The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-05-24

there. The population of these States is
!, ,l35,2 ,223. In the South you can find
smaller population with a larger repre-
sentation in the Senate. The population
OF Arkansas, Texas, Florida, South Caro-
lima, West Virginia, Maryland and Della
ware is only 3,032, ,762. Here are seven
States with more than 100000 less pop
ulation than the six eastern States, one
third of that being negroes, with fourteen
Senators, two more than New England
Why did not the gentleman make his
point on these States Was it because
the eastern States are free and loyal, and
the others were slaveholding, and in part
disloyal2 And why, just in this connec-
ton, does he complain that bounties are
paid for catching fish ? He never COM
planned when higher bounties were paid
for catching men and women for the
Southern market. These are the old
complaints of the South, warmed over, in
anticipation of its return, groundless, no
doubt, but if ever so just, furnishing no
good excuse for allowing to the complain
ants two-fold representation in this
House.
Once more we are reminded that taxa
tion and representation should go togeth-
er. True, sir, but that would not entitle
them 20 a double representation, nor
deprive Congress Of reasonable time for
deliberation as to the extent of the right
and the best mode Of securing it. But if
it is meant that they are entitled on the
score of taxation to instantaneous, uncon-
ditional, and disproportionate representa-
ton, must beg leave to inquire, where
are the immense taxes paid by them, upon
which TO base such extraordinary claims !?
The loyal people of the country have been
paving burdensome taxes, million per
day, imposed by their misconduct, but
wher and where have they paid taxes !?
For the last FIVE years they have paid none,
and The amount they are just now begin
ming to pay is too trifing for argument.
If the right of representation could be
acquired by imposing taxes upon others
or by robbery of the Government, their
claim would be indisputable. They robbed
the southern post-ofices of money, stamps,
and mails the arsenals and military and
naval depots of ammunition, arms, and
clothing; the custom houses and sub
treasures of goods, bonds, and money
and the New Orleans mint of 5000, 900 in
gold, and have never made restitution
But they have paid very few taxes, and
long before they will be called upon to do
so far and adequate representation will
be accorded them.
But they have still another argument
the one relied upon when all others
fail, their refuge from discontinue in
eolI 6 hot nc
what they call the constitutional argument
When they find themselves unable tc
maintain in discussion the propriety oi
allowing the disloyal population t%ofcld
representation, the half to represent them
! selves and the other half to misrepresent
the loyal people, white and black, in their
| midst; when they can no longer screen
themselves behind the "President's poll
| cy," words of indefnite meaning; wher
their aspersion upon our motives Is re
pelled by showing that they have es strons
party interest in forming an alliance Will
the rebels as we possibly can have II
trying to prevent itj when their taxation
theory is demolished by report from th
Secretary of the Treasury, they fall bacl
upon the constitutional rights of State
to represeutation. They will retreat n
| further. This is their last ditch in debate
And here,
"1h Dix:es land
They take their stand,
| To live or die for Dixie"
Mr.. Speaker, we are Ia an anomalou
condition. The Constitution does not es
pecially provide for the difficulties witt
which we are surrounded. Our father
could not believe that so large portion
of the American people could be so bar
barized by slavery as to undertake sucf
stupendous crime. They did not provid
for what they could not foresee. Their
are no precedents on file to guide US
This is the first disunion rebellion. Our
will be the first precedent in reconstruc
ton, and the last-only if it is justly am
wisely made There are objections, plau
sible or otherwise, to every theory tha
has been or can be advanced as to th
status of these States. My colleague Mr
Stevens1 suggested that their present Pc
sition was very much like that of Callfor
MIA after the Mexican war. A score o
more of speeches have been made to shoV
that there are objections to this theory
The gentleman from Ohio Mr.. Shella
berger1 suggested that these State govern
ments had perished in the rebellion, au'
that Cow new ones, republican in form
! should be originated by Congress. Th
! gentleman from New York Mr.. Raymond
suggested that new governments must b
originated, and proper guarantees an
conditions could be imposed, but thes
things should be done by the Commandel
iu-chief of the Army and Navy as tn
terms of surrender. Objections have bee