The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-07-03
CoUDERsPoRT POTTER COUNTY Pa, TUESDAY JULY g. 1866

within which period the rebel armies be-
sieged the National Capital, invaded the
loyal States. burned their towns and cities,
robbed their citizens, destroyed more than
two hundred and 6fty thousand loyal
soldiers, andimposed anincreased national
burden of not less than S3, ,500,000,000
of which seven or eight hundred millions
have already been met and paid. From
the time these Confederate States thus
withdrew from their representation In
| Congaess, and levied war against the
United States, the great mass Of their
people became and were insurgents, trail
tors. and all of them assumed and occu-
pied the political, legal aud practical re-
lation Of enemies of the United States
This position is established by acts of
! Congress aud judicial decisions, and is
recognized repeatedly By the President in
public proclamations, documents and
speeches.
2 The States thus confederated pro-
secuted their war against the United States
to fnal arbtrameut, and did not cease
until ali their armies were captured, :heir
military power destroyed, their civil off,
GERS, State aud Confederate, taken pris-
ouers or put to flight, every vestigo Of
State and Confederate Government oblit,
Grated, their territory ovorrun and occu-
pied by the Fe0eral armies, aud their
people reduced to the condition of enemies
conquered in war, entitled only by public
law to such rights, privileges and condi-
tions as might be vouchsafed by the con-
qrerer This position is also established
by judicial decisions, and ls recognized
by the President in public proG!amations,
documents and speeches.
! 8. Having Voluntarily deprived them
selves of representation in Congress, for
the criminal purposes Of destroying the
Federal Union, and having reduced them
selves, by the act CT levying war, to the
condition Of public enemies, they have no
right to complain Of temporary exclusion
FROM Congress ; but, on the contrary, hav-
ing Voluntarily renounced their right to
representation, aud disqualified themselves
b. crime from participating 10 the Gov
ernment, the burden now rests upon them,
before claiming to be reinstated in their
/ former condition, 20 show that they are
QUALIFIED to resume Federal relations. In
order to DO this, they must prove that
they have established, with the consent
: of the people, republican forms of govern
ment, in harmony with the Constitution
and laws of the United States; that old
hostile purposes having ceased ,and should
give adequate guarantees against future
treason and rebellion, which will prove
satisfactory to the Government against
which they have rebelled, and By whose
arms they were subdued.
4. Having by this reasonable with
drawal from Congress. and by fragrant
rebellion and war, forfeited all civil and
political rights and privileges under the
Federal Constitution, they can only be re-
stored thereto, BY the permission and au-
thority Of that constitutional power against
which they have rebeIled, and by which
they were sublued.
5. These rebellious armies were con-
querod by the people Of the United States,
acting through all the coordinate branches
Of the Government, and not by the Ex-
ecutive department alone. The powers
of Congress are not so vested in the Pres
ideut that be can FIX and regulate the
terms of settlement, and confer Congress
sionaI representation upon conquered reb,
els and traitors, nor can he in any way
qualify enemies of the Government to
exercise its law-making power. The au-
/ thority % restore rebels to political power
in the Federal Government can be exer.
cised only with the concurrence Of al the
departments in which political bower is
vested, and hence the several proclama-
nations Of the President TO the people Of
the Confederate States cannot be consid
cred as extending beyond the purposes
declared, and can only be regarded as pro.
visional permission BY the Commauder-in.
Chief Of the army to do certain acts, the
validity whereof is 10 De determined by
the Constitutional Government, and not
solely by the Executive power.
/ 6. The question before Congress is,
then, whether conquered enemies have
the right, and shall be permitted, at their
own pleasure, aud on their own terms, 10
participate in making laws for their con-
querOrs whether conquered rebels may
change their theatre of operations from
/ the battlefield, where they were defeated
and overthrowc, to the halls of Congress,
and their representatives seize the Gov
ernment which they sought to destroy :.
whether the National Treasury, the army
of the nation, its navy, its forts and arse
nails, its whole civil administrations, its
credits, its pensioners, the widows and
orphans of these who perished in the war
the public honor, peace and safety, shall
be turned over to the keeping fits recent
Il D l.