The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-08-31

ground tomorrow. Northern ascend
gncv may exclude Southern States
from one CtYhgresS-.he ascendancy OF
Western or Of Southern Interests, or Of
both combined may exclude the North
ern or the Eastern States from the
next. Improbable as such usufpatlons
: may seem, the establishment Of the
principle now asserted and acted upon
By Congress will render them by no
means impossible 'Ehe character, in
deed the very existence OF Congress
and the Union is thus made dependent
solely and entirely upon the party and
/ sectional eXigenciCS, or the iprbearancc
Of the hour.
We need not stop 10 show that such
action not ONLY finds no warrant in the
/ Constitution, but is at war with every
, principle ot our Government, and with
The vcry existence OF free Institutions.
/ 1t i, indeed, the Identical practice
( which has rendered fruil!eas all at
! tempts hitherto, to establish ana main
/ tain free Governments iii Mexico and
! the States of South America Party
/ necessities assert themselves rs superb
or to the fundamental law which is
set aside in reckless obedience to their
/ behe-ts. Stability, whether in the eX-
/ crcise of power, in the administration
/ of Government, or in tha enjoyment
/ of rights, becomes impossible; and the
! conflicts oC party, which. under consti-
tutiOnai Governments. aTt the condi-
/ tiOn~ and means Of political progress,
/ are merged in the conflicts OF arms to
/ which jh"y directly and inevitably
tend.
1t was 3-ainst this peril SO coA@pic-
I uOus aHd SO fatal to all free Cove IL
ment, thatoUr constitution was intend
! ed especially 10 provide. Not only the
stability, but the very existence of the
! Government is made by its provisions
to DEPEND upon the right and the fact
Of representation. The Congress, upon
which is conferred ali the legislative
power Of the National Government,
consists OF two branches, the Senate
and House Of Representatives, whose
joint concurrence or assent il essential
to the validity Of any law. OF these,
the House Representatives, says the
Constitution, tarticlc /, section y,
''shalI be composed OF members chosen
every second year by the people of the
several States" Not only is the right
of representation thus recognized ~
possessed by all The States and by eve
~ State without restriction, qualitica-
ton or condition OF any kind, but the
duty Of choosing representative. Is i'm
posed upon the people Of each and
every State alike, without distinction,
or the authority to make distinctions
among them, for any reason or upon
anv grounds whatever. And in the
. frtl { 1,+
to secure TO every State this right Of
that "nO State shall, without its con-
sent, be deprived Of its equal suffrage"
in that body, even by an amendment
of the Constitution itself. When,
therefore, any State is excluded from
such representation, not only is right
Of the State denied, but the constitu
tional integrity Of the Senate is I'M
paired, and the validity Of the Govern
ment Itself is brought in question:
But Congress at the present moment
thus excludes from representation. IN
both branches Of Congress. ten States
of the Union, denying them oil share
in the enactment Of laws by which
! they are to be governed, and all parH-
| cipatiOn in the election Of the rulers by
ir.I,ti',,,. ,,,,,.,i. ., l,,r,,ro-. in which
",t,, 49,, lSt,tn. Arc rnnrnsantad
asserts the right To govern, absolutely
and at its own discretion, and the thir-
/ ty-siX States which compose the Union
to make tucir laws and choose their
! rulers, and 10 exclude the other ten
/ from all share in their own govern
. mcnt, until it secs fit to admit them
rhnnn,.a,. tbr.. .,.--rtrd and exercised
trna, tho most al.,lutr and inIuIrrah}c
+,,rann,.
Nv E,r dn those ny.ra,.ao,nt and
,,,:,,.+ lrain,.. o,, tb,. ,,.r. nt. f,Inmr,., in
'JJ,.,,,...,,,i .,,,+I,or;tI, ,n,,ar ,3farr,l
i,,,I,, tha aItn,.nr,n,nHf ~. thn Cnmstitn-
tinn fiud ln,- lyirrani i'm the ar~u-
n,nnt- nr py..I,.ps nrgpd ON their be-
i''.Ir Ili-.,II,,,-,,J
'i",I y, ',,' -. ,4.... h., .1,,.4r
n.I,liIin,, an,1 f,,, ,,.,I11t,r2I, ,,,,iti,,Irau--
;,,,. ti,i ,,,,,,.I.,, fr,,,I fn,,,,,.. f,r-
f,,;77oi oithoi,.rinI,tn nr rnnrn.rntarinn and
t>,,,, ,.., ,,,, rn,.ai,,n II .o5in at fbs.
tI,sJs 49,. tl,n .,,t,rnn,a layis,.tivn an
+Ia,;t,. IF tI,a Ch,,nrnn,p,ff nr its own
tn..ls and ~ ifs own ,k4.rafion If
,l.,,,.n.ort.,ti,,. =, goD,rr.-.,, and ,,.,r+f..;
I,,5inr in tbn C:,,vprompn, vrr, liirt,i,-
i.,.;,.;I'.., .,,, ;.,,ro,l md hal.f i,,, f,voi
7n.,,,l+ I,i,~h; i,mv,. fLa mort Of
,'i,,,..;l,,fit,. Jtnfr.,,rl,:.I,tt.i., i nm
i',. nl,,,. ti.,,t;n, .nt onl,. n,.nrn-sI,,
,la,,r,,i,,. as y r,i~hr hnf Il !. imna.nI
~, -. and If j. essential IN hotb
1.na.t. r. The eyistpucr Of tbe Govern
mint and the maintenance of it.; an