The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-02-08

Union was forever in the Union, except by
the consent constitutionaly given of ma
jority of the people of all of the states
that while no single state eau voluntarily
withdraw from the Union, the remaining
states cannot expel one state from, or Gust
it of any of its equal rights as state In the
Union.
This doctrine was fully recognized by the
executive, legislative and judicial depart
ments of the governments, in all their acts
and proclamations, resolves, judgments and
DEGREES, from tie opening of the rebellion
to the close OF the last session OF congress.
The questions which were agitated in
congress and among the people, were, not
whether the late rebellious states were in or
out of the Union, not whether they had the
right of representation in congress, but in
what class or classes of citizens or persons
in those states resided the power to demand
and exercise the right of states in the
Union, guaranteed by the constitution of
the United States, or who should make the
choice of. and who should be chosen the
representatives. Of the people Of those states
In congress.
When congress passed and submitted for
ratification the constitutional amendment,
abollshlng slavery in all the states, the
question was not whether it would require
the ratification of majority Of three
fourths Of all the states including those
then in rebellion, to give it force and valid
lty as part Of the constitution, but wheth-
er it would have vitality in its effect on the
slave institution existing in any state that
should refuse to ratify it. Our progressive
senator Howe did not then hold to the doc
firm hot u L i
fact! President Lincoln's emancipation
proclamation which he characterized as
pOpe's bull against comet, was an invita-
ton to the people Of the revolted states to
cease war and resume their normal relations
as states In the Union, with all their rights
and peculiar institutions unim paired, and as
1t entered into the alter terms upon which
those who had engaged in the rebellion,
were permitted to resume and exercise
their rights as citizens of their respective
states and of the United States, it had its
ultimate but powerful effects in securing
the adoption or ratification by those states
OF the constitutional amendment for the
adjustment of slavery
President Lincoln as c0mmn2der-inc chief
OF the army and navy of the United States,
appointed provisional governors in the rebel
states, and through them carried into effect
the prescribed conditions upon which their
citizens could purge themselves of past po-
htlcai ofenseS and resume their allegiance
to the federal government and be admitted
to their former relations with those who
had remained non -c0mbatant or faithful
those were the citizens in whom if they
numbered no more than one-tenth of the
voting population of the state, he recogniz-
ed the right to re- organize state govern
mcnt and to representation in congress
lie has told Us that he submitted this plan
OF reconstruction of the state governments
to members Of congress, and it was approx
ed by them, and that when (under the
supervision of Gen. Banks, now radical
member Of congress from Massachusetts,
the state government Of Louisiana was thus
re organized and its senators and repreSen-
tatlyes IN congress had been elected, he
had no doubt Of their admission upon his
recommendation to their seats in the senate
and house of representatives. Congress
refused to admit these representatives on
the ground that the state was but partially
represented In the state convention and
legislature, the confe0erates having military
control over many of the counties Of the
state IN which no elections had been held,
but passed an act upon the subject recog-
nlzlng the same doctrine and rights in the
people OF those states, and more liberal in
its terms than anything commended for under
the administration OF johnson.
1t has since transpred that that action
on the part Of congress was produced by a
pressure brought to bear upon it by certain
politicians whose claims to office under this
state government of Louisiana had been ig-
nored and the preference given to par
doned rebels. Senator Howe had not
then reached his present status Of refined
loyalty, that rebel is traitor-that once
traitor always traitor-that treason is
an objectionable sin. When the Lincoln
state government was organized, only a
small fraction Of the people were repre-
sented-a large portion Of the state was
under confederate military rule, and many
OF It's citizens were In armed rebellion
against the goyernmcnt-slaveryh had not
been abolished-and ''pardoned rebel"
had been elected to the senate and house Of
representatives, but our senator Howe con-
tended that the state government so organ
lied was legitimate one under the cOnsti-
tuition, and the portion of the people there
in represented had n right to claim full
representation in congress, and insisted that
the senators and representatives so elected
were entitled and should be at once ad-
mtted to their seats as the peers OF the
senators and representatives of the loyal
states. The democrats, however. had less
sympathy with rebels and the rebellion, and
contended that the whole state should first
be brought into subsection to the consti-
tutional authority Of and into harmonious
relations with the federal government, and
the whole people should participate in the
election Of the representatives in congress
before admission to representation.
When this question Of the admission Of
Louisiana was before congress and carly in
the month Of January, 1865, and some
thee months before the collapse of the
rebellion in the surrender of General Lee to
our gallant Gen. Grant, John w. Forney,
clerk Of the house of representatives in
letter addressed to Andrew johnson, then
provisional governor of Tennessee under
President Lincoln, used the following lam
guage:
After pretty thorough canvass [ think
the senators and representatives from
Louisiana will be admitted, and, if this is
so, it is easy to anticipate that those of Ten
nessee will also be received. The only per-
son that find opposed to your theory, and
IL, l. :