Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1866-12-13
i WINSTON, N oRTHa CAROLINA, IN :, y,

garlic law OF the land declared mil and
void all ordinances and laws Of secession
all pretended debts and obliga-
'fions created for the revolutionary pur-
poses Of the insurrection ;and proceeded.
in good faith, to the enactment of measures
for the protection and ameHoration Of
the condition of the colored race Con-
(gress,5 however, yet hesitated 20 admit any
OF these States to representation and 1t
was not until towards tile close of the
eighth month OF the session that an excep-
ton was made IN favor Of Tennessee, by
the admission of her Senators and Repre-
sentatives.1 5l9. afF .zi"l" 81 - s''o5
. deem it subject Of profound regret
that Congress has tins far failed to admit
to seats loyal Senators and Representatives
from the other States, whose, Inhabitants,
with those OF Tennessee, ha9, engaged : III
the rebellion. Ten States--more than
one fourth Of the whole nu ulnber-remain
without representation ; the seats OF fifty.
members in the H.,use OF Representatives
and Of twenty members in the Senate are
yet vacant-not by, their own consent, not
BY failure OF election, but by the refusal
Of Congress to accept their credentials
Their admission, it is believed, would have
and streng gthening of our relations as one
people, aud removed serious cause for
discontent on tie part Of the inhabitants
ot those States. Il would have. accorded
With the great principle enunciated in
the Declaration of American Independ-
ence, that no people ought to bear the
burden OF taxation, and Vet. be denied the
right of representation. It would have
r.,
visions Of the Constitution. that l''each
State shall have, at east ane Representa-,
tive" aud ssthat, n5 State, without its cons
sent, Shall be deprived OF its eqnal ssnf,
traye in the Senate. These provisions
we're intended TO secure TO every State,
ard to the. people Of every State, the right
Of REPRESENTATION : in each House Of Con-
gress and so important was it deemed by
the trainers Of thee Constitution that the
equality OF the States in the Senate should
be preserved, that not even by all amend
,nent OF the Constitution cam any State,
without it's CONSENT be- denied a voice
irut that branch of the National 2Leg;sla-
ture. @@s @''.{ 131 J" say
IT is true, It has been assumed that the
existence of the States Was Terminated by
/ the re5ellions acts Of their; inhabitants, and
| that 7the 'insurrection having been sup
pressed, they were theuceforward TO be
considered merely as. conquered terrific
ries. The Leyislative,, Executive, and
Judicial Departments. OF the Goverpmeentt
have, however, with great distihciness, and
Uniform consistency, refused 70 sancFl'o5}nl ion
an assumption SO Incompatible, with the
nature Of our republican system. and with
the protested objects Of the war. ,Thropgh77
out tile recent 1egislation Of Congress, the
nndeniable fact makes Itself apparent, that
these ten political communities are moths
J ing Tess 1han States Of this UHioll.,-- Atthe
very cominenceinent Of the rebellion,
each II1,tlse; declared, with a unanim|ty as
remarkable as It was signiGcant, that, the
| war was not I" @"waged, upon So1pr part, iinn
any spirit of oppression, nor for any splpr-
pose OF CONQUEST Or sub ngatlonbj nor. 4pnr-
pose Of ioverthrowing or Interfering With
the rights or established institutions ref
those S sates, but to, defend and ;nai1it tain
I the supremacy Of the, Constitution and al
laws made IN pufsnance thereof, and
ITO preserve the Union with all the dignity
/ equality, and rights Of the several States
aannin7lpairead; !; and that as soon as these teh
iects'' eacatss'' we colnpiishet the war ongh
Fl 10 lcteeaasseD cease nsI some instances, Senators
I we're fpeir'nrtsa to cpntinhe Their. 1esgissia
We fine tiioons, willie in other instahceS
abieseif,,t i,t tatiives W wse:es elected and admit
EEtedtol seats after their States had formally
1,olo.ad thar ri rht to withdraw from file