Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-04-27

that twenty-five loyal States, which have
stood by this Union, and by the Gonstitu-
ton, arc to be deprieyed of their rights to
legislate2 If the reason assigned is a good
one now, it has been good one all the time
for the last five years. IF the fact that some
States have rebelled against the Govern
ment is TO take from the Government the
right to legislate, then the criminal IS to
take advantage Of his crime, the innocent
are to be punished for the guilty.
THE RECENT PROCLAMATION.
/ Within few days, the President has is
sued a proclamation, not Of peace as the
/ Senator from Nevada Mr.. Stewart seemed
to suppose not a proclamation declaring
that the Rebellion is over, but that In eeF-
tain States il is over. The President does
not tell us that Texas, one of the States
that were in Rebellion, is il a condition to
be represented here. And, if we are to
wait for these eleven States, before legisla-
ting, must we not wait for Texas? The
same principle would require us to wait for
| Texas as for the others? and she has not
reorganized any form of government. Those
States which have undertaken toreorganize
have not yet been recognized as having a
republican form Of government, emitting
them to representation. The Representa-
!
fresh from the rebel Congress, or from the
rebel armies, men who could not take the
requisite oath to entitle them to admission
to seats. Are we to abstain from all neces-
| sary legislation for the nation until these
| States shall be admitted to representation,
which, as organized, refuse to send Repre-
seEtatives entitled to admission, and insist
on thrusting into Congress men whose hands
! are dripping with the blood of loyal men ?
| Is the Vice President Of the rebel Confede-
racy, is his colleague, one Of the Senators
in the rebel Congress, to come here TO legis-
late for the loyal people Of this country
| Are the men who organized a government
that carried on four years war against us,
las the result of which this nation has had
to spend more than three thousand million
dollars, and as a consequence of which,
more than quarter Of million of patriotic
heroes have laid down their lives upon the
battle field and in army hospitals, are those
men to come here to legislate for the loyal
people Of this country? Sir, States can
only be represented through State organiza-
tions. The members Of this body can only
he elected by State Legislatures. Members
of the other house can only be elected in
pursuance of State laws. Hence, as pre-
liminary to any representation Of State in
either house of Congress, it must first be
determined whether there is a State govern
ment; whether there is a State Legislature
having authority TO elect Senators, Having
authority to provide laws under which Rep
rcsentatiyes may be elected. There certain
ly was time when there were no such leg
islatures IN any Of these eleven States ;
there was a time when the only organized
government in any Of them was hostile to
the United States; when every officer in it
! had abjured his allegiance to the United
/ States, and sworn allegiance to a govern
ment hostile thereto VIII anybody pre-
tend that while the State Government was
in such hands, it was entitled to representa-
tion in either house Of Congress? If not,
shall we not inquire whether it has passed
out of such hands, and into the hands OF
loyal men? And who but Congress IS COM
petent to make this inquiry? Mr.. Lincoln
i in the last speech he ever made, alluding to
his plan Of reconstruction, said i distinctly
stated that this was not the only plan which
might possibly be acceptable; and also /
distinctly protested that The E.recutiye claim
cd no rtgit to sag icbeR or 1chether members
should be admitted to seats III Congress from
such States. "
Sir, this proposition, that no bill is to be
passed because certain States are unrepre-
| sented when it is their own fault that they
are unrepresented, would, if sanctioned aud
acted upon, be utterly destructive Of the
4 Government.
FOREIGNERS, CHINESE, GYPSIES.
But the President tells US that the bill, in
effect, proposes a discrimination against
large numbers Of intelligent, worthy, and
i patriotic foreigners, and in favor of the ne
gro. Is that true? What is the bill? 1t
declares there shall be no distinction in civil
rights, between any other race, or color,
and the white race. 1t declares that there
shall be no different punishment inflicted
on colored man, in consequence Of bis col
or. than that which is inflicted on whit e
man for the same offence Is that discrimi-
nation in favor Of the negro, and against the
foreigner,-a bill, the only effect Of which
is to preserve equality of rights?
But perhaps it may De replied to this that
the bill proposes to maze citizen of every
person born in the United States and,
therefore, it discriminates in that respect
against the foreigner. Not so foreigners
are all upon the same footing, whether
black or white The white child, who is
born in the United States citizen, is not
to be presumed at its birth to be the equal
intellectually with The worthy, intelligent,
and patriotic foreigner who emigrates to this
country, and, as is suggested by q senator
behind me, even the infant child of for
eigner born in this land is citizen of the
United States long before his father. Is
this, therefore, discrimination against for
| eigners?
The President also has an objection to the
making citizens Of Chinese and Gypsies. [
am told that but few Chinese are born in
this country, and where the Gypsies are
born | never knew. (Laughter) Like
Topsy, it is questionable whether they were
born at all, ''but just come. Laughter.
But, sir, perhaps the best answer to this
objection, that the bill proposes TO make
citizens of Chinese and Gypsies and this
reference to foreigners, is to be found in a
speech delivered in this body by a Senator
occupying, think, the seat now occupied
across the chamber by my friend from Ore
gon Mr.. Williams), less than six years ago,
in reply to message sent TO this body by Mr..
Buchanan, the then President Of the United
States, returning with his objections what
was known as the Homestead Bill. On
that occasion, the Senator to whom | allude
said, But this idea about poor foreigners,
somehow or other, bewilders and haunts the
imagination Of a great many. / am con
strained to say that | look upon this obiec-
ton to the bill as a mere qulbble ON the part
of the President, and as being hard pressed
for some excuse in Withholding his approval
of the measure; and his aliusion to foreign
ers in this connection looks to me more like
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