The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-06-02
coNcREss AND EVAPORATION.

uation, and pause before II commits the
country to another fierce and unfriendly
agitation and commences the, disintegration
Of the noble Union party. We ask it only
to be true TO the Constitution Of the land,
which on its solemn oath 1t is bound to
obey, and TO honestly carry out the profess
sions IL has repeatedly made to the world.
A year ago this month The PRESIDENT found
the rebellion crushed, and in the regions Of
instruction no armed opposition to the Gov
eminent Of the United States. Civil war
had deranged the local governments Of the
States whose people had been in revolt, and
their relations with the Federal Union had
been disturbed and were practically sus-
pended. The surrender Of the rebel armies,
and the contemporaneous acts and desire Of
the southern people, indicated desire to re-
instate themselves individually as citizens,
and TO reappear rs States within the federal
compact II was for this object that the
war was fought and until this fact OF resto-
ration was accomplished the tolls Of war
and the fruits Of victory were unsubstantial
and unsatisfactory. AT the termination Of
the military career of the instruction Con-
press was not in session. No one suggested
ia convention, no public demand was made
for an extraordinary assemblage of Congress,
and the Sneaker of the House started on an
interesting trans-continental journey, with
out either suggesting call of the body of
which he was presiding officer, or contem-
plating the abandonment Of his pleasure trip.
Events have since proved that it can be
regarded as one of the mercies of God that
Congress which has been utterly incompe
tent to finish up the work of restoration
did not have the chance to mar and misman-
age its commencement. The President,
clothed with the power to carry on war. and
certainly with the power to conclude peace
and establish order-for the " greater must
include the lessr-initiated the stems by
which the laws might become supreme the
national authority universal and the condi.
tions of the future placed upon a righteous
and everlasting basis. Therefore he so or
dered that the people of the rebellious COM
munities of their own free will and deed
should declare their obedience. admit their
allegiance to the United States recognize
their States as part and parcel of the Federal
compact and indissolublv bound To IL denv
the doctrine that State, of its own accord.
had a right to withdraw from the Union, and
to leave no issue to involye the Republic
arising from the operations of war. to ratifv
tho abol;t;on of sioverv and i,cornorote in
their own organic acts the nrobibition Of in
voluntary servitude save far crime State
after state ala Give validity 10 tho extipctiop
of slaverv and reject the fatal doctrine If
secession, and STAMPED with illepalitv the
laws and oblioat;ons assumed in the condi-
ton Of rebellion. Then, through the process
of Administration ports were reopened mail
routos again mt in operation and the nostal
system re.established. the courts reopened,
and gradually the whole machinery of the
central Government worked in its olden
channels and snread throughout the bounda-
ries of the nation. Under this policy of the
Execut;ve the congressional wear commenced
With the lately discordant States rebabili.
ta,ed 40 far as foreign nations were ot
fected-and 90 far as every department Of
tbe Government, save the Legislative. was
concerned. One thing remained to complete
tbe work 40 successfully beoun. and that was
or Congress to apply the Constitution to the
states and its own laws to the members com.
inc from these States-under the Constitu
tion recognizing the right of the States &c
representation as states-and under thei,
rules testing the quality, capacity and fitness
Of the individual presenting himself Had
this been done the Union would hay,
been restored, peace would have bee,
real and profound, and a terrible politica
conyulsion would have been avoided. Tha
not being done we arc TODAY in the seventh
month Of the Congressional wear precisel,
where we were at the commencement
in its Legislative ASPECT, with countr,
divided n Constitution SUSPENDED in eleye,
states with a yast section taxed and up
renresented and with a succession o
faiIures in the experiments of reeonstructio,
chat would he laugbable as a collection o