Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1866-12-08

Suppressed, they were thenceforward to
he considered merely as conquered terri
tories. The Lt gislative, Executive and
Judicial Departments of the Government
have, however, with great dis;inctncss
and uniform consistency refused to sane
tion an assumption so Incompatible with
the nature of our republican system and
the professcd objects ofthc war. Through
out the recent legislation Of Congress the
undcniable fact makes itscfapparcnt that
these ten political communities are no.
thing less than States of this Union. AT
the very commencement of the rebellion,
each IIosse declared, with unarimity as
remarkable as it was significant that the
war was rot "waged, upon our part in any
spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose
of conquest or subjugation, nor purpose
of overthrowing or interfering with the
rights or established Institutions of those
States. but to defend and maintain the
supremacy of the Constitution and all
laws made in pursuance thereof, and to
preserve the Union with all the dignity,
equality, and rights of the several States
uninpaircd; and that as soon as these OBJ
jccts' were accomplished the war ought
TO cease" In some instances, Senators
were permitted to continue their legisla-
, tive functions, while in other instances
I Representatives were elected and admit
ted to seats after their States had for
mally declared their right to withdraw
from the Union, and were cndcavoring to
maintain that right by force of arms.
All of the States whose people were in III
! surrcction, as States, were included in the
apportionment of the direct tax of twenty
millions of dollars annually laid upon the
United States by the act approved 5th
August, 1861. Congress by the act of
March 1, 1862, and by the .apportionmcnt
of representation Hereunder, also re-
! cognized their presence as States in the
! Union; and they have, for judicial pur-
poses, been divided into districts, as States
alone can be divided The same recog-
milton appears in the recent legislation in
reference to Tennessee, which evidently
rests upon the fact that the functions of
the State were not destroyed by the re-
4 bellion, but merely suspended; and that
principle is of course applicable to those
States which, like Tennessee, attempted
to renounce their places in the Union.
The action of the Executive Department
of the Government upon this subject has
been equally definite and uniform, and the
purpose of the war specially stated i'll the
Proclamation issued by my predecessor
on the 22d day of September, 1852. 1t
was then solennly proclaimed and declar-
cd that thereafter, as heretofore, the war
will be prosecuted for the object ofpracti-
cally restoring the constitutional relation
between the United States and each of
the States and the people thereof, in which
States that relation is or may be suspend
ed or disturbed"
The recognition of the States by the
Judicial Department of the Government
! has also been clear and conclusive in all
/ proceedings affecting them as States, had
in the Supreme, Circuit, and District
Courts.
QUALIFICATION OF MEMBERS
| In the admission of fScnators and Repro
scntatives from any and all of the States,
there can be no just ground of apprchcn-
sion that persons who are disloyal will be
clothed with the powers oflcgislation; for
this could not happen when the Constitu-
ton and the laws are enforced by vigi-
liant and faithful Congress. Each House
is made the ''iudgc of the elections, re-
turns, and qualifications OF its own men,
bers," and may, "with the concurrence of
two-thirds, eXpel n member" When n
! Senator or Representative presents his
certificate Of election, he may at once be
admitted or rejected; or should there be
any question as to his eligibility, his
credentials may be referred for investi-
CATION to the appropriate committee. If
admitted to a scat, it must be upon
evidence satisfactory to the House of
which he thus becomes member, that
he possess the requisite constitutional and
legal qualifications. If refused admission
. as Il member fer want ofdue allegiance to
the Government, and returned to his con.
stituents, they are admoniShcd that none
bat persons loyal to the United States
will be allowed Il voice in the Legislative
Councils of the Nation, and the political
power and moral influence of Congress
are thus effectively exertcd IN he interests
of loyalty to the Government and fidelity
to the Union. Upon this question, 20
vitality affecting the restoration of the
Union and the permanency Of our present
form of government, my convictions,
heretofore expressed, have undergone no
/ CiistbSt, Duts Oii tHc COHlIdfN, tHtlT CoT-
rectness has been confirmed " reflection
and time. Ii the admission ofleyal mem
bcrs to seats in the respective Houses OF
Congress was wise and exPedieHt year
ago, it is no less wise and expedient now
If this anomalous condition is right now
if, in the exact condition OF these States
at tho present time, it is lawful to exclude
ticna from representation, | do not see
that the question will be changed by the
.efiiux of time. Ten years hence, if these
States remain as they are, the right OF
representation will be no stronger-the
right Of exclusion will be ne weaker.
ADVANTAGE OF ADMITTING LOYAL SOUTHERN
MEMBERS.
The Constitution of the Uuited States
makes it the duty Of the President to re-
commend to the consideration of Con
gress 'such measures as he shall Judge
necessary or cxpedicnt." know of no
measure more imperativcly demanded by
every consideration of national interest,
sound policy, and equal justice, than the
admission of the loyal members from the
now unrepesented States. This would
consummate the work of restoration, and