The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-01

power in the Government, as at present or
ganlzed, to exact conditions precedent to the
restoration to political power OF the eleven
States that have been IN Rebellion?
Answer. That is my opinion.
Question. Assume that CONGRESS shall, az
this session, in the absence of Senators and
Representatives from the eleven states, pass an
act levying taxes upon all the people OF the
United States, including the eleven, Is 1t your
opinion that such an act would be constitu-
tional? f
Answer. l should doubt f it would be. 1t
would certainly, 10 my OPINION be mautestly
unjust, and against all ideas OF American repre-
sentative government
Thus it Is seen thai these two authorities con.
cur in opinion; although II must be confessed
that the late Vice President of the so-caled Con
iedeIate States in utbanity OF manner and in the
art OF diplomacy far surpasses the late Vice
President (as MIR. johnson, II his logic does not
fail him, must soon say), of che so-called United
States.
Having thus impeached the existing Congress
and denied its authority, the way Is clear for
the organization of Congress into which mem
bers from the ten States now excluded shall be
admitted
Representatives who do not concur in these
proceedings will have only the alternative of
taking seats among the usurpels, and thus
recognizing their authority, or OF absenting
themselves and appealing to the people. The
latter course would be war-Civil war, with all
the powers of the Government, Tor the time
being, in the hands of the usurpers The alb
senting members would be treated as rebels,
ana any nOSJlle OrGanlZhuOQ WOulu Dc regarded
as reasonable. Thus would the Rebels be In
stalled in power, ana engaged in conducting
war against the people OF the NortRand West.
II, on the other hand, the representative from
the West and North should deem II wiser to
accept the condition, and await an opportunity
to appeal to the country, how degrading anu
humiliating their condition! Tbey might for
time endure 1T; but fnaly the people of the
North would rise IN their might, and renew the
war with spirit and power, and prosecute 1t
until the entire Rebel element of the country
should be exterminated. The success of Mr..
johnson in the elections Is then to be followed
| by usuTpalon and civil war. 1t means this, or
| it means nothing. The incidents of the usurpa
| tion would be, first that the old slave States
would secure thirty representatives In Congress,
| and thirty electoral votes, or an eighth OF the
Government, TO which they have no title what
ever unless the negroes should be eniranchIsed
| Of which there would be then no probability:
| and, secondly, that two white men in the South
would possess the political power of three white
| men in the North. The results OF the usurpa-
| ton would be strife and civil war in the
| North, and, finally, the overthrow of the
| usurpers by force, to he followed, possibly, by
! an eXtermmating war against the Rebel popu.
| laton of the South.
Already has one of MIR. Johnson's agents
| announced the usurpation in substance, and
| rendered to the country defense in advance OF
| the commission of the crime. The defense Is
| simple and logical. Congress refused to receive
! the members from ten States. Those States
| have the same immediate right of representation
as the other States. Congress is, therefore, a
| revolutionary body. Any proceeding which
secures the right OF all the States TO be repre-
| sented Immediately is constitutional proceed
ing. This is ntellieible. Alexander II. Stephens
is the author OF this cardinal doctrine of the
Presidential party. On the other hand, Con-
gress maintains that enemies vanquished IN
war, though formerly citizens and equals, can
not dictate the terms Of Adjustment; nor even
enjoy the privileges of a Constitution which
they have violated and sought to destroy, with
out compliance with those terms which the
loyal people may deem essential TO the public
safety.
The issne is well defined. Shall the Unior
be restored by usurpation, with its attendan
political Inequality and personal injustice tC
loyal people, and consequent civil war, or BY
first securing essential guarantees for the future
peace of the country, and then accepting thu
States recently in rebellion as equals, and th
people of those States as friends and citizens witt
us of a common country?
| The question is not whether the Union shal
be restored; the Republican party contemplate
and seeks this result. But the question is
Shall the Union be restored by usurpation--b
policy dictated by the Rebels and fraueht witt
all the evils of civil war? The seizure of th
| Government in the manner contem plated b.
johnson and his associates destroys at ono
the public credit, renders the public securitie
| worthless for the time, overthrows the bankin!
SYSTEM bankrupts the trading class, PROSTATE
the laborers, and ends, finally in general fnan
cial industrial and social disorder.
INSTRUCTION