The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-21

the collapse Of the Rebellion the States involved
IN II resume their former relations rs members
OF the Union. Thus the head OF the Executive
oepaItment, by the Highest legal authority In
the land the court Of last resort is boroe out In
his Judgment that secession u . nullity; that the
Rebellion did not carry the offending States out
Of the Union; but that In attempting to get out
hy force oil arms they placed themselves In
condition where their vitality was inpa red, not
eHtlnguiSAed.their functions suspended, but
not Destroyed"
THIS 10 the position Of President johnson and
OF the 9upreme Court--of the Executive and
Judioial branches Of the General Government.
But what IL The position OF Congress-, the Legis-
lative Department. According TO Thaddeus
Stevens, the radical leader of the HSusey the ex-
cluded States, by their acts ~ secession and re
belllon, were taken eat OF the Union, aud are
now in the condition Of States conquered trom
foreign power, and are subject 70 the same ALSO
lutte authority ef Congress as were the territories
acquired from our late war with Mexico. The
States lehgued in the Rebellion to break up the
Union still survive, says the President; but as
Rebel States they must be held to the conse-
quences OF their war, which are the reputation
OF secession and al the debts and obligations of
the Rebellion, State and Confederate, as null and
void, and the recognition and ratification Of the
constitutional amendment making permanent
and binding the abolition Of slavery. In meet
inc these conditions, the States concerned have
fulfilled the Presidents programme, and they
are according to his theory aud this concurrent
decision of the Supreme Court, entitled to a re-
storatlon TO iuH communion as members OF tho
Union.
But Thaddeus Stevens and the radicals of
Congress say no. These lately rebellious States
are defunct they must be reconstructed out
and out. We mutt compel them to admit their
emancipated blacks to the ballot-box, or ex-
cude them from the basis of representation.
We must hold them 10 this, and secure the
civil rights OF their blacks as citizens by con
stitutional amendments, before we can reopen
the doors of Congress to any OF these defunct
States Chief Justice Chase would support the
Stevens policy in the Supreme Court, but he is
oyeIruled. According to Chief Justice Taney,
the negro in the United States had no rights
which white men were bound to respect.
According to Chief Justice Chase, the excluded
States have no rights which the general Govern
ment Is bound to respect. II TsDey may be justly
charged with playing into the hands of the
Southern radical negro-driving faction, Chase
may be as fairly accused Of constituting the law
as partisan OF the Northern radical negro Wor
Shipping faction. At all events, in the otherwise
unanimous voice of the Supreme Court it's dec
sion against Chief Justice Chase and in favor o
the restoration OF the Rebel States to their OLD
relations 18th the general Government, will i'm
mensely strengthen the President and his policy
before the American people AGAINST Chase and
Stevens and their folio wers In Congress.