Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-10-04

The constitutional Amendment asolishing
slavery is void; tke lean acts and the tax
acts are without Authority; svsry fine col
lected of an ofsnder was a robbery; and
every penalty inflicted upon criminal vas
itself crime. The President may console
himself with the reflection that upon these
points he is fully supported by Alexander
! h Stephens. late Vice President Of the So
called Confederscy.. .s
We quote from the report Of his exaniua-
ton before the Committee on Recsnstruc-
! ton.
"Qaestion. Do you mssu to be under
stood, IN your last answer, that there is no
constitutional power in the government. az
at present organized, to exact oor ditious
precedent to the restoration to politica DOW
er sfthe eleven States that have been in re-
belon2
"Annrer That is my opinien.
Question. Assume that Congress shall.
at this session, in tho sbsence of Hensters
and Representatives from the eleven states.
pass an act levvlng taxes upon all the pee
pie Of the United states, including ,bs
eleven, is it your opinion that such an ACT
would be constitutionalf .-
"Ans,cer | should doubt u il veuld be.
1t would certainly, 10 my opinion, be mani.
festly unjust, and against all IDEAS Of Ameri-
can representative government
Thus it is seen that these two authorities
concur in opiDion although il must be
conf.sssd that the late Vice Pr9sidout Of
the sssalled Confederate States in urbsuity
Of manner and 10 ths art Of diplomacy far
surpasse. the late Vice President lac Mr..
Jobnsoe. If hi. logic does not tsil tbiu.
u
States.
Having thus inpeachs3 the existing Can
gress aud deniod its en-, u,hority. lbe yay il
clear for the organisation Of rsDgres. into
which uambsrs frcm TIE ten States new ar
culei shall be admitted.
Representatives gt, do MT concur in
tbsss proceedings viii have oUly tbe,sjtern.
ativs Of taking ,sstssmapg tIs usnrnar..
and thus recognising tbs sr authority. or OF
sb.eptipg themselves ana sppssliuy tn tho
psopls. The latter ceurss v.ulI he svar-
civil war. with ali the pnwsTs of ,bs eos.rn.
meut. for the time keirc. IN the hspds Of The
usu-psrs. The sbseptjrg menb,r. would h.
treated ss rebels, and any hostile orgspirs,ion
would hs reysrded a. tr,ssousbl. Thus
would the Rsbels b. iu tailed ip nc yer, and
q gagged /, copductioQa war ,ssiu.t The noe
pls Of the North and West.
IF. on the otbar hani the reprsaa.tstiys.
from tbs West and North .bsnlJ Ja.m IL
wiser to aoceDt the oouii!iou. an3 ssait an
opportunity TO sppeaI 10 ths oountrv. Low
d7pradipr ana bumiliatipy their condition
Tbey might for tins endurs il: bn s,,.l.
lv The naorls of tho 9TH woma ,;sa 80 IL
their might, .pl repsv the var viSa .pirit
and povsr, and prosecnte i, mill ths sntifs
rebsi element OF rLe sountry sbouli b. er-
terminated. Tho success of Mr. Jnhp,en
in tbs elections IL then ts be toiioUsl hv .
usurpstion and civil war Il usars ,t;: =.
it means nothing. Tbs iuoiLsut. Of IL.
nsurrption would bs-srst. that th. al
slave States would sacuro tLirty Esurs.su.
tatiys, in Congress and thirty sl.ator.l yst.s
ar an eigltf, Of tha Government. to vIi.H
thev have no title whatever. uple.s tss
/. -. shnr'i be enfrancbised of vb;oh
there vorld be- no probability; apd second.
". that tv. Lite men iu the Sc outb would
nossess the pelitical mower Of tIres xhits
men in the North. The results Of u.urss.
ton would be strife and civil war ia the
North, and. finally, the oyerthroS of The
usurpers by force, to be followed possihlv.
by an extermisetiug war against the rebel
ponustion of the South.
Already has ons Of Mr. johnson AGENT,
ennounoad the usuYpatioD in ,nbstance and
rendered to the country a defence in ad-
vance of the commission of the crime, The
dsfencs is simple and logical. Congress
refuses to reoeiya the Members fran ten
states, Those States have the sam. in
mediate right of represeu,s, ION s, IN. 9TH
er States. Congress- is, therefore. a rsve.
lutionary ',odv knv trnneedinc which
secures the right of ali the States to be rem.
resented Immediately is a constitutional
nrocaadinp. This is inIslligib,a. AlsYxu.
der n Stenbens il rho pustor of III, ..r-
/ dinsl doctrine Of me Presidential psrty
On the other hand. CopgTes, s,msintsips sk.t
ens,ni:. yspoui,hsd In war though former.
" citigens and equals, caupot dictate the