Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-03-01

and Congress would nave luIl power 10
decide according TO its judgment, there
could be no objection urged that the States
most interested, had not been permitted
to be heard. The principle is firmly fix
ed in the minds Of the American peo-
pie, that there should be no taxation
without representation. Great burdens
are now to be borne by all the country,
and we may best demand that they shall
be borne without murmur, when they
are voted by majority of the representa-
tives of the people.
would not interfere with the unques-
tionable right Of Congress to judge, each
House for itself, Of the election, returns
and qualifications of its own members +;
but that authority cannot be construed
as including the right to shut in time of
peace any State from the representation to
which it is entitled by the Constitution.
AT present all the people of eleven States
are excluded, those who were most faith
full during the war, not less than others.
The State of Tennessee, for instance,
whose authorities engaged in the rebellion,
was restored to all her constitutional rela-
tons to the Union, by the patriotism and
energy Of her injured and betrayed people
before the war was brought TO a termina-
ton. They had placed themselves in re-
lations with the General Government, and
established State Government, of their
own, and as they were not included in the
emancipation proclamation, they, by their
own act have amended their constitution
so as to abolish slavery within the limits
of their State. | know no reason why
the State Of Tennessee should not fully en-
Joy all her Constitutional relations to the
United States. The President of the
United States stands before the country in
a somewhat different attitude from that of
any member of Congress, chosen from
any district or State. The President is
chosen by the people of all the States.
Eleven States are not at present repreSen-
ted in either branch of Congress. 1t would
seem to be his duty on all occasions to
present their just claims TO Congress-
There always will be differences Of opinion
in the community, and individuals may
be guilty of transgression of the law, but
these do not constitute valid objections
against the right of n State to representa-
ton. 1t would in no wise interfere with
the discretion of Congress with regard to
the qualifications Of members, but hold
it my duty to recommend to you, in the
interests of peace, and in the interests of
the Union, the admission of every State
TO its share of public Legislation, when,
however, insubordinate, insurgent or re-
bellious, its people may have been, it pre-
sents itself not only in an attitude of 10y
atty and harmony, but in the persons of
Representatives whose loyalty cannot be
questioned under the existing constitu-
tional or legal test. 1t is plain that an in
definite or permanent exclusion of any
part Of the country from representation
must be attended by a spirit of disquiet
and complaint. 1t is unwise and danger
Gus to pursue course of measures which
will unite any large section of the country
against another section of the country, no
matter how much the latter may predomi-
nate. The course of immigration, the de-
velopement of industry and business, and
natural causes, will raise up at the South,
men as devoted to the Union as those of
any other part of the land but if they are
all excluded from Congress, if in any per-
manent statute they are declared not to be
in full constitutional relations to the coun-
try, they may have cause to become a
unit in feeling and sentiment against the
Government. Under the political educa-
ton of the American people, the idea is
inherent and irradicable that the consent
Of the majority Of the whole people is nee
essary to secure a willing aquiescence in
legislation. The bill under consideration
refers to certain of the States AS though
they had not been fully restored to the
United States. If they have not, let us
at once act together to secure that desira-
bic end at the earliest possible moment.
1t is hardly necessary for me to inform
Congress that, in my own judgment most
of these States, so far at least as depend
upon their own action have already been
fully restored, and are 70 be deemed to be
entitled tc the enjoyment of their ccnsti-
tutional rights as members of the Union.
Reasoning from the Constitution itself, and
from the actual situation of the country,
| feel not only entitled, but bound TO as
sumo that, with the federal courts restored
in the several States, and in the full exer-
else of their functions, the rights and in
tereSts Of all classes of the people will,
with the aid of the military in cases OF
insufficiency of the laws, be essentially
protected against unconstitutional infringe
ment and violation. Should this expec-
tation unhappily fail, which 1 do not an
ticipate, then the Executive is already
armed with the powers conferred by the
act of March, 1866, establishing the Freed
mans Bureau, and hereafter, as hereto
fore, can employ the land and naval for
ces of the country to suppress insurrectior
and overcome obstruction to the laws.
/ return the bill TO the Senate in the
earnest hope that measure involving
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