The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-05-18
STATE RIGHTS DEMOCRAT.
.fcanelnaea 90 49, paae.l

was to punish the gross crime OF deiylng the
Constitution and to svindie1te its supreme
authority, that we carried On a bloody war
of fbur years duration, Shallw now &C.
knowledge that we sacrificed q million OF
lives and expended billions of treasure to
enforce q Constitution which is not worthy Of
respect and preservation? Those who advo.
Gated the right of secession, alleged in their
own Justification that we had no regard for
law, and that their rights of property, life
and liberty would not be safe under the con
s~titution as administered by as. 1f We now
verify their assertion We prove that they
were in truth and IN fact fighting for their
liberty, and instead of branding their lead
ers with the dishonoring name OF traitor
against a righteous and legal government,
We elevate them in history to the rank of
seif.saeriRciug patriots, consccrate them 10
the admiration of the world, and place them
bv the side of Washington, Hampden and
SYDNEY. No, let us leave them to the infamy
they deserve. punish them as they should be
punished, according TO law. and take upon
ourselves no share of the odium which they
should bear alone. Ii is part Of our public
history, which can never be forgotten, that
both Houses of Congress, in July, 1861, de-
elared, in the form Of a solemn resolution,
that the war was and should be carried on
Tor no purpose of subjugation, but solely to
enforce the Constitution and laws and that
when this was yielded by the parties in re-
beIIion, the contest should cease, with the
constitutional rights of the states and Of In
dividuals unimpaired. This resolution was
adopted and sent forth to the world unani.
mously by the Senate, and with only two
dissenting voices in the iIoase. Il was ac-
cepted by the friends of the Union, in the
South rs we'll as in the North, as expressing
honestly and truly the object of the war. On
the faith of it many thousands of persons in
both sections gave their lives and their for
tunes to the cause. To repudiate it now, by
refusing to the states. and to the individuals
within them, the rights which the Constitu.
ton and the laws of the Union would secure
to them, Is a breach of u plighted honor
for which / can imagine no excuse. and to
which | cannot voluntarily become a party.
The evils which spring from the unsettled
state Of our government will be acknowledge.
ed by all. Commercial intercourse is i'm
peded ; capital is in constant peril public
securities iuctuate in value /; peace itself is
not secure, and the sense of moral and
and political duty is impaired. To avert
these ealamities from the country, it is i'm
peratively demanded that we should imme-
diately decide upon some course of admins
tration which can be steadfastlY adhered to.
/ am thoroughly convinced that any settle
ment, or compromise, or plan of action
which is inconsistent with the principles Of
the Constitution, will not only be unayailing
but miSchievous ; that il will but multiply
the present evils, instead Of removing them.
The Constitution in its whole integrity and
vigor throughout the length and breadth Of
the land, Is the best of all compromises. Be-
side, our duty does not in my judgment leave
US q choice between that and any other. !
believe that it contains the remedy that is so
much needed, and that if the coordinate
branches OF the Government would unite up
On is prOTisians they would be found broad
&nezgh, and strong enough, to sustain in
time of peace, the nation which they bore
safeiy through the ordeal of . protraeted
civil war. Among the most sacred guaran-
tees of that instrument are those which de-
clare that leach state shall have at least one
representative, " and that no state withoutits
consent shall be deprived Of equal suffrage
in the Senate. Each house Is made the
Judge Of the electors. returns and qaali6ca-
lions of It's own members. and may, with
the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a mem
bez- Thus, as heretofore zrged, Sin the adj
mission Of Senators and Representatives
HUH aAaA alA Ill Va AS ~ EALA6 al &c
no Just ground o. aoprehensi r that persons
who are disloyaI will be clothed with the
powers of legislation, for this could not hap
pen when the Constitution and the laws are
enforced by a yigilant and faithful Congress.
When a Senator /. 7 Representative presents
his certificate of election, he may be at once
admitted Or rejected, or should there be any
question Of his eligibility, his credentials
may be referred for investigation to the APP
spropriate cumnIIttee. If admitted to a seat,
it must be upon evidence satisfactory to the
House Of which he thus becomes a member,
that he possesses the requisite constitutional
and legal qualifications. If refused admis-
sion as a member for a want of due allegi-
Anee to the government, and returned to his
constituents, they admonished that none bat
persons loyal to the United States sill he al.
lowed a voice in the legislative councils OF
the nation, and tie political power and NOR
al influence of Congress are thus effectively
texerted IN the interests of loyalty to the gov
eminent and fidelity to the Union /; and is IL
not far better that the work of restoration
should be accomplished by simple compliance
with the plain requirements Of the Constitu-
ton than By ecu to measures which in
effect destroy the states and threaten the sub
~ersion of the general government? All
that is necessary to settle this simple but i'm.
portant question without farthcr agitation or
delay, is a willingness on the part of all to
sustain the Constitution and carry its proTi.
sions into practical operation. IF To. morrow,
either branch of Congress would declare that
upon the presentation Of their credentials.
members constitntionally elected and loyal
to the general government, would be admit
ted to seats in Congress, while all others.
would be excluded, and their places remain
Facant until the selection by the people of
Eegl and qualified persons, and if at the
time assurance were given that this
policy would be continued until all the states
were represented in Congress, it would send
a thrill of joy throughout the eutire land. as
indicating the inauguration of a system
must speedily bring tranquility to the
public mind. While we are legislating upon
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 generation, but for ages to
come, we should rememper that all men are
at least TO a hearing in the councils
decide upon the destiny of themselves
and their Children. At present ten states
denied representation, and when the
FOrtleth Congress assemblies on the 4th daY
Of the present month, sixteen states will be
without a vote in the House of Represents
tiyes. This grave fact, with the isaportant
questions before US, should induce us to pause
in a course of legislation which, looking
solely to the attainment of political ends.
70 consider the right it -transgresses, the
law which it violates, or the institutions
it imperils. ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, March 2, 1867.