Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-20
"a he s. Gem an .
MONTPELIER, VT.
Tuesday Morning, February co. 1855.
Conp ress and the Work of Reconstr uctlon


shall be the Judge of the elections. returns, and
qua lifcs lions OF its own members" Upon the
first of the above provisions there has been an
authoritative decision of the Supreme Court Of
the United States, in growing out of the
Dor rebellion in Rhode Island.
After quoting the fourth a,tcle of the Consti
tuition, which srovides that the United States
shall guarantee to every state in the Union re-
publican form of government, Judge fancy, as
the opinion of the court in that case, declared
that, " under this article OF the Constitution it
rests with Congress TO decide what government is
the established one in state For the United
States guarantee to each state republican gov
erEment, Congress must necessarily decide what
government: is established in the state before it
can determine whether it is republican not
And when the and represen tatves of d
state admitted into the councils Of the Union,
the authority of ths government under which
they are appointed, as well as its republican char
acter, is recognized by the proper constitutional
authority. And its decision IS binding on every
otde' department of the Gnne-,,,noni. and cuuiu
not De questioned in Judicial tribunal" The
same Judge, in the same opinion, said that, - IN
| as the permanent government Of a state, would
not be republican government, and it would be
the duty OF Congress to overthrow il.
This decision settles the question, so far as the
authority Of adjudged case can settle it, that
Congress is The tribunal witch is to determine
what government is the rightful in very state
and that the admission OF senators and repre-
sentatives tiles the question for itself and for all
Other departments of the Government. Under
this decision, Congress has The right to inquire
Prospecting the governments in operation in the
| South ana 10 decide whether it will recognize
them or not. And it must examine and decide
;his question befo-e it admits senators and repre-
isentatives, a. admitting them is, OF itself, a
Icogniton of the existing government.
In re:pec. to the southern states, this duty de-
volvLg upon Congress is of vast and far
reaching importance. Those states have been
for than four years revolt against the fed
eral Government. During that time they had
no organization or state machinery except what
was hostile to ne rational authority. When the
rebel armies surrendered, all the rebel organiza-
ltioDs were swept out of existence, and their
officials treated by all the officers Of the fed
er,l Government, usurpers and traitors, who
had right u the offices they assumed to hold
President Johnson at once set to work to recon
struct governments in these states; whether right
fully wrongfully it is not purpose here TO
inquire Through the machinery he set in opera
lion governments have been organized and SEN
| ators ard representatives have been selected, who
nov appear at W ashington claiming seats in Con
igress. If Congress admits them or any of them,
it will by that very act recognize the governm
lof the states, which those admitted represent as
republican in form. properly a. ,.ud
entitled to all therights and privileges of states
which have never lost their organization. After
such recognition the federal government will have
no right to interfere IN the concerns Of states
so recognized, than it now has to interfere in Yer
mont or Massachusetts. It Is plain that il is
therefore not only the right, but the duty of Con-
gress, to thoroughlyilnvestigate this southern re-
construction, ascertain just what it is, how hearty
are its professions of loyalty, how far it can be
trusted, and what kind of governments it has
produced, before recognizing it sufficient.
In doing this work Congress should proceed
and act, nearly possible, lud ciaIIy. 1t should
neither favor nor oppose any plan because it is
the Presidents plan The work of reconstruc-
ton is presented for It's approval Is that work
satisfactory If so, il should be approved. Par
tty success or failure should have nothing 10 do
with the decision. President Johnson's wishes,
or feelings, or prejudces, should not bias any
legislators judgment. Congress represents the
people, not the President. 1t is legislating
for the country, not for one man. Pet schemes
are of consequence. Il should DO Justice.
no matter whose plan whose work is con-
demned.
We admonish the people of all parties that one
of the most serious trials that remain for our
form Of government. !, in the power OF the
executive. Jefferson feared such power when it
was nothing in comparison with its present mag
nitude. There is now army of office holders,
I've don't know how many but their name is
legion This army follows the President for the
loaves and fishes of patronage, and is clamorous
in praise Of all executive acts. Through this
army caucases and conventions can be managed
and all the machinery of party kept pretty much
at the control of the central forces. The respon-
sbiy which every public officer should feel
himself under to the people, is thus in 3 great
measure neutralized, and many of the evils OF
irresponsible power impeLd the country
We are not urging this consideration with refer
ence g President Johnson, SO much as with refer
cree TO what is now the power and patronage of
the Presidents position. If every federal officer
was chosen by the people, instead of being ap-
pointed at Washington, the difference in the in
fuence OF the executive office, aud in the tone of
public officials, would be at once apparent, an
the people would again be looked upon as the
source, IS they ought always to be, of all the
power and patronage Of the government.
The only present barrier against this increase
of the power of the who occupies for four
years the executive office is in Congress and the
people. Ii they stand firm for right and Justice
Irrespective of patronage, any issue which may be
forced upon them will be decided without danger
10 republican liberty. If they fail republican in
situations fail with them. 1t, therefore, becomes
the highest duty of Congress and the people to
he ieaoIs of their riph.s and IN roson, nc m :,