The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-03-01

L
lgood disposition Of the country, is an
additional reason why they need and
should have Representatives Of their
own in Congress to explain their CON
Edition, reply to accusations, and
assist, by their local knowledge, in the
/ pcrlecting of measures Immediately af.
footing themselves. The liberty of de-
liberation would then be free, and
! Congress would have full power to dc.
eide according toits Judgment. There
could be no objection urged that the
States most interested had not been
permitted to be heard. The principle
is firmly fixed in the minds of The
American people that there should be
no taxation without representation
Great burdens are new to be boz nc by
allt country, and VIC may best de-
mand that they shall be borne without
murmur when they are voted by a
majority of tho Representatives of all
the people. would not interfere with
the unquestionable right of Congress
to Judge, each House for itself, of the
elections, returns and qualifications of
its own members; but that au uthority
can not bo construed as including the
right to shut out, in time of pcace, any
State from the representation to which
I it is entitled by the Constitution.
At present all the people of eleven
States are excluded, those who were
most faithful during the war, not less
than others. The State of Tennessee,
for instance, whose authorities cngag.
ed in the rebellion, was restored TO all
her constitutional relations to the
Union by the patriotism and energy of
her injured and betrayed people before
the war was brought to termination.
They had placed themselves in rcla-
! tions with tho General Government,
had established a State Government of
their own, and as they were not includ-
cd in the Emancipation Proclamation,
they by thcir own act have amended
their Constitution so as to abolish sla
very within the limits of their State
/ know no reason why the State OF
Tennessee, for example, should not
fully enjoy her constitutional relations
to tho United States.
The President of the UnHed States
stands toward the country in some
what different attitude from that ofany
member of Congress chosen from a sin
gle district or State. The President
is chosen by the people ofall the States.
Eleven States are not at this time rep
resented in either branch of Congress.
1t would seem to be his duty, on all
proper occasions, to present their just
claims to Congress. There always will
be differences Of opinion in the commu-
nifty, and individuals may be guilty of
transgressions of the law, bat these do
not constitute valid objections against
the right of a State to representation.
1t would in no wise interfere with the
discretion of Congress withsregard to
the qualifications of members But l
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 Sof public
legislation, when, however, insubor-
dinatc, insurgcnt or rebellio4s its pco-
pie may have becn,it prcscRs itself not
only in an attitude of loyafiFand har-
mony, but in the persons o. lrepresen-
tatives whose loyalty can not be qucs-
toned under the existing Constitution
al or legal test. E
1t is plain that an indefinite or per-
manent exclusion of any part of the
country from representation must be
attended, by spiritCf disquiet and com.
plant. 1t is unwisc and dangerous to
pursue conrse Of measures which will
unite any large section of the country
against another section OF the country
no matter how much the rtStter may
predominant. The course X immigra
tion, development of indusEy and bu
siDess, and natural causes, will raise
up at the South men as devoted to the
Union as those oil any other part of the
land but if they are all excluded from
Congress, if in permanent statute
they arc declared not to be in full con-
stitutional relations to the country,
they may think they have cause to be-
como q snit in feeling and sentiments
against tho Government.
Under the political.education of the
American people, the idea is inho rent
and ineradicable, that tho consent of
tLo majority of the whole people is
necessary to secure willing acQuies-
once in legislation. The bill under
consideration refers to certain Of the
States as though they had hot been full
ly restored 10 the United States. Ifthey
have not, let us at onco act together 10
secure that desirable end at the ear
liest possible moment. 1t is hardly
necessary for mo to inform Congress
that, in my judgement, most of those
States, SO far at least as depends upon
their own action, have already been
fully restored, and are to be deemed
to be entitled to enjoy their Constitu-
tional rights as members ofthe Union.
Reasoning from the Constitution itself,
and from the actual situation of the
country, ! feel not only entitled, but
bound to assume that, with the FEEDER
al courts restored in the several States
and in the full exercise of their func-
tions, the rights and interests of all
classes Of tho people will, with the aid
of the military in cases of resistance to
the law, be essentially protected
against unconditional Infringement
and violation. Should this expecta-
tion nnhnnnilv fail which | do not An !.