Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-12-13

STATES hau FORMALLY declared tnelr
right to withdraw from the Union,
and were endeayoring to maintain
that right by force of arms.
All of the States whose people
were in Instruction, as States,
were included in the apportion-
ment of the direct tax of twenty
millions of dollars annually laid
upon the United States by the act
approved 9Th August, 1861. Con-
gress, by the act of March 4, 1862,
and by the apportionment Of rep
resentation hereunder, also recog-
nized their presence as States i'll
the Union; and they have, for ju-
dicial purposes, been divided into
districts, as States alone can be d.
vided. The same recognition APP
pears in the recent legislation in
reference to Tennessee, which evil
IDENTIFY rests upon the fact that the
functions of the State were not de-
stroyed by the rebellion, but mere
ly suspended, and that principle is
of course applicable to those States
which, like Tennessee, attempted
to renounce their places in the I'm
ion.
The action of the Executive
Department of the Government
upon this subject has been equally
definite and uniform, and the pur-
pose of the war was specifically
stated in the proclamation issued
by my predecessor Oh the 22nd
day of September, 1862. 1t was
then solemnly proclaimed and de-
clared that thereafter, as hereto
fore, the war will be prosecuted for
the object of practically restoring
the constitutional relation between
the United States and each of the
States and the people thereof, in
which States that relation is or
may be suspended or disturbed"
The recognition of the States
by the Judicial Department of the
Government has also been clear
and conclusive in all proceedings
affecting them as States, had in
the Supreme, Circuit, and Dis
trict Courts.
In the admission of Senators
and Representatives from any and
all of the States, there can be no
just ground Of apprehension that
persons who are disloyal will be
clothed with the powers of legis-
lation; for this could not happen
when the Constitution and laws
are enforced. by a vigilant and
faithful Congress. Each House
is made the Judge of the elections,
returns and qualifications of its
own members" and may, with
the concurrence of two-thirds, eX-
pei a member" When a Senator
or Representative presents his GER
tifcate of election, he may be at
once admitted or rejected; or,
should there he any question as
to his eligibility, his credentials
may be referred for investigation
to the appropriate committee.
If admitted to a seat, it must be
upon evidence satisfactory to the
House of which he thus becomes
a member, that he possesses the
constitutional and legal
qualifications. If refused admis-
sion as member for want of due
to the Government, and
to his constituents, they
are admonished that none but per-
sons loyal to the United States
will be allowed voice in the Leg
Councils of the Nation,
and the political power and moral
influence of Congress are thus eff
fectively exerted in the interests
of loyalty to the Government and
fidelity TO The Union.
Upon this question, so vitality
the restoration of the u
Mon and the permanency Of our
present form of government, my
heretofore expressed,
have undergone no change; but,
Oh the contrary, their correctness
has been confirmed by reflection
and time. If the admission of /
loyal members to seats in the re-
spective Houses of Congress was
wise and expedient year ago, it is /
no less wise and expedientnow. If
this anomalous condition is right
now-if, in the exact condition of
these States at the present time, it
IS lawful to exclude them from rep
resentation, | do not see that the
question will be changed by the
r = II