The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-06-23

70 t H t8taa ST.
turn without ms signature blil ehtt
tied au aci las aImt Che Stateuf Afkap-
saa 60 ronrt eltahoa ~ Congress lhc
aprraalof thss WH voal3 Be- an an.
mission on the part Is tbg Executive
that the act fer the metc efficient goy.
eminent ~ the rebel States passed.
March 2. ls61. aud the acts supplement
AIRY thereto were proper aud cansttu.
uoual NV opinion. however. ia roicrs
euca 90 those measures has undergone
no change button the contrary bias been
strengthened by tbe results which have
attended their execution. Even were
this not the ease. I could uot consent
20 "a bill which Is based upon che a,.
sumption either that hy AN act OF rrbcl-
. hon At d portion Of tts people, thg State
#of Arkansas excluded nom lhe Union.
( or that Congress may et its pleasure eE-
+ pel or exclude IA State from thU Union.
ar interrupt it's relations with the gov
|erummt hy arbitrarily doprly.ug IL of
I representation Ia the Senate and House
I Of Representatives.
I II Arkansas is Il State not lu the I'M
/ ion. this bill docs Not admit it as a State
/ into the Union. II ON the other hand
/ Arkansas is State la tho Union. NO
/ Legislation is necessary to declare IL en-
utled to representation IN Congress as
one Of the States Of the Union The
constitution already declares that each
State shall have N least one represrn-
tatiye, that the Senate shall be compOs-
ed of two Senators from each State,
| that no State without it's consent shall
be deprived of its equal suffrage IN the
1 Scuato That instrument also max es
each House the judges Of the election
returns and qualifications Of its own
members, and therefore nh that ls now
necessary to restore Arkansas in all its
constitutional relations to the govern.
ment, is a decision by each House upon
the eligibility of those who present their
credentials and claim seats IN the ne.
spectiye Houses Of Congress.
This is the plain and simple plan OF
the constitution, and believing that had
| it been pursued whom Congress ASSEM-
| bled in December 1868, the rcstora-
ton Of the States would long since have
| been completed. / once again earnest
| ~ urge that 1t be adopted by each
House in preference to legislation which
| | respectfully submit is not only of, at
best, doubtfui constitutlonality and,
therefore, unwiso ami dangerous as a
/ pre- cedent but is necessarily not so eff
fcctiyc in It's operations as the mode
! prescribed hy the constitution, as il in
wolves additional delay and may from
| its terms be taken rather as applicable
TO q territory about TO be admitted as
one Of the United States than to u state
which has occupied place IN the I'm
ION for upwards Of qWrtor of cen
tury. The bill declares that Arkansas
is entitled and admitted to representa-
| ton IN Congress as one of the States
Of the Union upon the following tunda-
mental conditions: hAat the constItu-
ton of Arkansas shall never be SO
amended or changed as to deprive any
citizens, or class Of citizens, OF the Unit
ed States of the right to vote who are
EMIT TO vote by the constitution here
in recognized, except as punishment
/ for such crimes as are known rs felon-
les at common law, whereof they shall
have been duly convicted under the
laws equally applicable to all the inhab-
itants Of said state, provided that any
alteration Of said constitution, prospec-
tive in its effect, may be made in ro-
gard to tho time and the place Of resi-
dence Of voters, 49,. is
| have been unsble to fad IN the Con-
stitution of the United States any war
rant for the exercise Of the authority
thus claimed by Congress, in assuming
the power to impose fundamental con
dltious upon n State which has been
duly admitted into the Union upon an
equal footing with the original States
in all respects, whenever Congress as
sorts a right to enter State rs it may
a territory ind TO regulate the highest
prerogatiyo OF a free people, the elect
i've franchise. This question is resery-
cd by the constitution Of the States
| themselves, and 20 coucede 10 Com
gress to regulate this subject would be
to reverse tho fundamental / rjncipies
Of the Federal Government, which is
/ the creature Of the States, the soyer-
eighty which justly belongs TO tho
States Ct the people, the true source
OF all political power, by whom our fed
eral system WAS created, and 10 whose
will il is subordinate. The bill fails 10
provide in what manner the State Of
Arkansas is 10 signify its acceptance TO
the fundamental condition which Con
gress cndeayors TO nuke unalterable
aud iueyocable; nor does it prescribe
the penalty TO be imposed should the
people Of the State amend or change
! the particular portions Of the constI-
tuition which it was ono Of Tho purpos-
es Of tho bin to porpetunte; but as the
consequences Of such action it leaves
them in uncertainty and doubt When
the circumstances under which this
constitution has been brought to tho
attention Of Congress are considered it
Is not unreasonable 10 suppose that ef-
forts will be made 10 modify lbs provls-
ions, especially those ia respect 70
which this measure prohibits my alter
alton II Is questioned whether tho
constitution has been ratified By ma
Jority Of tho persons who, under the
act u March "a 1865, aud tie acts
supplementary thereto, were entitled
the registration and vote upou that is-
sue.
( Section 20 Of the schedule provides
IL. - .--.- II q - ....l M