Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-01-22
Mr.. bingham ON Reeon, frnctl0n.

A
MIR. Bingham ON Reeensf rncl0n
| Mr.. Bingham Of the Cadiz District
Ohio, made reply to the speech of Nj
| Voorhees,, of Indiana, in which sht
| speaks of the relations of the States, and
the effect of the rebellion on State Gov
eminent, and on the authority Of the
United. States within the rebellious
State. We quote the most important
passage; - -ss,ss s i
South Carolina by her statutes OF
treason and her acts OF treason could
not and did not carry the territory OF
South Carolina out of the Jurisdiction Of
the United States. South Carolina, BY
her ordiuance of secession and her
statutes of treason, could not blot out
the State Jines of South Carolina for
Federal purposes South Carolina, in
short, could not, by her treason, blot out
the provision of the Constitution. of the
United States which declares that s,ss
. In all criminal prosecutions the ac.
cused shall enjoy the right 10 speedy
and public trial by an impartial jury Of
the State and district wherein the crime
shall have been committed, which dis
trict shall have been previously sscer-
tanned by law.-lSixth Art Gle of
Amendments. ..fsf....-...........-..-.. -.
Treason is a crime; South Carolina
by her secession could not destroy. the
State and district of South Carolins,
even for The purpose of holding therein
Federal court and trying and. con.
demning traitors for the treason
and other crimes which they therein COM
mitted against the United States. The
Judicial District OF the United States,
therefore, remained in South Carolina
intact, despite her treason; and the mo-
ment cur armies captured Hilton Head,
that moment By the authority OF the
people of the United States, despite the
treason of South Carolina, despite the
fact which no man can successfully
gainsay, that South Carolina had ceased
to be a State for ell municipal purposes,
and could exercise none Of the functions
of State whateEer--could neither sleg~
islate, a5judicaie or execute as State
vet that verv -mfoment the American
people might rightfully there have open
edtheir courts OF Justice under the pro-
lection of their guns, and proceeded 10
execute Judgment according to Iawupon
every criminal offender against the au-
thorify of the United States on whom
they might lay their hands, whose crime
was committed within that State.
would like to see the man who is bold
enough to deny this ....s -.........'..
They are States, says the President,
but only for Federal purposes; they have,
all this while, during .rehellIon, been
States, bat oaly for Federal purposss;'
they were, during their rebellion, not
States for municipal purposes, and can
never be till they reorganize their con-
stitutions Of govrnmenttot TO the satisfaction
of the American people. There are two
parties to the reorganization of these reb-
Ell States. The President cannot c0nsti-,
tute State; Congress alone cannot con-
stitute q State; nobody on earth can
constitute an orgauized, constitutional
State OF The Union, but the people of the
United States, and the people of the pro-
posed State cooperating. III the people
of South Carolina do their part rightly
and well, to which end no enabling act
is needed, as il ia but the exercise of the
right of petition, which is guaranteed
BY the Constitution, and which you can
neither confer nor take away by law, it
will only then remain for Congress, upon
her presenting complete organization.
to admit her to Der equal position as
State within the Union, with full
power to exercise her restored functions
with full right to her equal repre-.
sentation in the Senate and House. The
speedy restoration Of every State to its
equal position, as soon as it can be done
safely for the Republic, is, / am sure,
the purpose of this House and of the
President.