The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-06-25
RECONSTRUCTION.


lty report, SlgneU by heVerQy JONI
son, Senator from Maryland, and
Messrs. Order and Rogers, Represen-
tatives from Kentucky and Maryland,
has since been laid before Congress.
The following is synopsis:
THE UNION INDIssOLUBLE.
The signers hold that the insurrec-
ton did not dissolve the connection
between the States and the General
Government. In its nature the Gov
eminent is formed of and by States
possessing equal rights and powers.
States unequal are not known to the
Constitution. In its original forma-
ton perfect equality was secured.
They were granted the same represen-
tation in the. Senate, and the same
Of ae hhfaREieasenee sae u me house
the latter being regulated only by
difference in population. But every
State, however small its population,
was secured one Representative in
that branch. Each State was given
the right, and the same right to par
ticipate in the election of President
and Vice President, and all alike were
secured the benefit of the judicial de-
partment. The Constitution, too, was
submitted to the people of each State
separately, and adopted by them in
that capacity. The convention which
framed it considered, as they were
bound to do, each as supreme SOW
ereign, that could not be subjected to
the Constitution, except by its own
consent. That consent was conse-
quently asked and given. The equal
ity, Wherefore, of rights was the con-
dition of the original thirteen
States before the Government
was formed, and such equality was
not only not interfered with, but guar
anteed to them as we'll as in regard to
the powers conferred upon the Gen
eral Government as to those reserved
to the States or to the people of the
States. The same equality is secured
to those which have been admitted
into the Union since the Constitution
was adopted. In each instance the
State admitted has been declared to
be one of the United States, on an
equal footing with the original States
in all respects whatever" The Con-
stitution, too, so far as most of the
powers it confers on the General Gov
eminent are concerned, operates d.
rectly upon the people in their aggre-
gate capacity, and on all alike. Each |
citizen, therefore, of every State owes
the same allegiance to the General |
Government, and is entitled to the
same protection. The obligation of
this allegiance is not within the legal |
power of his State to annul or evade.
1t is made paramount and perpetual,
Government to allow to the citizens of
each State the rights secured to them
and the protection necessary to their
full enjoyment. A citizen can no
doubt forfeit such rights by commit
ting crime against the United States
upon the conviction of the same where
such forfeiture by law antecedentlv
passed IS made a part of the punish
ment. But State cannot in Its cor
porate capacity be made liable to such
a forfeiture; for State, as such, under
the Constitution, cannot commit or be
indicted for crime.
The signers hold that the doctrine
above presented must be true. and
the opposing one erroneous, because
If the latter is admitted, the Union Is
subject to dissolution at anv moment
there is no evidence that the maiority !
of the Committee would be willing to :.
concede such theory. The proposed /;
consutuuonal amendment is to be :
submitted to the Southern, as well !
as the Northern States. To consult !;
State not In the Union would be an ,,
absurdity. The very fact of such a !
submission, therefore, shows that the I
Union has never dissolved. :
EFFECT OF INsURRECTIoN. q
The Constitution supposes that in o
may exist in a State. and r
provides for their suppression by Civ \
ng Congress the power "to provide q
or calling out the militia for that "
purpose. The power is not to subiu- s
yate the State within whose limits fhe h
nsurrectlon may prevail, and to ex- il
anguish it as State of the Union: II
'ut to preserve it as such by subdu- r.
ng the rebellion, by acting ON the d
Individual persons engaged in it satpd Is
ect State, not to destroy it,; to pre- W
ent her being taken out of the Union pl
y individual crime, not in any con- Sc
urgency to put her out. The con G,
IAuaHCO VI VIC union OF all the States | or
necessary to the intended existence cd
the Government The Govern tn
lent is formed by constitutional as M
ociation of States, and its integrity ttiG
epends on the continuance of the oh
ntire association. "a M N,
The, idea that the war power, as Gu
lch, has been used, or could have in
cen used, to extinguish the rebellion ed
/, IN the Judgment of the undersigned. am
tterly without foundation. That -
over was given for a different con- So,
ngency-for the contingency of a am
'nfict with other governments-an fat
ternational conflict. IF If had been fro