The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-04

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that Congress has thus far failed to ad
init to seats loyal Senators and Repre-
Sentatives from the other States, who's
inhabitants, with those of Tennessee
had engaged in the rebellion. Tel
States-more than one-fourth of th
whole number-remain without repre-
sentation; the seats of fifty members il
the House of Representatives and o
twenty members in the Senate are We
yacant-not by their own consent, no
by failure of election, but by the re
fusal of Congress to accept their creden
| tials. Their admission, it is believed
would have accomplished much toward.
the renewal and strengthening of oul
relations rs one people, and removed Sc
rl7tIS cause for discomfort on the part oi
the inhabitants of those States. II
wonld have accorded with the great
principle enunciated in the Declaration
of American Independence, that no peo-
pie ought to bear the burden of taxa
ton, and yet be denied the right ofrep-
rcsentation. 1t would have been in con
sonance with the express provisions OF
the Constitution, that leach State shall
have at least one Representative" and
THAT no State, without its consent, shall
be deprived of its equal suffrage in the
Senate" These provisions were intend
ed to secure to asaa sxsTy ssSaetf @ 4 r TeP tfe
resentation in each House OF Congress ;
and so important was ii deemed by the
trainers of the Constitution that the
equality of the States in the Senate
should be preserved, that not even by
an amendment of the Constitution, can
any State, without its consent, be de-
nicd voice in that branch of tie Ma
tional Legislature.
1t is true, it has been assumed that
the existence of the States was termi-
mated by the rebcllious acts of their in
habitan,s, and that the insurrection
having been suppressed, they We're
thenceforward to be considered merely
rs conquered territories. The Legisla-
tive, Executive, and judicial Depart
ments of the Government have, how
ever, with great distinctness and uni
form consistency, refused to sanction
IN assumption so incompatible with the
nature of our republican, system, and
with the professed objects of the war.
Throughout the recent legislation of
Congress, the undeniablc fact makes
itself fapparcnt, that these ten political
communities are nothing less than
States of this Union. At the very COM
mencement Of the rebellion, each House
declared, with unanimity as remark
able rs it was significant, that the war
was not "waged, upon our part, in any
spirit of oppression, nor for any purpose
of conquest or subjugation, nor purpose
of overthrowing or interfering with the
those States, but to defend and maintain
the supremacy of the Constitution and
all laws made in pursuance thereof, and
to preserve the Union with all tie dig
nifty, equality, and rights of the several
States unimpaired; and that rs soon rs
these objects We're accomplished the war
ought to cease" In some instances, Scna-
tors were permitted to continue their leg
islative functions. while in other instan-
ceS Representatives were elected and
admitted to seats after their States
had formally declared their right to
from the Union, and were en-
to maintain that right by
force farms. All of the States whose peo-
ple were in inSurrection, as States, were
included in the apportionment of the
lirect tax of twenty millions of dollars
laid upon the United States by
the act approved 5th August, 1861. Con-
rrcss, by the act of March 4, 1862, ana
BY the HpPorttonment OF representation
hereunder. also recognized their pres
,nce as States in the Union; and they
nave, for judicial purposes, been divided
pto districts, rs States alone can he dI-
,idcd. The same recognition appears i'll
he recent legislation i'll reference to
Tennessee. which evidently rests upon
he fact that the functions OF the state
we're not destroyed by the rebellion, but
merely suspended; and that principle
: of course applicable to those States
which. like Tennessee, attempted to re-
louncc their places i'll the Union.
The action of the Executive Depart
nent of the Government upon this sub
iect has been equally definite and uni
form, and the purpose OF the war was
stated in the Proclamation
issued by nv predecessor on the 22d
day of Scptemhcr, 1862. 1t was then
soicmnly proclaimed and declared that
as heretofore. the war Will
be prosecuted for the object OF practi-
cally restoring the constitutional rcla-
ton between the United States and each
of the States and the people thereof, IN
which States that relation is or may be
suspended or disturbed
The recognition of the States by the
Department of the Govern
mcnt has also been clear and conclusive
i'm all proceedings affecting them as
States, had i'll the Supreme, Circuit and
District Courts.
In the admission of Senators and
Representatives from any and all OF the
States, there can be no just ground OF
that persons who are dls.
loval will be clothed with the powers OF
for this could not happen
when the Constitution and the laws
are enforced by Il vigilant and falthinl
Congress. Each House is made the
.siudCe of the elections, returns, and
qualifications of its own members ana
NAV. with the concurrence OF two
thirds, expel member" When a Sena'
tor or Representative presents his Ger
tificate of election, he may ut once be
admitted or rejected; or, should there
be any question as to his eliSIbllity, ms
credentials may be referred for investi-
CATION to the appropriate committee
III admitted to seat, it must be upon.
evidence satisfactory to the House ot
which he thus becomes member, that
he possesses the requisite constitutional
and legal qualifications. III reiusea au
mission as member for want OF due
allegiance 10 the Government, and re-
turned to his constituents, they are ad
thai none but persons loyal
70 the United States will be allowed a
voice in the Legislative Councils OF the
Nation. and the political power ana
moral influence of Congress are thus
effectively exerted in the interests OF
LOYALTY to the Government and
fidelity TO the Union. Upon TINS
question, so vitally affecting, the
of the Union and the
permanency of our present form
of government, my convictions, hereto
fore expressed, have undergone no
change but, on the contrary, their cor
rectness has been confirmed by retiec-
tion and time. If the admission of 10y
nj members to seats i'll the respective
~ ~ and o. npH-