The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-17
The Vital Question,
From tie Tribune.

fTCn ne 1f90dde.
Throughout our great struggle the enemies in
Congress OF the War for the Union submitted
proposition after proposition affirming that the
Tevoled States were not out of tie Union. (See
Vallandigham's resolve, December 5, 1862. Hol-
mans, December IA, 1868, and many others.)
The Republican majority uniformly laid these
resolves on the taole, thereby indicating its de.
cideG dissent from their doctrine and purpose.
This same old song is now revived in the in
ttresL OF the defeated Rebels, who propose to
rule the nation that they proved TOO weak in
power, put not In viii, to 1uln. Thus the New
York Times says:-
"Ne are, as long Congress holds that States are
ont OF the Union, enactiHg lie The reverse OF tins
proposition was affirmed in 1851 by an almost uuanl.
nous vote OF Congress. To MAINTAIN that POSITION,
the IeOple gave millions of treasure and of
bood. And now Congress- after the Rebellion Is
States which We insisted cou not be taken out of
tie Union are out OF it! Success would have
Verted the Rebellion into revolution. Tnon the
Tebe liCus States would have become an independent
Goniederacy But defeat leaves the States IN the
Union and the Union intact"
We believe the editor of che Times has not vet
responded to request made in the House that
he would dett7se the State WITCH he insists has
never been out OF the Union. If he means the
territory included within the limits of Virginia,
Georgia, or Texas, there is no room for Disagree
ment. but il he means the political corporation
whereof William smith, or Joseph E. Brown, or
Pendleton Murrah was Governor one year since,
thCh buO tVJdl pcOple OI Iue OnlJeu SLalC5 de-
c6edly dissent. They recognize no right in
Mdt State to Ioice in the councils OF the Union.
Butt by State the people are intended-and
you mean the Whote people-we can easily come
10 an understanding. We will take South Caro-.
lima for an illustration OF the matter really IN
dispute. She has population whereof a large
majority are unquestionably loyal to the Union,
and hostile TO a monopoly OF power by the au-
thors and upbolders OF the late Rebellion. This
majority do not choose to repudiate the national
debt, nor to be taxed to pay that incurred in up
holding the Rebellion. Let the State be so reor-
eanized as to give this loyal majority tar and
equal voice in It's Government, and we have no
shadow uf doubt that her restoration" will soon
be complete.
But the Presidents South Carolina is made up
almost wholly OF eA-Reoels - of men who
subR,it to the Union as a dire necessity who
keenly deplore the victories of its arms, and
curse the Emancipation policy whereby its
to keep the loyal majority not only dis anch sed
but upeduoated, dependent, and as nearly slaves
as possible. Now. Then, the loyal pc pie have
not lGyshed millions OF treasure and rivers of
bloodn IN order to re'establish the selfish des-
poic rule oil the defeated Rebel ohgarchy OF the
South over their loyal fellow-citiZens. They do
not regard such restoration as worth Its fearful
cost. They demand instead ''reconstruc ion"
which shGli secure to the loyal majority of the
South Carolmans a voice ia the Government of
their own State and OF the Uni on-a chance to
i've aud labor, 10 earn and enjoy, under equal
and just laws This IS venomously resisted by
the Rebels OF the south and the Copperheads OF
tue NCrtn. And this raises the main question
now htly engrossing the public attention. Why
does the Times seek TO shuttle 1t out OF sight?