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

concerned. hey cannot escape lie O0LE3-
tons imposed UPON them By the COns----
ton anu the laws. nor IMPAIR tie exercise
Of national authority. The Constitution. L
viii De observed, Goes lot act uDOC states.
a. suc1, bat upon tl5 people Wli.s.
therefore, the people cannot escape IS at
t1orltr, the states may. through he act O.
their people, cease 20 exist n a. O--anl1el
form, and tnus dissolve their political rela-
tlOns with the Cnted states That tax
alton s1O--4 le Ollr Wa ne C0lsel- o.
the people, tlr0ug- -he.r own representa-
tives IS 3 cardinal principle OF 81 rec gov
ernments: bit Z Is TOT true that AVIATION
and representation must 20 together Under
o. CIRCUMSTANCES anu - every moment o.
time The people 10 the D.s--.c. Of Co.-m-
bia ana OF the Territories are taxed a.
though not represented il Congress L l.
be true that tie people o. -he so-caiiel
Confederate states l-ve DO -l-l- L. throw
Oh the authority ~ tLe Cl--e. states. = =
equally true tla- -Ley ara h0-ll - O..
times % share tie bLrlens o. government
They cannot either legally OF ecu tally re-
fuse ~ GEAR their Just proportion OF these
burdens, % FO.lltar.y Indicating tlsl-
nights aud privileges as states % .le Julou
and refusing ID De represented .l tle C0Il-
ellis OF the nation. much less br rebellion
against natiOla. authority an .evving
war. 10 nope that by - dong .ley could
escape taxation would 1e - O-er = p-eml-
I'm Tor instruction. To reward instead Or
Furnishing treason ID hold nat as soon
a Government IS restored - Is full al
thOrty IL Cln De allowed no tine 70 So
cure Itself against similar wrongs ID the
future. or else omit tie ordinary exercise
Of is constitutional. power 20 clrne. elll.
cOntr button from a. toward tue expenses
OF the Government would DE- unreasonable
II itsel, and unjust % the nation. Il IS
sufficient 70 reply, thai tie .Oss o. represen-
tatIOn Dr. tile people Of the insCrreCIlO1arT
states, was their own voluntary choice
They might 3 aldOn their privileges bul
they could not escape their Obligations
And surely tley nave lO rl5lt 10 complain.
Il before resumlng tier Qr.v-eges. al1
While the people OF the United States are
deT.s.n5 means for The public safety. rem
dered necessary 1y Tue acc o. those who
thus List-anClise1 themselves. hey are
compelled TO contribute tle.r Just proper
ton OF the genera. burden oil taxation IL
Cured By their wcEeGness and folly.
Equally absurd 3 the preJence thai the
authority o. the nation must be
imperative, 50 far Is they are concerned,
while they, BIZ their own act, nave lost the
right 70 take part Ia .t. Such proposition
carries its own retutatiOn on is tace.
While thus exposing .alacieS, which, IS
your committee believe, are resOrted 10 for
the purpose OF misleading the people, and
distracting their attention from the qges-
ton al issue, We freely admit that sGch !
condition Of thin5S should De brought If
possible, 10 a speedy termination. II IS
most desirable that the union OF al the
States should become perfect a. the carl.-
est moment consistent with the peace and
welfare of the nation, thai a.. these states
should become fully represented in the na-
tiOnal councils, anu take their share in the
legislation Of the country. Tie possession
and exercise OF more than its Just share of
power By any section is injurious. as wei.
to that section as TO al others. Is ten
dency IS Gistracting anu demOralzng, aud
such a state OF affairs 5 only % be tOle--
ated On the ground OF 4 necessary regard
OF the public safety As sOOl Is that safe
Y l. secured It should terminate
Your committee came % The c0nsiLsra-
ton O; the subject referred % them with
the most anxious desire 10 ascertain what
was the condition o. the people o. the
STATES recently ID lnsl-reC Ion, anG what
If anything, was necessary 90 la done be-
tore restoring them 20 The tlI el OTment Of
a. their original privileges. Il was unie-
lla0ie that the war into which they Lal
plunged the country, lad materially chang
ell their relations % The people OK the loyal
States S.aTery has been abolished by
CONSTITUTIONS. amenimen- \ large p-O-
portion OF the population bad become in
stead of mere chatte.s. tree men and c.-i-
Zens Through d.. the past struggle these
had remained true anu .0-ai anu hal. IN
large numbers, fought OF the side Of the
Union. L was impossible to abandon these
without securing them their rights as free
men and citizens The whole CIVILIZED
world have cried against SUCH base ilgrat-
ituie, aud the bare .iea Is offensive 10 AL
right thinking men Hence II lecOmes im-
pOrtan- 70 inquire what could he done %
secure their rights, civ. anu political L
was eyiden. 20 YOU. committee that aIe-
QIate security wO-I ONLY be found 10 an
nrOpria-e constitutional provisions. b an
original provision of the Constitution re-
presentation Is based on the whole number
Of .ree persons 10 each state, anu three
tfths o. a.. other persons. When al ue-
come rec. representation Of al necessarily
follows As q Consequence tie inevitable
effect Of the rebellion would be 20 increase
the political power OF the insGrrectionary
States. whenever they should be allowed TO
resume their position d states OF the
Union As representation =, By the Con
stitutOn. based upon population, your con-
mittee did not think it advisable to recon-
mend "a change Of that basis. The eXer-
else OF representation necessarily resulting
from the abolition OF slavery. was consider
Ell the most important element d the cues
ton arising out o. the changed condition
Of affairs. anu the necessity or some fun
damental acton ID th.s regard seemed IN
perat.ve l. appears % vo-r committee
that tie rights OF these persons or wlOm
the Jas.s o. representation hal been thus
increased. should be recognized by tue GEN.
era government While Save, tLey were
n0l considered ~ Lavlg any rights, civil
OF political L did not seem Just or proper
that a the pOi;t;ca. advantages derived
from their becoming free should be c0nfinea
10 their former masters. who had fought
against the Union, aud withheld nom them