The Hillsborough recorder., 1866-12-12

- " marc WcW CUItOsW " VUc BtSdt Cueukc
thus effected iu the organic law Of the land ;
declared null and void all ordinances and
Laws Of secession repudiated al pretended
debts and obligations created for the reve-
lutionary purposes Of the insurrection sand
proceeded, 10 good faith. to the enactment
Of measures for the protection and ameliora
tion Of the condition 0f the colored race.
Congress, however. yet hesitated 10 admit
any oi these States to representation I; and
il was not until towards the close of the
eighth month Of the session that on exesp.
tion Was made in favor Of Tennessee, 6y
sdanission Of her Senators and Representa-.
tiyes..
deem il . subject Of psofound regret
that Congress has thus far tailed to admit
to seats Ioysl Senators and Representatives
IRON the other States, whole inhabitants,
with those Of Tennessee. had engaged in
The rebellion. Ten States-morc than one
fourth Of the whole number-remain without
representation the seats Of Fifty member
in the House Of Representatives asd Of
twenty members in the Senate are yet va
sant--not by their own consent, nor by 4
failure Of eIeciion. but BY the refusal Of
Congress TO accept their credestials.-
Their admission, il is believed, would
have accomplished much towards the re-
ne~al aud strengthening Of our relation. as
one people. and removed serious cause for
discomfort on the part Of the inhabitants or
those States. Itwould have accorded with
the great principle enuBciated in the De-
claration Of American Independence, that
no people ought to bear the burden Of tag
alton, and Jet be denied the right of rep
rrsentation. IL would have been in cgo.
sonance with the express provisions Of the
Constitution, that each State shall have
st least one Representative" and j. that no
State. without its consent, shall be de.
prised Of its equal suffrage in he..senate.. /.
These provisions were intended 10 secure
TO every State, and 10 the people Of every
State, the right Of representation in each
House OF Congress and SO important was
IL deemed by the trainers of the Constitu-
tion that the equality Of the States in the
Senate should be preserved, that not even
by an amendment Of the Constitution can
any State, without its consent, be denied
voice in that branch Of the National Leg.
islature.
Ii is true. IL has been assumed that the
existence Of the States was terminated by
the rebellisus acts OF their inhabitants, and
that the insurrection having been suppress
ed. they we're .heneefor ward 10 be consider.
ed merely as conquered territories. The
Legislative. Executive, and Judicial De-
partmens Of the Government have. however,
with great distinc,ness and Uniform coDsis-
tency, refused to sanction an assumption 80
incompatible with the nature OF Cur repub-
lican system. and with the professed OBJ.
jeets OF the var. Throughout The recent
legislation Of Congress. the undenisble fact
makes itselfapparent. that these ten politc-
sl communities are nsthing less than States
of this Union. AT the very commencement
OF the rebellion, each House declared. with
unanimity as remarkable as il was sianif-
icant. that the war was not "waged, upon
our part, 10 any spirit Of oppression, nor
Tor any purpose Of conquest or suhjugation,
nor purpose Of overthrow ing or interfering
with the rights OF established institutions
of these States. but to defend and maintain
the supremacy Of the Constitution and all
laws made in pursuance thereof. and to pre-
serve the Union with sll the dignity. equal
ity, and rights Of the several States unim-
paired and that as soon as these objects"
were" accomplished the war ought to cease.
In some instances. Senators were permit
ted to continue their legislative functions,
while in other Instances Representatives
were elected and admitted to seats after
their States bad formally declared their
right to withdraw frsm the Union and were
endsavoring TO maintain that right by force
Of arms. Ali Of the States whose people
were in insurrection, Is States, were in
cluded in the apportionment Of the direct
taI Of twenty millions of dollars annually
laid spou he United States by the act ap-