Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-01-25
Status of the Rebel States,

Correspondence Of the Charles City Intelligencer
Status of the Rebel States.
EDITOR lNTELLIGENcER The object
of the present writing is to contribute
1.-THE to the sentiments of that per-
picking question which divides the
great Union party of our country upon
the status of the Rebel States. The
President takes the ground that the
Seeded States, so called, are not and
never have been out of the Union,
whereas, the radical wing of the Un-
ion party claim that they have been
and are still out of the Union. To re-
concile the difference, and to arrive at
a just and accurate conclusion on this
question, it is important that we en-
tertain just views, definitely, of what
are the true character and relations Of
a State an the Union, and what its rela-
tions are ont of the Union.
We may ask, then, What is State
To this there can be but one answer
1t is community of people organized
into a government, under certain es-
tablshed laws and regulations and be-
ing government within itself.
A State IN the Union, then, is such a
community, and organized government,
bound by certain compacts to submit
to the control, and obey the require
ments of the General Government of
the Union, sustain all its institutions,
and maintain them in its practical
workings. Whereas, State out of
the Union, is such organized Govern
ment 'oithon such compact or obliga-
tion to the General Government, and
one, acting no way in sympathy there
with. The State Of Texas prior to its
into the Union is an exam
pie in point.
What, then, is the difference in the
Of the State of Texas prior
to its admission into the Union, and
that of those Seeded States, so cal
led! Simply this +: That the former,
not only was without any practical CO.
operation with our General Govern
ment, or practical submission to its
control but was under no obligation,
or bond so to do. Whereas, the latter
were under the most solemn and indis-
soluble bonds to act in harmony with
the General Government, and to sus-
tain, faithfully, its institutions-but
their governmental organizations, un-
der the auspices and sanction of the
General Government have been demol-
ished, so, that, instead of State prop
er, those communities, (having also ex-
PEELED from among them all the insti-
tutions of the U. S. Government, have
fallen back into state of anarchy,
though still under the most sacred bonds
to the Federal Union.
AS the Legislative, judicial, and ex-
ecutive departments Of government, in
stituted by a given community, are re-
quisite to the constituting of a politi-
cal State, so, in case these have no ex-
istence in a given community, then
that community cannot be a State.
And though all these branches of gov
ernment may exist in community,
but, on such conditions as cannot be
recognized by the Federal Authorities,
they must be null, and therefore, such
communities cannot constitute State.
This is pertinent to those communities
known as Seeded States" Prior to
the Provisional Governments being es-
tablished by Federal Authority, there
was neither legislative, judicial, or
executive department of government
in them Of such character, and from
such source, as could be cognizable by
the Federal Government. Where then
was the Statee The people of those
territories were in nowise released from
their bonds of obligation to sustain
the General Government. il is true. but
yet they had demolished every vestige
of those institutions which constituted
them State, in cooperation with thu
other States of the Union
They ceased to be States, and be
came territory, and communities, un
organized, but still remaining undel
the jurisdiction Of the General Govern
ment. And as such, the same process
is requisite to right them up int,
States as is required to bring any tel
ritory, or community, into the Union
They have not, as States, gone out 0
the Union, but thrown off their char
acter as States, and fallen into unoi
ganized communities, still belonging I
the United States. If these conclu
sions be not correct, then l cannot sc
how twice two make four.
As ever yours,
l PETER PERDY
u Perdyrille, Jan. s, 1866.