Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1866-03-08
NO. "a

The original act was necessarily passed
in the absence Of the States chiefly 70 Be
affected because DER people were thea
cOntumaciOusly engaged in the rebellion.
Now the case is changed. and some al
least Of the States are attending Con-
gress By loyal representatives and sOllei!
ling the allowance Of The constitutional
righ, Of representation. AT the tine,
however, Of the consideration and pass
ing Of the bill there was no Senator or
Representative IN Congress from the II
States which are 70 be mainly affected
by its provisions. The very fac. that
reports were and are made against The
good disposition Of the country is an aa-
ditional reason why they need and should
have representatives Of their own in
Congress to expaia their conditien, es-
pecially to accusations, and assist BY iheiF
local knowledge in the perfeciing Of
measure Immediately affecting themselvs
while the liberty Of dsIiberatlOn would
then be free and Congress would have
full power to odecide according to its judg-
meDt. There could be no objection urg-
ed 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 could Be
no laxatOn without rePreseDtations.-
Great burdens are now TO be borne BY
all the country, and we may best demand
that they shall be borne without a mur-
mur when they are noted by a majority
Of the representatives Of all the people.
would not interfere with the unques'
tionable right of Congress 10 judge each
house for itself of the election returns
and qualifications Of It's own members.
But that authority cafnct be OOnstrusda as
including the right to put out in time Of
peace any State from the representation
to which it is entitled by the cOnstisu-
ton. At present al the people Of eleY.
en- States are excluded-.hose who were
most faithful during the war not less
than others. The State of Tennessee for
instance, whose authorities were engag.
ed in rebellion was restored to all her
constitutional relations to the Union BY
the patriotism and energy of her iDjur-
ed and betrayed people before the war
was brought to a termination. They
had placed themselves in relation with
the general government; Fad established
state government of their own and as
they were not included in the emaneipa-
ton proclamation, they, BY their own
act, have amended their constitution so
as to abolish slavery within the limits Of
their State. I know of no reason Why
the State of Tennessee, for example,
should not fully enjoy her constitutional
relations to the United States. The Pres.
ident of the United States stands toward
the country in a somewhat different atli.
tude from that of any member Of Con-
gress chosen from any single district or
State. Eleven States are not a. this
time represented in either branch of Con-
eress. Il would seem to be his duty on
all proper occasions to present their just
claims to Congress. There always wiz
be differences of opinion in the eOmmu-
nifty and individuals may be guilty Of
violations of the law, bot these do not
constitute valid objections againal the
right Of States to representation. L
would IN no wise interfere with the de-
cisiOn Of Congress with regard to the
qualifications Of members. Bat hOldit
my duty TO recommend to you IN The in.
terests of peace and interests Of The
Union, the admission Of every Slate %
its share Of public Legislation, when,
however, insubOFdinate. insuFgsnt or re-
belIiO1s its people may have been, iI
presents itself in an attitude Of loyalty
and harmony, but in the persons Of rep.
rssentatiYes whose loyalty cannot be
questioned uadsr the existing constitu.
lional and legal test. Il IS plain that an
indefinite permanent exclusion Of any
part Of the country from representation
must be attended BY spirit Of disquieI
and complaint It is unwise and dangers
Gus to pursue course Of measures which
wiz unite any large section Of country.
no matter how much the latter may pre-.
dominate. The course Of immigration,
development of industry and basiness and
natural causes viii raise up at the South
men as devoted to the South men as de-
veted 10 the Union as those Of any other
part Of our land bat if they are exclud,
ed from Congress, if in permanent stat
ute they are declared not 70 be in full
constitutional relations TO the country,
shey may think they have eaussaO be.
come a union in feeling and sentiment
against the Government. Under the 20.
hsioal education Of The American peOpls
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