Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-05-25
Renrescntntion and lis Bass.

sentati0n, in view OF the TACT that every
hundred Of those who while slaves were reek-
oned but as SiIfV, in the apporiionmont OF
members OF the House of Representatives
must heucelorth, as freedmen. be reckoned
as hundred-thus. though debarred from
voting, adding largely TO the number OF
Southern epresentatives-asks," Bat how
shall the change be made p and 1t answers
..Clearly IT can only he done by amending the
Constitution first, by the action OF tlo-tsiTdS
of each House Of Congress, and next by the as
sent Of throe-f OurtbS Of the States. The aeilon
of Congress is easily secured. Hon sidLL me
assent Of The Stats be secured Ihaddeus
Stevens. and those who fellow him, say 5yforce;
by excluding the Southern States from represen-
tation until they yield their consent. We do
not. 1O because we have no right, under the
Constitution, to enforce any such terms az a con-
dition of representa- ION; ~ because the at
tempt would fail. and involve the country IN re-
newed commotion, if not in revolution; anu t")
because, if successful, it would not contribute
to the peace, concord and prosperity of the ma
ton The assent Of the States must be secured
by other means. 1t must be a willing, no an
enforced. assent We ask the Southern States
to surrender a share Of political Power. We
must offer them something as an inducement-
something which thew will recognize as an equiv
aleg;-something from which they can derive
advantage. material or moral, in some degree
commensurate with the sacrifice they are re-
quired to make"
Letting pass the allusion to Mr.. Stevens,
who is able to take care of himself, and TO
the majority in Congress. who arc regularly
classed by the Times as Mr.. Stevens SOL
lowers though acting on their own conyic-
lions of duty and in conformity to the views
of the great mass Of their constituents. we
say that the Times first "JecGuse implies
that there was no guilt in the act Of rebel
lion, nothing punishable, nothing more than
a hlunder, on the part of anybody
that the States, great and powerful political
communities constituted as portions Of the
nation, every officer Of which is bound by
solemn oath to uphold the authority Of the
nation, may at their pleasure apply their or
ganic power to break down the nation by
force and arms, and wage fierce war against
it for years, and when By the greater power
of the nation they are overPoWered, the
national authority has no right to demand
of these States any modification of their
State organizations. as a safeguard against
future acts OF the same sort. Now, TO tins
every fair minded, clear headed and patriot
ic man says That conclusion Is so palpa-
bly against the natural sense OF right and
wrong. the natural instinct OF man as to tue
power of a national government. that It
must be lrrong' You may tell HIM as often
as you please that the States are either out
of the onion, or IN it ; If out we have moth
ing to do with them in any way, except to
make treaties with them; if an the Union,we
c,nnot demand anything Of them nOic which
you could not have demanded, if they had
never made war on the Government he
will reply 81 may not be able to chop logic
about the matter with you, but my con-
science tells me not to believe in your con-
illusions. The common sense Of the race is
against it, and the practice Of the world has
always been against 1t, and Of necessity 1t
must be against it. Governments can never
exist with any permanence on such basis
as you advocate"
As to the Times second because, We have
only to say that the natural effect Of such
an assertion Is to stimulate the late rebels to
continue in q rebellious state Of mind, 10
encourage them 10 stand OUT against the
rightful National authority, and 10 make
matters worse instead of better. 1t Is III
perfect harmony with the continuous ding
dong-syou can never conquer the South -
which the copperheads Of the North Kept
up during the war, to the great encourage
ment of the rebels. Nor is there any more
rational ground for this assertion Of the
Times which it repeats from day to ay,than
there was for that of the rebel sympathizers
during the war.
The Times third because, is no better than I
the others. 1t is IN substance but an am I
plifcation of them, with bill of particulars.
We can't demand anything Of the late rob
els, either because of their past atrOcious
wrong doing or by way Of security against
future wrongs of the sort, or against their
accomplishing their nefariOus ends by dit
ferent means Their assent must be
lciliing one given because you pay them well
for it, in something which will suit them
quite as well as what they have to give up
Was there ever any greater absurdity? As
well might it be raid "you cannot punish an
individual for any great injury done by him
to his neighbor or to society at large, nor
demand Of him security against q repetition
Of bis villainy, without he will comply
triHingly, You must pay him what be Is
willing to accept for the fine You impose -
A pretty way that would be to make bim a
good member of society for time to come.
The Times says it -will not stop now 10
consider or suggest what that equivalent
nay be-" But if the temper of the public
mind would permit the discussion Of the
'ubject from this point Of view, it has
10 doubt there would be very litrle Official
y sin devising measures upon which the
President, Congress and both sections Of our !
Common country could cordially unite =
We can tell the Times what would satisfy
he South on that point. Just Jet it be con-
eded that there was no irrORg in going into
ebellion, only little mistake as to the rela- o
i've power which the Slave States and the ?
rec States could sned into the feld-and
rat State ,as such, cannot be oOeroed under
ny circumstances-that inasmuch as the a
ar of arms is ended the Representatives and ,
snators from the Southern States lately in P
bellion shall be allowed at once TO take ?
'eir seats in Congress just as they could h
I'VE done If there bad been no rebellion; tC