The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-08-25

duueu tue a@SuTdVce tnat 'Wne9tNer tnal obs
ject should be attained the war should cease"
and all the states should retain their equal
rights and dignity unimpaired. 1t is only
since the war was closed that other rights
have been asserted in behalf OF one departs
ment of the general Government. 1t has
been proclaimed by Congress that, in adds
ton to the powers conferred upon it by the
constitution, the Federal Government may
now claim over the states, the territory, and
the people, involved i'll the insurrection, the
rights OF war the right % conquest aud OF
conhscarion the right to abrogate all ex>
istIng governments, constitutions and laws,
and to subject the territory conquered. and
its inhabitants. TO such laws, regulations, and
deprivations as the Legislative Department
OF the Government may see fit to impose.
Under this broad and sweeping claim, that
clause OF the constitution which provides that
no state shalt, without its consent, be depriv-
ed of its equal suffrage in the Senate of the
United States, has been annuiled. Ten
states have been refused. and are still refused,
representation altogether in both branches Of
the Federal Congress and the Congress, in
which only a part of the states and OF the
people OF the Union are represented, has
asserted the right thus to exclude the rest
from representation, and from all share in
ULhluB lhcV ONu LAWS tHi tuoDSlhS 'htt4
own rulers, until they shall comply with such
conditions, and perform such acts as this
Congress. thus composed, may itself pre-
scribe. That right has not only been asser-
tel. bat It has been exercised, and Is practi>
caliy enforced at the present time.
Nor .ioes it fnl any -lP2.rc in The theory
ih L the states thus exc!udei are in rebellion
against the Government, a"l are, therefore,
prec.U',d iroI. sharing H. authority. Iney
arr not thus im rebellion. They are, one and
al , Ia an attitude OF loyalty toward the Coz
ernmeut. and Of sw-ru allegiance u the
or,iitrtror Cf tie En.lll States IN none ot
them : there th- slightest indication Of re-
sistauce t. this authority. or the sill -hiest
protest .Iirst Is Just ani bIuir Z o.. ga
lion. This condition Of renewed Loyalty has
been officially recognized BIZ comm ~ procla-
NATION of the Executive department. The
laws Of the United States have been extended
bv Congress bye- all these states and the
people thereof Federal courts have been
reopeuej. ard Federal t.Xes imposed aud
levied aud in every respect except that they
are MED rep Fesen,.'iJu in Congress and
the Electoral College, the states once in
rebellion are r scognzeI as holding the 5 .ne
ugsifiou. a. dlug the same obligations. and
subject 70 thI same duties, as the other
states Of our tommon Union. Il Seems %
Us. IN the exercise - the c-.iaest aud L.
candid lad -,nrri we O.. Sr.r,, - t'- -V' '-ci,
that suca q dl..sh, - enforced. Involves a.
fatal an Uy.- hryw o. Tie authority Of The
coust.tuti "a. hnd as complete destruction
ofthe Govern e=r: and Union. a. thl, which
/ ,yas so- ~ 10 D.. effected by r-e states ana
! people in armed !as-grectsJa against them
| both.
y. .l,..s
| er thus asserted to exclude certain states
| from represe, tatj,n, Is ma .J rest who =
! In the will an discretion rf 'a- con gr.s, tia;
n .erts it. Id Is not n. tp depend upon
| ANY specif n coui,JiDa. .~ circumstances,
nor to be s-5iec, to any l..-s or r.:llh-,ons
! Whatever. The right Aszs.ie- ana exercised
absolute. wlt'.glt qualification or restr.c'
! ton: not cop.1cl TO states IN rebellion, uoi
| TO states tia, haye rebellei. l. Is The clsnt
! of any congress. in formal possession O.. -
/ Islat!re authority. to exclude any state ol
states. and any portion of the people there IF
/ at any time. from representation n tougres,
/ anI in thr electoral college A. It's ofTH dI>'
| crction, and unit! they shall perform such
! acts and comply with such conditions, = =
may dictate. Obviously tae reason. for .1cl
( exclusion beju. wholly within the discretion
! 0 congress, may change q the congress
/ itself NAV chat-e. Due congress may eX
/ clul- state from al share !. tie Govern
| men; for one reason, 2.-, tAat reason remov
/ ell. the next congress may cNctCIe II ID
. .!Other. c.C state MAJ tc excluded on on
I ground. - day, and anO'b@r may be- exclude.
on the opposite grUuHJ, - morrow. Nor:LerT
nsreudaGcv NAV exclude Southera state,
from one congress the asccudAucy Of West
ern OF Of Southern interests, or oi JJ;A com
biued. may exclude the Northern OF the Las,
.ra states fion the next. Improbable s.
such usurp jous may seem, the establish
neni ot H.. principle now asserted aud ac;e,
uyoa lv c. t~-ess vii teu.er them by Il
means iulpok &c.
The character. indeed the very existence
of Congress and the Union is thu, made de
pen lent solely and entirely. upon the part,
and ScctiJuai e genc!eS and to-Jearauce o
the hour. We need no, sop to show thai
such acton not Cnly finds no warrau. in Ia,
Constitution. but is AT war with every primer
rie Of onr Go,,.nmeut. and with The yar'
existence Of free institutions. II *, indeed
the identical practice which has ren1ereI
fruitless all attempts hitherto to establish an'
maintain free govc. neuts III Mexico an
the States OF S,uth America PARTY neces
sites assert themselves as superior 70 tn
fundamental law, which i set aside IN recil
les, obedience u their b-hes'S- Stability
whether in the exHrcs Sc of power IL the al
ministrali,n OF government, o. IN tie ENJOY
meut of rights, becomes lmpoSsIo.ei and III
conhicts oipaI;y. which, under constitutional
/ governments. are the conditions aad mean
OF political progress, are '0erged in The con
l'lc;s OF ar pas to wh--h they directly ard N
evitaby tetd.
1t was 4 rtlnst TINS rcr-., 50 consplcuou
and 50 fat 10 all tree governments, INA
our Constr u,ion vas intended especially I
provide. Mt only the stability, bat tn
very exist eace ot thu Government IS mad
by lis prof fsions to dePcn! upon the ri5l
and the ta It Ct representation.
The Cot greSs. upon which is conferred a
the Legislative power of the natioral govern
, ment. CON lists of two branches, the Senat
!, and Housf Of Representatives, whose jo-t
concurreue be or assent is essential 10 Il.
validity Of any law OF these, ''the Rous
of RerreJ Jentttives." saws the ConstitGtio
, | Article II Sec ION =. 'shail be composed {
members chosen every second year by tn
neoole ofIthe several States" No: Only
ihe richt of repre- sentaton thus recognize
as posses .ed by all the States. and by ever
, Stare without restriction, qualification, c
: distinction of any kind, but the duty {
choosing representatives is imposed upo
the neonle of each aud every State aiik'
vrbCtl, distinction, or the authority to max
distinctions among them for any reason {
: upon an / grounds whatever. And in tn
Sapate lo careful Is TIE Constitution I
= secure to every State this right of represen
: ta,ion. tbs explicitly provided that 10 Stat
, sball. without It's consent, be deprived OF II
: email suffrage IN that body, even by a
= a,l,a,dment Of the Constitution itself. Whei
; therefore. any State is excluded from sue
!, T, Representations, not only is right OF "A Stat
:, denied, but the Constitutional integrity Of Il
! Senate il impaired, and the validity OF ii
Government itself is brougft in question
But Congress, at the presen: moment, thr
. excludes from representatioH la both branc'
, es of Congress ten Sta,es Of the Unioi