The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-01-12
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE UNION
Mr.. Latnam,s. speeeh IN N Fun, as Ne. De-
Il1ivered in. the House or rRepresenta-
tiVes at Washington ON Monday Last.

Mr., LATHAM. Mr.. Chairman, in the
discussion of the Important issnesIn0Wl
under consideration. i may be vel s9H1tS f9r
and feel gratified that the honorable
and learned gentleman from Ohio has
given ustso lucid and ablean exposition
of tue policy of our Government. The
people of the United States constitute a
nationality the Government the ma
chinery by which or through which
sovereignty. The operations of this
sovereignty are not affected by the State
lines-no State Legislature, Executive,
or Convention, having the Fightto alter,
annuI, repeal, or hinder the execution
OF any constitutional law of Congress,
the citizens within its limits to the Ma
tional Government tyfg gyfZT1q7C
stThis Constitution, and the laws OF
the United States which shall be made
in Prrsqance thereon and al! a!5ea1 I55eaa1ngss bss
the supreme law of the land"
'tanything in the constitu-
ton or laws of any State to the contra
ry notwithstanding" - Constellation tCf
the United States, Article 6. ,,,.-,-,,,,
The so-called Ordinances Of secession
adopted by the people of some of the
Southern States, are of no. more legal
effect by way of dissolying their, alleT
glance to the General or National Gov
ernment than the blank paper upon
which they are written; otherwise they
might be plead in bar of aIprosecution
by the Government for treason against
any citizen who had his residence with
| in the limits of such State-a defense
which presume even the chief of Sc
cessionists would not now grayely offer.
| No citizen can expatr1ate himself and
| vet remain within the territorial limits
| of the Government to which he" owes
allegiance.s eAnIindiy becomes or
| is a Citizen of the United States by Sfr-
tue of his relations to the. National Gov
ernment, and not by virtue of his being
a citizen of oneJof Thea United States.
The Union is the nation, and to the Gov
of the. Union withinits constt=
tutionaI scope and authority is our al
legiance due. It's, nevertheless, true
that we owe an allegiance to our State
governments acting within their limits
as prescribed by the Constitution OF the
United States.
These principles being true, lit follows
l. that the rebellion was never limited by
State lines. Its limits were never de-
| fined byi Iegislatfon;i but .its authority
kwas extended as far as its power could
carry it, whether over entire States or
tDartS of States, or whether the people
lof those States had ever adopted the
farce of an ordinance Of session ornoos
E1ne TlRnL Oh 66pAEhlb GSLthI6 neCGE51OAA W.
never recognized. 1t never did and
does not exist in our form of GoyeEn7 IN
ment No Government ever did, ever
| will, or ever can vest anywhere, the
powerlto destroy itself, for the mere
vesting of such power would be its de-
struction. We, were eompelnled, now w
! ever. for four long and dark years, to
accord a respect, however reluctant, to
the power OF the rebellion.- There is a
| disposition, with some, to attach to
1 these ordinances, of secession a legal
| Importance to which they are by no
| means entitled. The President in his
restoration policy takes up tho several
| State governments which were over
| thrown by the rebellion as they stood
4 Immediately prior to- the adoption of
1 these several ordinances, confirming all
1 thatw was done by them prior to this
time, and Eeppdaiastiigg AL that Tas Ed2E d9He
iiyety. objectionable, provided we are
4 mot misled by it into an undue respect
4 for those ordinances, considering them
i as only the starting points; the acts OF
rebellion, by which the several State
governments were overthrown or per-
I Yarted from their proper relations to the
national Government. This is a COM
yenfent prominent act from which to
date the rebellion in the several States
| in which such ordinanceswerea adopted,
but is not sustained by the facts as
| the first act, in any such State. of or
lganized rebellion and treason. i.
\ The organizing of a military force
hostile to the United States, and appro'
Fprfations for their paynnentSt the seizure
Iof United States forts and other public
| property, and other acts of violence in
\ all the States comprising the late So
tca1led Confederate States of America,
\ preceded the adoption of the ordinances
4 of secession. Thus Georgia State troops
seized Forts PulaskiTand Jackson and
1.-THE United States arsenal at Savannah
l.Ianuarya2 2; 1851, though the ordinance
I,of secession was not passed until Jan,
liuaryilp. 1s6l.A In AlabamnS Fort Nor.
4 ganIand the y United States arsenal al
IAdobile were seized January 4, and the
ordinance of secession adopted on the
| i1Ith. The Louisiana forts and arsenal
4 IJSere seized by State troops sonthe lltt
i III January, though the ordinance oi
lsecession was not adopted until the
P26th. And so on .throughoutithe entire
catalogue. The act was not an origina
Y Act OF or attempt at secession, but wa'
I originally an act of lion and seces
4 lsion and was subsequently brought z
4 itHGaid as onehimeanS 1ofi giving II
strength by uniting the people in 1t;
support, Just as the military despotisrp
i lthe reign of terror, inaugurated by th'
II leaders, was another means, looking q
Il the same end. =, ,f..3.,t,,
bconscience nor determine the allegi
Il ance of individuals; nor extend the aq
tbority oftithe rebellion to State lines
when the power of the rebel lion was no
suffieientt TO maintain it there; and indi
Il Ilryidnals are none the more or les
none the more OF less IN re
i keifi6u because SUCH ordinances werl
or we're not adopted IN their States. Th
people OF the State, Of Virginia adoPtet
i an ordinance of secessiont the peopl
lofthe States of Kentucky, Missouri ant
4 Maryland did not; yet the noetnWes
tern norton of Virginia comprising mos
iIofyyfiat is now West Virginia, was mon
\ truly loyal, maintained its relations Z
l,the na ional government better, and rem
II dered to it a more cheerful support Il
its measures and policy for crnshlnl
4 the rebellion, than certain districts II
each of the other three, States mention
ed. The people of Virginia adopted al
4 ordinance OF secession, but those
northwesterniVi " irginia meyer ebelled
1.-The people of Maryland, Kentucky an
\ Missouri never adopted such ordlnan
4 ceS, but those of portions of each lolne
y The rebellion, ;andi tits certainly attach
i;np a legal Importance to these ordi
=; ances not. iustifiedf byitha principle
/ Ind polity or our Government, to subieG
/ ~ jSpeople floyaI WestY Virginia tppaln
annI penalties from. which, those OFF, tn
ESisHoyal. and dgebel ellous portions OF anps
1inthe. States are exempt as was done me ! I
! a;.s5s., - Y t1fler and for mo- reason exceE
sf,at 81. a people OF Virginia adopted Il
fordinan CO of secession. n....,,,..,.
~ Sssrfai, i of the State governments WeI
5SSis 10 thrnSsgni by the rebellion just
Svais the rs ,tionaI Government whereye
/ the power of the rebellion eStenaee
The States v seEe not, ana eouio ho''
4