The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1866-06-20
PUZZLING CONTRAST.

Mr.. Harris, Democratic member Of
Congress from Maryllnd, has broken his
long silence aud made y speech, HIS
speech Is clear, Ineligible, consistent
and demonslratiye OF his intense and
incurable disloyaIty. Dialoyally is too
weak q word. lie is rebel ram ant, u
cross between comprehend ana hyena. -
lie daohcs right and left at the living
and dead, jnstitying murder, and de q.
nonncng the execution Of convicted
murlerers Booth an Surratt are the
special objects OF his sympathy. aud the
night OF secession is the centlal article VI
his faith lie expresses the fixed and
unaIterablo conviction that the States
had a right 70 seccde, that they did
right in seceding, and that they are now
ITO this Uaion foreign S,a,es." Aud
he cajmul that secession had been "a
ruling principle Of the Democratic party
, irom 1893 to the late war" Full as the
speech is OF evidence Of maluess, it yet
Is madness that has method IN it, re.
cognizng !heramiications OF the cer tra
alteration, equally consistent and equal
ly insane throughout.
Yet Mr.. Harris character, sentiments
and speech do not place the State Of
Mary land, nor even the district from
which he comes, uader political dl-abii-
ty or di,fi'amchisemnnt lis election
to this Congress, in the face Of his ex-
pu'Sion tor adequate cause from the las,
does not Involve any such consequence
to his Safe or District, although it cer-
tainly does not u fleet any honor on the
Loyalty Of the latter. His admission was
allowed by Congress, and the resunpli
Of bis seat among the law makers Of the
country was not resisted, And yet loyal
men, elected by Il loyal consistency, have
been refused seats in Congress as lepre-
senlatlyes OF the people unfortunately
embraced in the insUrrectlonary States
We refer particularly to representatives
chosen in some Of the districts of Tens
nessee, whose fidelity to the Union even
in the most critical periods Of tie war,
was the theme Of oulogy throughout tie
loyal States.
Now, while the case cf Mr.. Harris
juStllies extreme caution in the admission
Of members in any way implicated in
the rebellion, the excl ,sion OF represent
tatlves whose loyalty Is unqucStioned
docs not az pear to be consistent with his
admission and continuance in his seat.
This case, therefore, while 1t shows in u
startling light what would be the char
actcr Of Congress, and hat would
thence become the condition Of the coun
try, if its legislation and administration
were subject to officials Of his opinions
and temper, exhibits, at the same time,
the impoljcy, if not injustice Of excud~
ing true and reliable men. We should
be dismayed at the prospect Of this
country, if the sent nenls Of Mr. Harris
controlled It's public affairs, more than
we ever were when half n million of
rebels were in arms against it, And
this only makes US the more sollcitous
that good and true men, if such there
are in any Of the erring States, should
represent the people in the general legis-.
ature, The STATE Of Maryland is a loyal
State, Us indicated by thu majority OF its
sullrages, by its measures and by its
representatives, in Congress. with this
exception 1t docs not forfeit that char
acter or any Of its privileges, by reason
OF that exception. Much more then
should loyal people who have chosen or
may chose loyal representatives, be cx,
empted from disability and be renslated
IN the engagement of political privileges |
Wo are ready to make allowances for