The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-06-27

4 Senator's and Representatives from the So
called Confederate States has been urged,
which seems 20 your committee not 70 be
founded either 10 reason or IN law. and
which cannot be passed without comment.
( Stated ~ q few words. Il amounts 10 this:
that inasmuch as the lately insGrgent
States had no legal right TO separate them
4 selves from the Union they still retain their
positions as states, and consequently the
people thereof have night 10 immediate
T representation IN Congress without the I'M
position OF any conditions whatever; and
further, that until such admission Con-
gre5s has no right 10 tax them for the sup
port OF the Government. II has even been
cOntended that. until such admission all
F legislation affecting their interests IS Il not
unconstitutional, at feast uDjustidable and
oppressive
Il IS believed hy your committee that al
these propositions are not only wholly un-
tena5le, but IL admitted, would tend 10 the
destruction OF the Government
IL must not ae forgotten that the people
OF these States without Justification or eX-
cuse, rose IN Instruction against the Il D.
ted states. They deliberately abolished
their state governments, SO lar a the same
connected them politically with The Union
as members thereof under the Constitution.
They deliberately renOunced their allegiance
10 the Federal Government, ana proceeded
10 establish an independent government
for themselves. In the prosecution Cf this
enterprise they seized the national forts, ar
se1als. dock yards. anu other public prop
erig within their borders, ami drove out
from among them those who remained true
10 the Union and beaped every Imaginable
Insult and injury upon the United States
and its citizens. Finally theT opened hos
tlllJies and levied war against the Govern
menJ. They continued this wIT for tOIr
years with the most determined and mallg
nant spirit, killing in battle anu otherwise
large numbers OF lOval people DESTROYING
the property OF loyal citizens on the sea
aud on the land, aud entailiHg on the gov
ernmeut an enormous debt incurred TO sus-
tam its rlghtiu authority. Whether legally
+ or cOnstitutiOnally or not they did in fact
withdraw from the Union, and made them
selves subjects oil another government OF
their own creation; and they only yielded
when after a long, bloody, and wasting
war, they We're compelled by utter exhaus
ton, 10 lay down their arms: and this they
did, not willingly. but declaring that they
I yielded because they could no longer resist,
aiiOriing no evidence whatever OF repen-
lance for their crime, and expressing no re-
greet except that they had no longer the
power TO continue the desperate struggle
II cannot, we think, be denied by any
one having tOlerable acquaintance with
the public law, that the war thus waged
was a civil war Of the greatest magnitude
The people waging it were necessarily sub
ject TO all the rules which by the law OF IA
tons control a contest OF that character
and TO all the legitimate consequences fol-
lon 81 IL
that, within the limits prescribed by hui
manty, the conquered rebels were al the
mercy Of the cOnquerOrs. That a govern
ment thus outraged had a most perfect
right to exact indemnity for the injuries
done and security against the recurrence Of
such Outrages in the future would seem too
clear for dispute What the nature OF that
security should be, what proof should be
required OF return to allegiance. what
time should elapse before people thus de-
mOTallZed should be restored IN full 10 the
enjoyment OF political rights and privileges,
are questions Tor the law making power to
decide, and that decision must depend on
grave considerations OF the public safety
and the general welfare
II is. moreover, cOntended. and with ap-
parent gravity, that from the peculiar ma
Jure aud character of our Government no
such right on the part OF the cOnQuerOr
can exist; and that from the moment when
the rebellion lays down It's arms. and actual
hostllltIes cease, all political rights of re-
bel,iOus communities are Ut once restored;
that because the people Of state OF the
Union were once an organized community
within the Union they necessarily so re-
MAN, and their right to be represented in
Congress at any and all times and 90 par
tcipate IN the government OF the country
under all circumstances, admits Of neither
question nor dispute. II this Is indeed
true, then Is the Government OF the United
States pOWerleSs for Its own protection aud
hagrant rebellion, carried to the extreme of
civil war is a DaStime which any State may
play At, not only certain that it can lose
nothing in any event, but may be the gain
er by defeat. II rebellion succeeds. 1t ac-
composites its purpose, AMI destroys the
Government II 1t talis the war has been
barren OF results, and the battle may be
fought out in the legislative halls of the
country. Treason defeated in the field
mas only to take possession OF Congress
and the Cabinet.
Your committee does not deem it either
necessary or proper to discuss the question
whether the late Confederate States are
still States OF this Union, or eau ever be
otherwise. Granting this prOftless all
stractiOn, about which 50 many words nave
been wasted Il by no means follows that
the people OF those states may not place
themselves i'll a condition TO abrOgate the
powers and privileges incident TO a State
of the Union, aud deprive themselves Of all
pretenCe OF right to exercise those powers
and ENJOY those privileges State with
in the Union has obligations to discharge
as a member OF the Union Ii must sub
NIT TO Federal laws aud uphold Fedora.
authority. II must have a government,
republican IN form, under and by which .t
is connected with the General Government.
and through which it can discharge It's OBJ
legations. IL is more than idle, 1t * q
mOckery, to contend that people who
have thrown OF their allegiance AID des-
troyed the local government which bound
these States TO the Union as members
thereof, or deiied Its authority. refused TO