, 1866-11-10

THE DEFY OF CONGRESS-.

THE DUTY OF CONGRESS-.
Ten States, embracing a population OF |
seven ard a half millions, with vast, fertile
tcrrilosy, hurd.eds Of miles of seacoast,
plentiful ha,bore, and all the natural re-
Eorrccs Of great and powerful empire, are
excluded from representation In the National
Congress. They are virtually governed by
military power, ard aic under the control Of
q single will. The President Of the United
States Is actually their Dictator. He
makes and unmakcs their rulers he
forms and ee.s aside their Governments be
holds the will of their people subordinate
and subject to his OWL. He iuterferes to
suspend OF to cusorce their laws ut his
pleasure; he tells the people OF Mobile that
tue man they elected as their Probate Judge,
shall not assume or exercise The functions Of
his Office. He frames laws and cngrafts ar
ticlcs on tlelr Constitutions He Is their
sovereign, their autocrat, wiih absolute and
unlimited power.
II Is unnecessary TO say that the people Of
the Critcd States regard this state of things
SIS most undee;...:.,,l.sx. and arc anxious to see
governments reorganizcd, power placed nthe
hands Of the people, and these ten States re-
stored TO full fellowship in the Union ut the
earliest practicable moment. Aside from t1e
enemies If the Hrpublic who desire its
dissolution. thcrc is M marty but
heartily wishes 10 have nonn1ar rovcrn-
mont and represcntation accort1rd to these
ststcs without q mo,n,nf,s unnecessary ae.
lar. But fins far nj; cfYnrts tn accomplish
this r,snlf .ayc killed. The nIan Of
Mr.. Seward TO rcrrn1,;ze os yn@;d the State
Governments authorized hv military mower
and established and conducted 11y men noted
~, their hostility to The Federal Eovcrn,
meut. has sitar,ly 1ailef, and has received
its death blow in the y. cat popular victory
Of the loya1 n,a.scs IN the recent elections.
The man nronosed by Courr.ss in the form
of 4 Constitutional Amendment has also
failed to accomplish immediate reconstruc-
tion, through tie gross ignorance, the blind
pr.juaire, and impIacablc cnmity Of the
gos~snirs class Of the uureconstructcd
States themselves. They reject with scorn
ard insult. and with unpfccedentcd
unaui:nity, the generous terms offered them
by their congucrers. Under these circum-
stances. it has clearly becume the duty OF
Congress 10 exercise tic rowcts conferred
upou it by the Constitution. and 10 organize
laval governments In these States. The
policv Of Cancellation has filled In reace. as
it fuiIcd il W.. Tie lruieucy and forbear.
aprc of the Government is rst rived in tic
same spirit now as it was at the out.
break Of the rebellion. when the fallacious
hone of n peaccable adjustment STAYED the
strong arm, OF the Government, As tn,
South then answered nil offers of compro
misc with ordinances of sccc.::,u and will
fire and sword, so now she leafs the propo
sition Of her conqueto-s with scoru and de-
fianec. With her unanimous rejection Of the
proposed Constitutional Amendment. ran
isbcd the last reason for further delay in ths
work OF q thorough and constitutional re
coIstruction-5uc reconstruction
rs the yiciors hare The ri,-h
TO prescribe. and such rs the yanouisncf
have rendered necessary by their rejection o
1epicnt terms and their perserution nnf
butchcry cf loyal men ia the soutbcr,
States, whom The Government is bound II,
cyerr consideration of honor to nro, ,ct
The recent tlect;ops hare wonderful
c1nare1 thr po,;t1c,1 ,tmosntere Thc
have no;nted .,rt linn nr nrn cdt,rc u,,;r
W. honf To src nrompt1v 6i,,uwca NJ
in the cominr session. In tho Ar,
Mace CONGRESS sho1ld ,ssrrt i,
sole ri.tht to naiust these questions h
setting aside the iIleral Governments M
in existence aud nut into opcrtion by Il
1tet.ene' :,
~ tne eeeoHo P'aee' ~ eno"'u h'a'
tfe"eeH JULIUS " asseFl'ne tue II
power OF LIE oose5nmcnt over the 1uc, Pro-
CITY anu 1~aneA'ses o. tfaitors, ana over II
VcIg terrttofy o1 insurrcetobary state
which, by persistent rebellion, have toffcist
their rights under the Constitution; aud I
tcaeh'nS The South that for whatever len
eDcy they receive they are solely indebted
rncnt nnd con demand ah.n.u.c1v na,l,ir
:,t To-. -, .........s st..IY,
as u 1'ehl. IL Is nol necessary 10 soeo oloo
or even 10 enturcc confiscnlion,i in order to q
s,-+ ,,,, ,;r;,;r,to @nrsa ,>-;,>c;.,r. ~, ~:
o.u wv ."'s .nese f> 'le' so w
tothe icpub!ic. Aot less important has
become to proclaim the right Of the 1oy
~ o1