Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-12-07


thanks tn Providence for peace and
prosperity, in the abatement OF the pes
Ii!rnce, and the restoration Of civil au-
'hority throughout the United States.
RESTORATION.
\ review is then given of the
facts set forth in the last message, rela-
tive to the measures which the Exc
vutive had taken for the gradual rcstOr-
alton of The Southern States to the
Union, such as appointing provisional
Governors, etc. only one thing then
remained, the message says, to be done,
and that was the admission OF loyal
representatives to Congress. This qucs-
ton was devolved solely upon Congress.
in the meantime, the Prcsidenp says,
10 other plan having been proposed, he
continued his effort to perfect the res
toration through the judicial, revenue,
and postal system of the country The
South had also ratified the amendment
abOlisning slavery, contormed their
social laws to the fact, repudiatcd the
rebel debt, aud proceeded, in good faith
to legislatc for the amelioration OF the
colored race. The President then speaks
as follows: Congress, however, vet
hesitated to admit any of these States
10 representation, and it Was not until
the close of the eighth month of the
session that an exception was made in
/ favor of Tennessee. | deem it Il subject
of profound regret that Congress has
thus far failed to admit to seats loyal
Senators and Representatives from the
other States, where the Inhabitants, with
those of Tennessee, had engaged in re-
Eellion. Ten States-more than one
fourth of the whole number-remain
without representation. The seats of
fifty members of the House, and twenty
of'the Senate, are yet vacant; not by
their own consent not by failure OF
election; but by the refusal of Congress
to accept their credentials. + Their adj
mission, it is believed, would have ac-
complishod much towards the renewal
and strengthening of our relations as
one people, and removed serious cause
for discomfort on the part Of the people
of those States. 1t would have accord
ed with the great principles enunciated
i'm the Declaration of American Indie
irendence, that no people ought 10 bear
the burden of taxation aud yet be dcni-
ed the right of representation. 1t
would have been in consOnanCe with
the express provisions of the Constitl-
ton that each State shall have at least
one representative, and that no State
without its consent, shall lie deprived
Of equal suffrage in the Senate. These
provisions were intended to secure to
every State the right of representation
in Congress, and so important was it
deemed 10y the trainers OF the constitu
ton that equality of the States shall be
preserved in the Senate, that not even
By.an amendment of the constitution
can any State, without its consent, be
denied voice in that branch Of nation
al legislation. Ii has been assumed
= that these States, by rebellion, became
Territories; but all departments of the
Government, with great distinctness,
refused to sanction an assumption so
81 incompatible with the nature Of our
republican, system, and the protested
objects of the war. Throughout the re-
cent legislation Of Congress, the un.
.deniable fact makes itself apparent that
these ten political communities are
nothing less than States"
The President then quotes the Crit
tenden resolution of 1861, on the objects
frof the war, and reviews the legislation
of Congress, wherein the States are re-
cognized and also in Mr.. Lincoln's
proclamation. He then proceeds again,
as follows; "ln the admission of Sen
ators and Representatives from all the
States, there can be no just grounds of
apprehension that persons who are dis
loyal will be clothed with the powers of
legislation for this could not happen
when the Constitution and the laws
are enforced by viGilant and faithful
Congress. Each house is the judge Of