Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-24
fed by the people OfthOse States incOnveutiOn

fed by the people of those States in convention
assembled.
Notwithstanding the rigOrs of Austrian des-
potism, the people of Hungary have refused to
yield up an iOta of what they claim as their
rights. We, on the contrary, have yielded
up many. They, without yielding any, are
about to be recognized by the Austrian des-
pOtism; We, after yielding up many, and COM
plying with every requirement of the Govern
ment, have little prospect of recognition at the
hands, at least, of CongreSs-the Congress of a
free people, under a popular Constitution,
which was made by the States, OF which we are
a component part. When the Constitution was
formed there were but thirteen States; now
eleven States-witHn two of the original num-
ber-are refused recognition as States, and yet
the same Constitution that the oldest of them
aided in forming remains. The Constitution
has not been changed TO exclude these States,
and vet they are excluded. 1t was asSumcdby
the Government from the beginning to the end
Of the war that the Southern States could not
separate themselves from the Union, and 60
from under the Constitution, which is the bond
of the Union. Congress, by an almost unanm-
Gus vote, at the-to the North-darkeSt period
of the war, resolved that the war was not
waged Sin the spirit Of conquest or subjuga-
ton, or for the purpose Of overthrowing or
interfering with the rights or institutions Of the
States but to defend aud maintain the
s,,,nremac,5 Of the Constitution, and TO preSerre
the Union tr1h all the dignity equality and
riybis Of the SsCerol States u,iHpaired.'-
President JOHNSON has stated that Mr.. LIN
coLN's greatest soliciJude and apprehension
was that, at the end OF the war, the Southern
States would sullenly refuse to send repreSen-
tatiyes to Congress. The theory, and only
theory maintained by the President, the Con-
gress and the people of the North, during the
war, was that the Southern States were a COM
ponent and integral part OF the Union, and the
war was prosecuted to compel their acceptance
of this theory. So firmly was this theory i'm
planted in the Northern mind that it was grayely
doubted whether, during the progress Of the
war. and in the absence of the Southern States,
the Constitution could be amended. We may
90 further and say it was concluded that 1t
could not be amended without the participation
of the then absent Southern States.
When the war ended and it became manifest
that the Southern States were willing TO re-
turn to the Union, and desired representation
in Congress, and that there was no possibility
of a further outbreak, the theory changed.
The Radicals in Congress cOntradicted the res
olution of u former Congress, which we have
cited, and declared, in effect, by numerous
votes, that subiugation and conquest had
worked the forfeiture of the constitutional
rights of the South, and that it not only was
their right to amend the Constitution without
the participation of the South, but that it was
legitimate to suspend the Constitution as to the
South and to govern it by arbitrary law until
the Constitution could be amended in the man
ner desired. As soon as submission ripened
into loyalty, that loyalty was ayailed OF, not
to grant, but to deny restoration to the Union.
The Emperor of Austria, with less of absolu-
tism, treats Hungary with more liberality in
the face of its persistent refusal for sixteen
wears TO consent TO the extinction of any OF its
liberties or rights American radicalism shows
itselfto be more exacting and implacable than
Austrian deSpotiSm.