The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-04-24
The Congo Constitution.

The Congo Constitution.
pies Of America.
Presented in caucus, in the first
month of the New Era, by Thaddeus
Stevens, for the people, and unanimotis-
ly adopted:
"Nous avoas change tout celia"
"a league with hell and a covenant
with death" a IA
"We are acting outside the Coustitu-
tion. ."-T. iSterens. s,'l-
"To hell with the Constitution."-B.
| Wade. ss
i 4.D-n the Constitution y +-B. f.
Butler. sn,aI - r.
We, the members of the Radical party
of the United Satrapies, in orderto form
more perfect union, secure to ourselves
the powers which, by the grace of Cab,
GumbO, and Greenbacks, we have been
enabled to seize, insure our .perpetuity
as a party, provide for the common n
spoilatiou of our subjects, promote our
gem erai welfare, and secure the bles-
sings of plunder TO ourselves and our
posterity, Ordain and establish this
constitution for the United Satrapies of
America: So .-
ARTICLE l.
SECTION I.
|. All legislative powers shall be
vested in Congress of the United Sa-
trapies, which shall consist of Senate,
House of Representatives,, and Cau-
Gus.
2. All the pswers of the Government
of the United Satrapies shall be legisia-
tive powers. ....
SECTION II.
l. The House of Representatives shall
be composed Of members chosen at such
times only, as the leading men of the
Radical party may specify, by the eau
Gus, or by the electors in such Satrapies
rs shall be controlled by the Radical
party.
Y. No person shall be representative
who shall net have attained to the age
of II years, and been twenty-four hours
citizen of the United Satrapies.
3. Representatives and direct taxes
shall be apportioned i'll the following
manner: Representatives among the
Satrapies of Massachusetts,, Vermont,
Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Kansas, aud Ne
braska, and such other Satrapies as may
sustain during six years continuously
the policy of the Radical party, or such
as the Caucus or the Congress may spec
ify. The basis of representation in all
such Satrapies may be changed in such
manner and at such times as the Con-
gress or the Caucus may declare; always
provided that strict regard for the con-
tinued numerical strength of the Radi-
cal party be kept in view. But at no
time shall the basis be SO changed rs to
permit more than two representatives
for one person. Direct taxes shall be
apportioned among the unrepresented
Satrapics.
4. Vacancies shall be filled by selec-
ton 10y the House of Representatives.
5. The House of Representatives shall
choose their Speaker and other officers,
and may dictate the appointment of any
officer of the Government. The power
of the House of Representatives shall be-
supreme III all things.
SECTION III.
|. The Senate of the United Satrapies
shall be composed of two or more Seua-
iors from each of the Satrapies herein
before mentiOned, and from each OF
such other Satrapies as the Caucus of
the House of Representatives may speCi-
fy, to be chosen by the General Radical
committee of each Satrapy, under in
struction by the Caucus or House of
Representatives, 70 serve during the
pleasure of tue Caucus or House of
Representatives.: and each Senator shall
have one vote, except i'll cases IN which
he has a direct personal interest: in
such ease he shall have as many as he
pleases.
2. Vacancies shall be filled by selec-
tion by the House of Representatives.
3. No person shall be Senator who
shall not have attained the age of ten
years, and been twenty-four hours q
citizen of the United Satrapies.
4. The Senate may have the privilege
of trying impeachments, under such
regulations as the House of Representa-
tives, or the Caucus, OF the General of
the Army, shall prescribe. When any
officer is tried upon impeachment, the
orderly of the General of the Army shall
preside, unless the House of Represen-
tatiyes, or the Caucus, shall choose to
designate some other person TO perform
that function. The function of the pre-
siding officer shall be to do what he is
told to do by the General of the Army,
or by the House of Representatives or
Caucus. The person presiding shall
have no vote except when vote by
him may be necessary to II conviction.
3. Judgment in cases of impeachment
shall not extend further than the roast
ing of the person convicted upon fire
sf anthracite coal, and TO the corruption
of the blood of all his relatives and
descendants.
SECTION ".
l. The Caucus shall consist of the
more advanced Radicals of each House
of Congress-. They shall meet in secret
session at such time as the most ad-
vanced Radical of the House of Repre-
sentatives may declare, to consult upon
such matters of policy or measures OF
legislation as may be brought before
them; but their action shall be iudica-
tive merely, final action being!reserved
to the House of Representatives. But
any Representative voting or speaking
against the action of the Caucss shall
be capitally punished; and any person
divulging the proceedings of the eau
Gus, or any part thereof, shall be capi-
tally punished; and any person divulg-
ing the proceedings of the Caucus, or
any part thereof, shall be imprisoned
for the term of his natural life.
SECTION V.
l. The House of Representatives, or
the Caucus, shall be the judge of the
elections, returns, and qualifications of
every member of either House. Any
opponent Of the Radical party who shall
contrive by any means to get seat in
either House shall be bound firmly
with cords, gagged, and otherwise puni-
lively treated as the representatives
may prescribe.
2. The sessions of Congress shall be