Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-05-23
The POLITICAL SIfnafion.

Alexander ID. stephens expresses exact
ly the absurdity and peril of the "Con
servative" policy of reorganization. In
reply TO direct question by Mr.. Bout,
well, Mr.. Stephens said: al do not think
any of the States attempting to exercise
it (the right of secessionl thereby LOST
any of their rights under the Constitu
ton as States when their people aban
doned that attempt" In other words
when a State draws the sword against
the Union and is vanquished, the mo
ment she surrenders the sword, the I'm
ion has lost the right to provide for it
further security without consulting the
State that is still sullen and sore with de
| feat. This doctrine is the very reverse
of that adopted by the President in ap
pointing Governors and prescribing con
ditions, and is opposed to the virtually
unanimous resolution of the loyal citi
zens of the country. 1t airily regards
the war as friendly tussle, an exciting
little episode; and some of the pleasant
party at table having failed in cutting
their neighbor's throats, the company
will now all be reseated, and the dinner
go delightfully."- on.
Happily there is a common sense in
human affairs which prevents men from
following any theory to their own de-
struction. If this doctrine of Mr.. Ste
phens' were to be gravely accepted as the
rule Reorganization, he and his friends,
who frankly confess that their views as
to the right of the rebellion remain un-
changed, finding that the present was an
unpropitious moment for putting that
right into operation, would still have sue
eeeded in obtaining some seventeen ad-
ditional representatives in Congress-
Representation is based upon population.
A large part of the population in certain
States is reckoned, not by its actual num-
Der, but by three-ffths of it. Mr.. Ste
phens and his friends take up arms to Sc
cede. During the struggle the United
States restores that population to its ac-
tual numbers. "Well, !" cry Mr.. Stephens
and his friends, finding that they are GO
ing to the wall, "half loaf is better
than no bread. We aimed at the moon
and missed it, but we have shot an owl.
We stood at FIVE, and we played for ten.
We do not get it this bout, but we have
scored seven. Let US acquiesee." And
he TRANQUILITY proposes that eleven States,
having failed to destroy the Union by
bloody war, shall be welcomed back to
Congress with largely increased repre-
sentation, and being there, shall help de-
eide whether they will agree to any 9TH
er measure.
His argument is one that has been fire.
quently urged, and which has an appar-
ent fnslity very agreeable to superficial
view. ''The war" says Mr.. Stephens,
con the part of the United States was to
prevent secession. It succeeded. Con-
sequently secession was prevented. Con-
sequently the States are all in the Union.
Consequently they have equal rights, and
Georgia has the same claim to representa-
ton that New York has. If the popula-
ton of Georgia has increased during the
war, thereby increasing our representa-
ton, that is our good luck, but it is none
of your business. Show me in the Con-
stitution the power to keep out Georgia"
That is adroit; it shows the practiced
politician, but it is not the question:
The question is not Georgia, but the I'm
ion. The Union has been mortally i'm
periled by a conspiracy of which Georgia
was part. Gerogia and the other con-
federates having been vanquished in the
field, the question is what further is nee
essary to secure the Union. And that
is a question upon which Georgia can
claim no voice whatsoever. The author
ity which rightfully secured the Union
against the arms of Georgia can alone
determine when and how Geor-
gia may return to the Union. That pow
er is no more verbally specified in the
Constitution than the power to coerce
States. It is the nature of things. The
Constitution is not at war with common
sense, and the Government of the Unit
ed States having been murderously as
saulted, will determine like every other
government, what IS necessary to its Sc
curity. Five years ago Mr.. Stephens and
his friends told US that that Constitution
did not permit US to do anything by
force to prevent the attempt at secession.
We differed, and by force we have pre-
vented secession. Now Mr.. Stevens and
his friends inform us that the Constitu-
ton does not permit US to do anything
fnrther. But do he and his friends sup
pose that they are in a situation to ex-
pound the Constitution of the United
States to those who have just now sue
cessfully maintained it against both the
theories and the arms of himself and
us lTl0uuS
National necessity and the general well
fare justified the war. They justified
They justified the ap-
pointment of military and Provisional
Governors. They justified the arbitrary
selection of voters. They justified impo-
sing assent to emancipation and renunci-
atom of the acts of secession upon the
provisional conventions. They justify
,he present maintenance of martial law
md the Freedmen's Bureau. They JUS
-ify any other measure, not inconsistent
With the plain and necessary intention of
he Constitution, which may be deemed
'ssential to the resumption by any late
'ebel State of her position in the Union.
The necessity must of course be prudent
y estimated. The conditions must be
wisely determined. Neither hostility nor |
are to taint them. History
nd human nature are to be carefully |
considered. But the right of the author
ty which prevented the eleven States
rom destroying the Union to regulate
he resumption of their relations in it, is
S unquestionable as the right of self-de-
ense.-HaTper's Weekly.