Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-10-19
The Question at Issue.

The Republicans hold that the gene,
raj Government has the constitutional
power TO coerce rebellious State or the
rebelliOus citizens thereof; and that II
the citizens of q State employ It's otil-
cial machinery or State Government as
an engine of war against the Union, the
supporters of the Union have exactly
the same right to overthrow and destroy
that State machinery as to overthrow
and destroy any other corporation or
force found resisting the authority OF
the supreme national Government
State Governments in rebellion are no
more sacred than rebel citizens. The
person OF q rebel sheriff or q rebel Gov
ernor is no more inviolate than the per-
son of any other traitor. State Govern
ments are the creatures of mems hands
They can be made and unmade, amend
ed or abolished by the sovereign people.
When Johnson became President he
declared the laws and Governments of
eight insurgent States to be null and
void, forfeited and destroyed by rebel
lion. He declared them all wiped out,
and ordered q reconstruction from foun-
dation to turret. But now with a
strange mental obliquity, he contends
for the absurd copperhead doctrine OF
continuing right" and holds that the
rebel States are in the Union, and have
never been out of il, and hence have a
perfect right to instant and ulIc0ndi-
tional representation in Congress. This
expression of "in the Unionn covers
up and conccals the copperhead heresy
in regard to the status of the rebel
States. The people of q State may be
within the jurisdiction OF the Govern
ment and under its control, but on ac-
count of crime not DO allowed to par
| ticipatc in the making Of its laws or i'll
| the administration Of its affairs.
The people Of State may therefore
| be IN the Union, but not allowed to par
/ ticipate in its government, but tht
State may be admitted to such partici
! patton on the terms and condition:
which the loyal citizens may dictate
I The territory Of the rebel States belong;
( thereon belong to the Union. They re
| belled and tried to seeede, but were pu
down and subiugatsd, and are - IL;
| Union, under It's jurisdiction and sub
ject to its laws. These are notoriou
! facts, known to the whole world. Th'
only questions to be considered are, OF
what conditions shall these suhjRgated
reclaimed rebels be admitted to a par
! ticipation in the Government, and VIII
has the authority to dictate the cOndi
tions? In the first place, shall they b
restored with increased political powe
as u reward Of their treason? The cop
perheads and Johnsonites say yes. TIL
Republicans say no. In the next plac
shall the leaders of the insurgents wis
have held Federal Office and added per
Jury to treason, be allowed again to hOl
office without the permission of the pee
pie, acting through Congress? Th
copperheads say Ycs. The Republican
say no. In the third place, shall tn
insurgents, when they are permitte
again to participate in national legislI
ton, be allowed to bring in bills for th
payment Of the rebel debt, for the pay
ment for slaves emaneipated by th
war, or for the reputation OF the Fed'
raj debt? The copperheads say YeS.-
The Republicans say no.
The question then, before the publ
for decision is not whether the rebe
shall be excluded for q long or short pt
riod from participating in the Govern
ment, but rather whether they sha
consent in advance to certain moditici
tions of the Constitution, rendered al
+ solutely necessary by the equality
the States, the public credit, the civ
rinh!l- Of the citizens, and the futul
, peace and welfare OF the Republic
Tribune.