Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1866-02-16
PUBLISHED = By
EDGAR SNO \1EN, SR
@r OFF, -GAzErrA IILD1Ne, Prince
street. near t- Ak.
John M. Bolts on Reconstruction

Is John NJ. Bolts on Reconstruction
A publication has appeared, from the pen
If Hon. John Minor Bolts, of Va, entitled
"a Few Plain Political Axioms, that cannot
he successfully disputed or denied, and which
seems to solve the perplexedr problem OF the
status Of the States, and the people OF the
States, lately in rebellion against the authority
:nftte United States. The points he makes
NAV be thus stated:
The right of secession is not only not author
,ized but is expressly forbidden by the Constl
tution 1t follows that all ordinances OF seces-
sion adopted by the States lately in rebellion
were null and void in law, and therefore no
State has been out of the Union.
The right Of expatriatiou, however, has never
been denied to the people OF this country, and
wh;jst u,ii thew could not take State out of the
JInion. the citizens of the rebellious States
could take themselves out at pleasure,
either individually or collectively. Nor can 1t
he disputed that the late Confederate States
did for four wears constitute government de
,facto,' and it follows that all who assisted IN
creating it, Dy voting in convention Ter an ordl-
nance Of secession or signing the same, or VINO
took the oath of allegiance to or held office,
civil or military, under the said de tacto
government, which Offices could only be held
nv citizens of a government then hostile to and
AT war with the u. S. thereby alienated them
selves from the Government and are therefore
aliens and can only be restored to citizenship
through the established laws Of naturalization.
5 These being the consequences OF secession,
4it follows that the functions ct government
in those States lately in rebellion, have been
suspended and that these State governments
con only be restored through the action OF the
laW-making power of the U. s.; and upon the
Gill; .ho1E hn
ton of peace, the right to govern and control
gthese States, naturally, constitutionally and
Inherently devolves on the loyal citizens there
sof. who have fallen heirs to the estate, and
who cannot lawful be subjected to the
mower and control Of alien enemies, and
that these loyal citizens have also natural,
constitutional and inherent right, to resume
their original position in the government and
councils of the nation; and therefore all repre-
sentatiyes to Congress, who present themselves
With the proper evidence Of election, and who
are prepared to comply withe Constitution and
laws should be admitted, without unnecessary
delay, to participation IN the legislation OF
the nation.
The President is clothed with the power to
grant reprieves and pardons to those who have
committed offences against the |: s.; out as no
man in this country can be legally punished TOR
CCs
ted, so no reprieve or pardon can be granted
before the party or parties have been tried and
convicted, according to law and therefore all
pardons heretofore granted to those lately in
rebellion have been premature, and are null
and void ..-.
All pttompts at reconstruction in many Of
the States. through the misplaced confidence
and unappreciated kindness and magnanlmlty
of the President, through the action OF those
who have occupied the relations OF alien enc
mics to the U. S. have failed IN their antlc1pa--
ted effects and should be commenced de noyo.
aud therefore in all such States as have not, in
the opinion Of the law-making power, been
finally reconstructed, it will be right that a
Military or Provisional Governor, ct loyal ante
cedents, should be appointed, Except tor the
State of Virginia with instructions to call a
Convention to be composed of loyal men only
Virginia, although a large majority OF her
people were in rebellion has been continuously
and without interruption, through the actions
ola portion of her loyal citizens, recognized as
"a State government by every department. OF
the Governments: she therefore stands IN a
different relation from those States that have
-discaimed all rights to such representation,
3andthat have had Provisional Goyernors ap-
pointed by the President. :,
An argument is then introduced to show that
there has been no constitutlonally organized
Legislative body In Virginia since the constltu-
ton was adopted in 1864, and that all acts res
]oEutions, elections, appointments, ana otner
proceedings adopted by either OF the pooies
styling themselves s'The Legislature OF Virgin
ia since the adoption OF the Alexandrla CoE-
-sttution, have been in violation OF the proVlSS-
ions of that co.. stitution, and are null and VOID,
r. IL nf