The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-10

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The 5ollov;ae eoa&a;ns n sAstzsA q the
|semarAi " II. 'srAutDrso, i Coa6s, %
Friday:
u,.6,suzpsxs, q Ohio, pssssedsl so,iks
mine the dogma Of John c. Calhoun, that
this Governnent 10 . commanify Of StatsG.
hi, cry Of nulli6ers md sscessioais&s had
plagued oar country for more thaa thirty
yeasAaId 1lfeld n ~ slnl 1Saite
civil war known to the history Of mankind.
The sovereignty Of the States i tie language
of the Conf6aes1ey an1 not q thc 1onstita-
ton of the United States, because the fra
mers Of this instrument Contemplated the
creation of national government, ne
supreme power residing in the people, ana
noe u confederacy Of States. The rebels
having failed in their efforts 70 overthrow tie
Government. nov unblushingly asked again
to be received back ia order TO participate in
the Affairs of Government. New . State
which may be in the Union il . suh;ect Of the
Government, but may, BY misconduct, forfeit
| It, right - . part Of the GOvernment, how
ever. He knew not bot the President meant
the same thing, when be said the States which
;ntsoded TO secsde impaired their vitality
thas their functions were suspended The
| President wss correct when he took this
ground IN time Of wa.. When the eosnesy
vus in dlnser the President was clothed with
dictatorial power, but in time of peace be e.
rghtfully exercise no power unless it u
vested in him by the Constitution or BY Con-
gress.
It il high time that the people should insist
~ u II. r QH.xo ~ c,,o~k> uloI ID
| in constitutional Trim. She had been exposed
to tempestuous gales, but having weathered
the storm Of recession and strife, and been
| brought into peaceful haven by q skiliful
pilot and gallant crew, we should examine
In order to see whether her timbers are
sound He had great confidence in the Pres.
ident of the United States, and he entered
his humble protest against the attempt of any
man, in or out Of Congress, TO place the ma
jority of the House in an attitude of hostility
to the President, SO long rs the latter con-
fined himself to the exercise Of his own just
prerogative. Shall we for slight csnses dis
trust him, who, as among Southern Senators,
was faithful among the faithless, and while
enforcing his loyalty kept alive his zeal? He
believed that the President had followed in
the footsteps Of his predecessor, although he
thought that the President should have urged
suffrage to all, without respect to color, in
the recommendation to the Southern States
to abolish slavery and to repudiate the rebel
debt. He found no cause of complaint ~ TO
the ratification of the anti slavery amend
ment to the Constitution Of the United
States by the Southern Legislatures. 1t did
neither good nor harm. The amendment vas
validity ratified by three fourths Of the States
already, and no additional sanction WAS
wanted by assenblsges of men having no
share in the government of the nation.
He regretted that the President did not
wait for the action Of Congress before he dis
missed the Provisional Governors and turned
over the government of the States 10 those
whose hands were dyed in the blood of re-
bellion, but there was no great danger SO long
as an army remained to protect Union men.
Ii was not only the privilege but the Constr
tutional duty of the President to give infor-
nation to Congress from time to time as to
the State of the Union, and to recommend
such measures rs he might judge necessary
and expedient ; but the power TO admit new
States, to make rules for the government and
regulation of the land and naval forces. and
guarantee to every State u republican form Of
government, and all the similar powers be-
longing to Congress, belonged to Congress
exclusively. 1t was said that the President
would seek to control Congress by withhold
ing executive patronage from such Senators
and Representatives as would not fall in with
his favorite policy. He begged pardon fos
repeating so scandalous q rumor on this floor.
He pronounced it false and malicious as Sc
cessiouism itself. He could only find it in q
Newbern paper, an extract from which he
read. The Southern traitors, he added, are
not content with ascribing to the President
such base motive. but most impudently
attempt to appropriate him to their vile pur'
poses.
In conclusion he indicated the substance Of
what would satisfy him in the work of recon
struction, namely First, extend the right Of
suffrage to colored men in the District of Co
lumbia; second. amend the Constitution of the
United States in respect to the apportionmenl
of representatives. and direct taxes, in such q
manner that the people of color should not
be counted with the population except in
States where they are permitted to exercise
the elective franchise third, insert q pro-
vision prohibiting notification and secession
fourth. prohibiting the repudi.tion of the
national debt and prohibiting the assumption
by Congress Of the rebel debt; fifth, provi-
ding that no person who 1t any time has taken
up arms against the United States shall eyel
be admittsd TO . seat in the Senate or House
Of Representatives.
Let these guarantees be given to loyalty,
and he would try to forgive, but he could
never forget, the injuries received BY oui
country.