Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-12-06

ffcprescEfuftvcs:
After q brief interval the Congress or the
United States resumes Its annual legislative
lsbors. An ali-wiss and msrciful rrovi.
dense bsssbsted the pest;lcuce which visit
ed our shores, leaving it's calsmitous traces
upon some portions Of our country. Peace,
order, tranquility sod civil authority have
been FORMALLY declared to exist throughout
the whele Of the United States. In all of
the 5tatescivil authority has superseded the
ceercioa OF arms, and the people, by their
voltetsry action, are maintaining their gev-
ernments in full activity and com plete oper
alton. The enforcement Of the laws is no
lsnger "obstrscted in any State by comb
nations too powerful to be suppressed by
the. ordinary course Of judicial proceedings"
and the animesities engendered by the war
are rapidly yielding to the bencfcent infu.
ences Of our free institutions, and to the
kindly effects Of unrestricted social and com.
meroisl Intercourse. An entire restoration
ct frsternsl feeling must be the earnest wish
Of every patriotic heart; and we will have
accomplished eur srandest national achieve.
ment, whsn, forgetting the sad events Of
the past, and remembering only their in
structive lessons, We resume our onward ca.
reer asa free, prosperous, and united people.
In my message Of the 4th December, 1865,
Congress was informed Of the measures
which had been instituted by the Executive
with view to the gradual restoration Of the
States in which the insurrection occurred to
their relations with the General Govern.
meat. Provisional Governors had been ap.
pointed, conventions called, Governors elect
cd, Legislatures assembled. and Senators
aud Representatives. chosen to the Congress
of the United States; courts had been
opened for the enforcement of laws long 10
allegiance, the blockade had been removed,
custom houses rs-established, aud the inter
nal revenue laws put in force, in order that
the people might contribute to the national
income. Postal operations had been re-
nswsd, and efforts were being made to re-
store them to their former condition OF cf-
fieiency. The States themselves had been
asked to take part in the high function Of
amending the Constitution, and of thus
sanotioning the extinction of African slavery
as one of the legitimate results Of our in.
ternocine struggle. ......,...r.
Having progressed thus far. the Execu.
tive Department found that it had accom-
plished nearly all that was within the scope
Of its Constitutional authority. Ono thing,
however, yet remained to be done before the
the work OF restoration could be completed,
and that was, the admission to Congress oil
loyal Senators and Representatives from the
States who's people had rsbeled against the
lawful authority of the General Govern
mont. This question devoved upon the
respective Houses, which by the Constitu
tion, are made the judges of the elections
returns aud qualifications of their own mem
bers; aud its consideration at once engaged
the attention ef Congress.
In the meantime, the Executive Depart
ment-ns other plan having been proposed
Csngress-centinuedi its efforts to perfect
% far ~ was practicable, the restoration o
tho proper relations between the citizons Of
tho. respective States, the States and the
Federal Government extending frem time
to time ss the public interests seemed to re
qIire, the judicial, revenue, and postal sys
TENS Of the country. With the advice and
consent Of the Senate, the necessary officers
were appointed, and appropriations made
by Congress for the payment Of their sala.
ries. The proposition to amend tho Federal
Constitution, 80 as to prevent the existence
ofslayery within the United States or any
plsce subject to their jurisdiction, was rati
hod by the requisite number Of States; and
on the 18th day Of December, 1865, it wal
officially declared to have become valid as
part Of the Constitution of the United States,
All VI tho 0tato3 III WHICH Tie lUsuTTtCtlOU
had existed promptly amended their consti
great change thus effected in the organic
law Of the land declared null and void all
ordinances and laws Of sfsecossion; ropudiated
all pretcnaei debts and obligations created
for the revolutionary purposes of the insur.
rectioni aud proceeded, in good faith, to
the enactment of measures for the protection
and amelioration Of the condition Of the
ooiered race. Congress, however,, yet hesi.
tatcd TO admit any of these States to repre-
sentation; and il was not until towards the
close Of the eight month of the session tha,
an exception was made in favor of Tennes
see, by the admission OF her Senators an
Representatives.
deem II a subject Of profound regre
that Congress has thus far failed TO admi,
to seats loyal Senator's and Representatives
from the other States, whose inhabitants
with those ofTennsssse, had engaged in
the rebellion. Ten States more than ono
fourth Of the whole number remain with
out representation tho seats of fifty mem.
bers in the House OF Representatives and
twenty members in tho Senate are yet va.
oant-not by their own consent, not by q
failure of election, but BY tho rafusal OF
Congress to accept their credentials Their
admission, it is believed, would have accom-,
plished much towards the renewal and
STRENGTHENING Of our relations as one people
and removed serious cause for discontent on
the part Of the inhabitants OF those States.
IL would have accorded with tho great prin
cipls euunciated In tho Declaration Of Amer,
icsn Independence, that no people ought &c
bear the burden OF taxation, and yet DO de-
sied the right of representation. II would
have been in consonanoe with the expires,
provisions Of the Uonstbution that ''eact
Ststs shall have at least one Represents
tive" and "that no State, without its con
sent, shall be deprived its equal suffrag
in the Senate. These provisions we're in
tended to secure TO every State, and to tn,
people Of every State. the right OF repre-
sentation Ia each House Of Congress; an(
80 important was it doemed by the iralner
ofthe Constitution that the equality Of tn,
States in tho Senate should be preserved
that not even by an amendment to the Con
sttutiou, can any State, without its consent
be denied voice 10 that branch of the Ma
tional Legislature. 90
IL is true. it has BEEN assumed that th,
existence OF the State was terminated BY
the rebellieus acts Of thoir Inhabitants, anC
that the insurrection having been suppress
ed, they we're thepse forward 20 be consider
ed merely as conquered territories Tn,