised iealty 20 the govern
ment, 1t fOrieits the sovereignty with which
the people invested il, and the s0vereionf,
returned to be exercised anew Yet it is
said, if this principle be true the Union
IS dissolved, and 1t is also asserted that Con
grcss desires to keep the rebel States out of
the Union while the President desires to re-
store that government, aud those rights
which they had forfeited by rebellion This
was not true. Our Union, composed Of the
states, was as much an individuality and
nationality, as Great Britain or any other
country. The original confederation was
one Oh thirteen states, but when organized
into Union, il assumed and became en-
titled TO the general government of the peo-
pie This was done by the people, aud the
Constitution acknowledges this in It's pre-
amble: We the people uf tie United
States in order to form a more perfect
Union. establish justice, ,,c, 10 Ordain this /
Constitution Of the United States OF Ameri- /
ca The Constitution was established bv /
the people through the machinery of gov
eminent which then existed Was the
! mon thus established less "A nationality +
with II States than with 30 states, or any /
more Of a nationality with the present mum /
Der Of States than with the original thir-
teen. This nationality cannot be blotted
out, SO long as any of the States adhere to
tbs provisions Of the original compact. II
the people Of Michigan should cease to OK
erclse the elective franchise, OF to send
senators or Representatives to Washington.
would il dissolve the Union, or impair our
nationality Nor wOuld il dissolve the
| mon, II one or eleven States opposed or
made war upon the general government.
The speaker did not subscribe To the doc
trine that the rebel states had gone ont of
the Union. They had destroyed the civil
os'-ornfnnnt which twisted under. tho Con
stltution, but We're no less States. The
people OF these States no less owed allesi-
ance to the government, and to the Consti-
tuition which they had created \ terrific
~ adopts the laws OF State. aud puts
all the machinery of a State into operation.
All that was wanting was tine enabling :
act OF Congress. But was il a state until u
Congress thus recognized IT, and until II e
had agreed and adopted the terms made by !
Congress When once admitted how could "
II dissolve the compact \ State of the =
| MON out OF the Union. Ii was a contra 3
dictiOn OF terms. \ State out of the Union q
was no state When in the Union il was u
the people of the State who were subject to u
the laws of the general government: that
is the material OF which States are made Il
The war had not taken the states out of '
the Union. Il had destroyed the civil gov '
eminent of the State. How should this ''
government be restored "'
All civil government being DESTROYED
'cpuolican form ct government must be -
10 guaranteed los the UnHe} suites" accor- 81
hing TO the Constitution Art. I. See 4 ''
Mat was the United States Not the 'll
resident. not Congress not the Supreme ~
'ourt, but altogether; the Executive. the vi
legislative and the Judicial powers These IL
ogether constituted the United States. ''u
lere was the issue between Congress and -
he President BY Art /, Sec l. which Su
eclares that "all legislative powers here 'o
granted shall be vested in a Congress Of 'o'
he United States, which shall consist OF a po
enate and House of Representatives. " 'a
] power TO guaranty civil government 10 ur
iates where it had been destroyed, was la
asted IN Congress. The Executive power. nee
le power 10 enforce the laws made bv ITO
ongress was vested with the President by y"
'ction l, article 2d, Of the Constitution IN
y the second section of that article, the II
resident was made COmmander-in-Chiet AN
the armies. had power TO reprieve and WA
irdOn criminals, TO make treaties bv and c4-
th the advice and consent of the Senate. Tue
ovi5ed tvo-tbir,ls of no c,,,,.r-, - ma
I'd to nominate by and with the advice 9o'
ID consent Of the Senate, Ambassadors.
d other public ministers, Consuls, Judges ~
the supreme Court, and other officers of
e United States. and during the recess of liel
e Senate to fill any vacancies. whose
shall expire upon the meeting aus
the Senate; that is. if the appointments oei'
lde during such recess should not meet 'ho'
, approval of the Senate, he would be SAFE
liged 10 make new nominations. The
IT powers Of the President as Comman- lu7
extended no further than the are
llugation of the rebel armed force. and '9su
Vernment of the country, until civil gov CEN
-ment could be restored by Congress-. sup
re was the issue. The President having Ian
power rs the Executive to organize don'
Fernment, had, rs ommander-ln-Chief But
the armies. assumed a power not con- Die
rel upon him by the Constitution. and De ID
which belonged alone tC Congress. II read
prociamations appointing Provisional vert
vernors, he had exceeded the powers con OF G.
red upon him Is COmmander-in-Chief cleo
all his prOclamations he had stated that pays
the Sc purpose Of organizing civil gov such
ment, l Andrew Johnson, President Of in
United States and Commander-in-Chiefb by ?
he Army and Navy, sc, do ordain, " in plac
Mt Of fact assuming to confer upon the Il
'ple OF the rebellious States enabling road
"ers TO organize civil government, where as Al
he exists. a power purely Legislative iugs
President assumes in his own person pert
pc The United States" This Constitu- "
aal question was one issue between the tire.
II Mt md ono