The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-06-29

upon TO declare "all commercial interoourae
by and between the same. by citizens thereof
and the citizens of the United States. sball
cease and DO unlawful 50 long as such condi
tion of hostility shall oontinue.n Hare. also.
congress evidently deals with the states q be-.
lng In the Union, and to remain in the Union.
It seeks keep them in by forbiddine CONNER
clal intercourse between their citizens and
the citizens of other states 30 long and 90
long only, as lnsurrectionary hostility shall
continue. That ended, they are . be as at
FIRST, entitled to the same intercourse with
citizens of other statee, that they enioyed
before the instruction. In other words, in
IN this act. as in the resolution of the same
month, the dignity, equality, and rights of
such states, lthe instruction ended), were
not to be held In any respect impaired The
several proclamations of amnesty issued by
Mr.. Lincoln and his successor, under the au.
thority of congress, are also inconsistent with
the idea that the parties included in them
are not to be held in the future restored to
ell rights belonging to them as citizens
OF their respective states. A
power to pardon is power to restore the of
fender to the condition in which he was be-
fore the date of tho offence pardoned. 1t is
now settled that pardon removes not only
punishment, but all legal disabilities CON
oS1eSAs tta Sho CIiHC DdC. IA. d., ill.,
Par. Bishop on criminal law Vol. /, p. 7l31
states the same doctrine The amnesties 90
declared would be but false pretence if they
were now held to leave the parties who have
avsiled themselves of them in most every par
ticular in the condition they would have been
in if they had rejected them. Such a result, it
is submitted, would be foul blot on the good
name of the nation.
# THE DUTY OF ADMISSION. .s
Upon the whole, therefore, in the present
state of the country, the excitement which
exists, and which may mislead legislatures
already elected, we think that the mature
sense of the people is not likely to be asoer-
tanned on the subject of the proposed amend
ment by its submission to existing state leg
islatures. If it should be done at all, the
su admission should either be to legislatures
hereafter to be elected or to conventions OF
the people chosen for the purpose. Congress
may select either mode, but they have select
ed mother. 1t may be submitted to legisia-
lures already in existence whose memb
were heretofore elected with no view to the
consideration of such measure. And 1t
may consequently be adopted. though a ma
jority of the people of the states disapprove
or objections to it, we think it most
b j ct o n a g: Whether regard
be had to the nature of the terms of the con-
situation, or to the legislation of congress dur
ing the instruction. TO the course of the
judicial department, or to the conduct of the
| executive, the undersigned confidently sub
NIT that the southern states are states in the
Union, and entitled to every right and privil
| egs belonging to the other states. If any
portion of their citizens be disloyal, or moi
able to take any oath of Office that has been
or may be, conssitutioually prescribed, ls a
| question irrespective of the rights of the
states to be represented. Against the dan
| ger, whatever that may be, OF the admission
of disloysl or disqualified members into the
house or senate, 1t is in the power of each
branch topfoyide by refusing such admission
| Each by the constitution is made the Judge
of the elections returns and qualifications o
| it's own members, No other department car
| interfere with it. Its decision includes al
others. The only correction, when error il
committed, is to be found in the responsible
ty of the members 70 the people. But it il
believed by the undersigned to be the clesl
duty of each hou respectively to admit II
seats any senator or representative who ha,
been elected, according TO the co stisutona
laws of the state, and who is able and willing
to subscribe tns oath required by constisu
tional law.