Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-03-02

1efend toe general intefests, and rscoguIziur
ihe authority af the = sfss rs III susrdi ms u
incustrial tights, az q I" he she t-sncn IT Of our
safely abb cad and our peace a home" l. was
ordained Ia form more perfect n non. ast,h-
iish Justice, insure domrs' &C tJ.nqutHlty pro
mote The general welfare, pro vide for tii- c om-
mon defense, sno s-"ur~ tn blessings of Iib-
er'y 10 ourselves and 10 our posierity" Th--e
great snds have ben attain d heretofore, 30
VIII b. again, ~ "a thfsl oo-dtea~e tor n ~
they are c.r'ain TO b+ st IL We ireat with d g.
regard is sacr,d oh itatons.
Ii was to punish The gross crime of dafytns
thr Constitution, and to <viud'cate its supre ne
authority, that we carried on bloody war Of
Tour ears duration. Shall we now ackno 81.
edge thar We sacrificed Q millio1 Of lives and
expended billions offreasurs 10 enforce Con.
sIs-.'t.en which is not worthy OF respect and
Tbose who advocat-d the right Of occasion
alleged In their own justlficati IN tn it We a al
no regsrd for law, a,d that their rights of
properly, hfe, and liberty would not be safe
under the Constitution. as adm tsterei by us
II we now verify their assertion, we prove
that they were IN tru b and in fact fighting for
their liberty, and instead OF branding their
leaders wiz the dishonoring name OF TRAITORS
against a righteous and legal Government, we
eIeSate them IN history to the raak of self.
sacrinclne patriots, consecrate them TO the adj
mIauoD OF the world, and place them by the
SIDE OF Washington, Hampcpn, and Sydsey
No, let us leave tn m to the In fanny tney DE-
serve punish tsem as they sooaid be pun.
isbed, according TO law and take npon our.
selves no share Of the odium which they
should hear alone.
SIt is part of our public history which can
never - forgotten that both Houses of Con-
gree ih July. 1861, declared in tn. form Of a
sol. mn resolution hat the war was and shouId
Or carried on for no purpose OF subiugatIon
out solely 10 enforce the q institution and law
and that wheR this was yielded by the p,rti-s
In REBELLION. the contest should cease wits the
CONSTITUTIONAL rights OF the States and Of indi.
SlduaIs unimpaired. This resolstIon was
adopted and sent forth TO the world unani.
mously by the Senate AMI with only two dis
s"nting voices in :he House. Ii was acceplad
by the friends OF the Union in the South, as
wen as IN the North "a expressing honestly
and truly the object of the war. On tn. raith
or n, many thousands of persons IN both sec.
tons gave their lives and their fortunes To tie
cause 10 repudIate it now by refusing to the
states ana TO The individuals within them the
rights which the Constitution aud Ia VS. Of tba
Union would secure TO them, is a breach of our
pnebted honor for which / can imagine no
excuse, and TO which 1 cannot voluntarily
become party.
The evils which spring from the unsettled
State OF our Government Will be- ackpowl-
edged by all. Commercial intercourse "a i'm.
peded, capital is In constant peril. public se-
curitles nhctuate IN value. peace itself 10 not
secure, and the sense of moral and political
duty is impaired. To avert these calamitIes
from our country, IL is imperatively required
that We should Immediately decide upon some
course OF admiHietra ion which can be stead
IasIy adhered To. / am thoroughly convinced
tnat any settlement or compromise. or plan of
action which is inconsistent with the prlnci.
pies OF the Constitution will not only De una
Faihng, out mlschieyous. that II will butm
tIply the present evils, instead of ramoviny
them The Constitution, in its whole Iptegri.
" ana vigor, throughout the lengr h and breadr n
OF the lahd, is the best of all compromises
Besides, our duty does not, IN nv indgmsnt
leave us choice between that and any other
believe that Il contains the remedy that IS
SO much needed, and that n the co-ord,na,e
branches of the Government would un,te
upon It's provisions, they would be found
broad enough and strong enough TO sustain
IN time OF peace the nation which they bore
safely through the ordeal OF a pro tracted civil
war. Among the most sacred guarantees of
that instrument are those which declare thar
"each state shall have al least one Represen-
tatlVe," and thai "no state, without It's con-
sent, snail be deprived OF It's equal suffrage in
the Senate" Each House is made the /. iudea
OF the elections, retHrRs, and qualifications Of
us own members" ana may, with the con.
currence Of two thirds, expel a memhar,
inns, as heretofore urged, in the admission
OF Senator'S and Representatives from any and
all OF the States, there cal be no lust ground
OF apprehension that pers ons who are dIsloyaI
Will be Clothed with the powers of legislation;
Tor THIS could not happen when the Consti.
tuition and the laws are enforced by a yigiiant
and faithful Congress when a senator
or Representative presents his certificate Of
election, he may At once be ad limited or re-
lseteo; or, should there be any question to his
eligibility, his credentials may be referred for
ihvestgauon TO the appropriate committee III
admitted TO seat, II must be upon evidence
SATISFACTORY to the House OF which be thus be-
comes q member, that he Possesses the re.
qulsite constitutional and legal ALLEGATIONS
Ii refused admission as a me m Der for want OF
due allegiance TO the Government ana re
turned TO bis constituents, they are admou-
lshed that none but persons loyal to the Upitsd
States will be allowed q voice In the Leeisla-
tive Councils Of the Nation, and the political
thus effectively exerted in the iuterests OF
loyalty to the Government and fideii.y 10 the
Union" And il 10 not far better that the work
OF restoration should be accomplished by
simple compliance with the Main
ments OF the Consultation, than BY recourse
70 measures which in effect destroy the
S'atee, and threaten the subversion OF the
General Governmentl All tina. is neces-
sary to settle this simple but important
question, without further agitation or DELAY
- willingness on the part OF all to sus-
INTO practical operation. II tomorrow either
branches OF Congress would declare that upon
the presentation Of their credentials, members
cons al rionally elected and loyal to the Gene
raj 6overnment would be admitted to seats in
Congress, while all others would be excluded Il
aho their places remain vacant until the Sc
persons; and If, Al the came tine assurance |
was given that this policy would be continued
until all the States were represented in Con- |
gress, II would send a thrill Of Joy throughout |
the entire land, as indicating the Inauguration |
OF system which must speedily bring tran. |
guilty to the pubic mind.
While we ara legisiating upon subjects which |
are OF great importance TO the whole people, |
and which must affect all parts OF the country
not only during the life OF the present genera
ton. but Ior ages TO come, We should remsm- |
Der that all men are entitled at least to q hear.
ing IN the councils which decide upon the des-
tiny OF themselves and their children. At /
present ten States are denied representation, |
asd when the Fortieth Congress as EN- bles on /
the fourth day OF the present month. sixteen /
States Will be without voice In the House OF |
This grave fact, with the 1
I'm portant questions before us, should induce /
us TO pause in course OF legislation which. |
looking ssiely to the attainment OF political |
ends, fails TO consider the rights il transgress-
es, the law which IL violates, or the institu- /
ton which it imperiIs.
ANDREW JOHNSON
WAsHIEG7oH, March 2, 1867.