The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-05-22

| ed in other respects. with the assent of
three fuurths OF the States, in this respect
it shall not be amended without the
assent of all the States. But why point
only to the eastern States to illustrate the
inequality of senatorial representation !?
The best illustration of it is not to found
there. The population of these States
is 8, l35, 1884. In tie South you can fud
smaller population with larger repre-.
scntation in the Senate. The population
Of Arkansas. Texas, Florida, South Caro-
lima, West Virginia, Maryland, and Della
ware is only 3,032,76l. Here are seven
States with more than !, 00,000less pop
ulation than the six eastern States. one
third of tha. being negroes, with fourteen
Senators, two more than New England.
Why did not the gentlemen make bis
point on these States! Was it because
the eastern States are free aud loyal aud
the others were slavehOldng, and in part
disloyal? and why, just 10 this connec-
ton, dQes he complain that b0unties are
paid for catching fish? be never complained
when higher bounties were paid for catch
ing men and women for the southern mar
ket. These are the old complaints of the
South, warmed over, in anticipation of its
return, grOundless, no doubt, but if ever
SO just, furnishing 20 good excuse for al
loving to the complainauts a twofoldTep-
resentation 10 his House.
0aee more we are reminded that taxa
ton anu representation should &C together.
Truo, sir, but that would not entitle them
to a double representation, nor deprive
Congress of a reasonable tune for deliber-
alton as to the extent of tie right and the
best mode of scoring it. But if it is
meant that they are entitled on the score
Of taxation 10 instantaneous, unconditional
and disproportionate representation i mnst
beg leave to inquire, where are the im-
mense taxes paid by them, upon Which to
base such extraordinary claims! The
loyal people OF the country have been
paying burdensOme taxes, a million per
day, imposed by their misconduct, but
when and where have they paid taxes !?
For the last FIVE years they have paid none
and the amount they are just now begin
Mug to pay is too triaing for argument
If the right of representation could be
acquired by imposing taxes upon others or
by robbery of the Government, their
claim would be indisputable. They rob-
bed the southern post offices of money,
stamps, and mails; the arsenaIs aud mil.
tary aud naval depotS of ammunition, ,arms
and clothing; the custom houses and SUBJ
Treasures of goods, bonds, and money !;
and the New Orleans mint of 100000
ia gold, and have never made restitution.
But they have paid very few taxes, and
long before they will be called upon to do
so fair and adequate representation will
be accorded them.
But they have still another argument
the one relied upon when all others fail,
their refuge from discontinue in every
other field of debate-and that is what
they call the constitutional Argument
When they find themselves unable to
maintain 10 discussion the propriety of
allowing the dsloyal population twofold
representation, the half to represent them
selves and ihe other half to misrepre>ent
the loyal people, white and black, in their
midst; when they can no longer screen
themselves behind the "Presidents poll
cy," words of indefinite meaning; when
their aspersion upon our motives is repelled
by showing that they have as strong patty
interest in forming an alliance with the
rebels as we possibly can have in trying
to prevent it; when their taxation theory
is demolished by report from the Score
tary of the Treasury, they fall back upon
the constitutional right OF States to repre-
sentation. They will retreat no further
This is their las; ditch in debate. And
here,
''In Dixie's land
They take their stand.
To live or die for Dixie"
Mr.. Speaker, We are in an anomalous
condition.. The Constitution does not es-
pecially provide Tor difficulties with which
we are surrounded. Our fathers could
not believe that so large portion of the
American people could be so barbarized
by slavery as to undertake such stipend.
Gus crime. They did not provide for what
they could not foresee. There are no
precedents on Gle to guide US. This is |
the first disunion rebellion. Ours will be
the first precedent in reconstruction, and
the last-only if it is justly and wisely
made. There are objections, plausible or
otherwise, to every theory that has been
or can be advanced as to the status of
these States. My colleague Mr. STE
vENs] suggested that their present po-
sition was very much like that of Califor-
MIA after the Mexican war. A score or
more of speeches have been made to show
that there are objections to this theory
The gentleman from Ohio Mr.. SHELBAR