New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-01-23
POTTER OVER RECONSTRUCTION

To ne Editor of The Tribune.
SIR: Your paper has been represented to me
ms impartial, sincere, and patriotic copy mas peeh
rlaccd in my hands, have subscribed II Is said OF H.
cit Will enghten the people'-thereore subscribed
wishing to be enlightened But am an obscure person.
II you take notice Of my inquiries how can you be I'M
PARTIAL you say, To your inquiries honestly
and truthfuIy would he to contradict ourselves how
can You sinccrel II you object that advocate coun-
try more than abstract expcdiency how can you DO pa
tnotiei Listen:
First: Each member Of the House Of Representatives. Is
elected represent only the Congressional District which
elected him. and each apportonment of Senators to
represent the Senate he particular STATE for which they
are apportoned How then, can you make a House OF
for the whole country unless every dis
in tho whole country represented And how can
You make Senate for the whole country IL every state
is not represented in the Senatcl
Second The logical sequence being that Representa-
yes and Senator's representing their respective districts
and States legally legsate collectively only for The Whoe
number Of districts aud saies represented, and none
other Is II not clear that Congress has no right to NEEDLE
with the affairs OF unrepresented states Or can 1t be
shown by what authority II prcsumes to NEEDLE there
With
THIRD: II the President be President OF the whole coun
try the supreme Court the Supreme Court for the whole
country and Congress Congress only FOR the States repre-
scntcd sit evident that the whole business OF he
construction" called t. entirely out OF the province OF
l
Tho supreme Court By what authority may any other
person or body interfere. II there be no representation
In my humble opinion, Congress has 10 1ufsulct0hnO
right whatoyorto egsaie for those States untll they
are represented therein, representation being the Ony
and sole and condition OF Congressional anthor
These questions suggest many oluttSs. a pioF0ani
them because they the questions OF the hour; pro
Tor Won that Won are impartial and honest PROFOUND
them because seek the truth aud ny country goou
II you VIII not answer matter what your professor
motive Il will De but fair 10 set you down as bad ana I'M
nfncpled, as well as nose VINO are 30 no psy
you are scarcely better but II you answer squae ahd
honestly and al the same time consistently you VIII NIX
the rigit nail fairly on The head for thousands ana
opne do FOR Reconstruction on Your pan IMAM y
any other means. Yours, very truly H. W. 'iAhh''
Rrcrion " j., Jan. 20, 1865
Response BY the Editor.
!. If any one has told Mr.. Mars that we are
impartial as between Right and Wrong, Lib
cry and Slavery, Loyalty and Rebellion, they
have told him what Is untrue We are in
tcnscly, absorbingly partial to Right, Liberty,
Loyalty, and genuine Democracy. Let this be
understood evermore.
III. The Main Question now open Is this ::
Shall the wLole American People have a
voice in the legislation and government of
their respective States and of the Union or
shall political power he monopoliged by so
"many of them as shall be accounted White 2"
On this issue, we are intensely partial to Gov
eminent by the rhole People.
III. Mr.. Mars has discovered a shorter and
easier road to the triumph of Secession and
Disunion than we ever before heard of. On
his principle, dominant faction in any State
Delaware, for examplc-might dissolve the
Union at pleasure by simply Withdrawing their
representatives from Congress, or electing such
as they had ascertained would not take their
seats. A single State having thus Withdrawn
her representatives, the acts of Congress would
have no force III that State the Federal
Revenue must cease to be collected there, and
the Tariff to be operative on Imports landed
on her coast so that cargo after cargo would
be landed thereon free of duty, and thence
distributed far and wide, bankrupting the
Government while disntegrating and collapS-
ing what remained of the Union.
Mr.. Marrs's theory is one which We hope even
he must discard when he allows himself time
TO consider its suicidal consequences. But,
whether he should or should not, we are de-
cidedy partial to its opposite and, if this
compcls Mr.. NJ to judge us dishonest and UNI
patriotic, we must abide the issue. And we
beg leave to assure him that we receive many
such letters rs his where we can find time or
room to print and notice even one.
4 SUGGESTION TO FdRMERS