The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1868-01-30
NOT A CONGRESS.

ing, 'What will this Congress do next9"
What new outrage Upon Public Liberty
will it attempt? What new violation of
the Constitution will it venture upon?
Interrogatories ofthat character, howev-
er, are idle, and of no account, In presence
of the fact that the body of Usurpers at
present occupying the Capitol of the Uni
ted States, is not Congress at all, within
the plain meaning of the Constitution.
This fact has often been demonstrated
over and over again, but in view of these
new outrages, it is well to keep it sharply
before the People. Let us revert to the
Constitution itself for moment, and test
the legitimacy of the Rump Congress by a
few of the very plaincst ofits provisions.
The preamble says: I'VE the people of
the United States, in ordW to form more
perfect Union, establish justice. ensure do
mestic tranquility, provide for the COM
mon defence, promote the general welfare,
and secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves, and our posterity, do ordain, and
establish this Constitution for the United
States of America"
Now, asks the New York Express. how
are these Usurpers Obeying the spirit of
this Preamble? Instead of forming a
more perfect Union," are they not doing
their best to prevent our Union at all Are
they not excluding at least ten States,
once sovereign within their sphere, from
the Union,-and can Union, thus mutila-
ted, be ''perfect' one? How are they es-
tablishing justice? w disfranchising
white men, and comforting the governing
power on a servilc, half-civillzed race?
How are promoting the general well
fore? BY pursuing such a policy as has
created Reign of Terror, with Famine
and other evils, in large portion of our
country, while at the same time 1t has
struck blow at all the material interests
of the nation at large, which is felt in ev-
erv avenue ofcommerce, finance and trade.
How is it securing the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and posterity9 By setting
up military despotisms, and destroying the
independence.ofthe Executive and the Ju-
dietary departments ofthe Government, in
order to consolidate all power and all pre-
ropative in the hands Of themselves, a
Centra. Junta, responsible to nothing and
to nobody.
One might stop at the preamble, and
rest the case, as against the Usurpers,
there,-but in order to convict them be-
yond appeal. it is only necessary to glance
at the body of the Constitution ITSELF
Art. 1st, Sec.2, says:
"The House of Representatives SHALL
be composed of members chosen every Sec
ond year, by the People of the several
States"
If this is a Constitutional Congress, then,
WHY are there no representatives from no
fewer than ten of the States? Why are
there between sixty and seventy vacant
chairs in this so-called House OF Represcn-
tives?
Again
.Sec. q. The Senate SHALL be composed
of two Senators from each State" &c.
Ifthis Is a Constitutional Senate, why
oro there some twenty names missing,-
ten chairs vacant9-ten States without a
Senator! .....
Again. =,
uRepresentatives and direct taxes shall
annortioned among the several states
h;ah DJ III NAV be included within its union"
The cotton. the income, the internal rev.
% taYes. are all there, in these Southern
Stotes.-but, (if this is q Constitutional
c"ncress.) where are the Representatives
nts,;on and 2-The President shall be
oeoander-in-chief of the Army and Ma
w Of the United States.
~ this Is a Constitutional Congress-
how comes It that one branch Of it has
;ms, .be It enacted that General Grant,
ord not the President, shall be Comman-
Jer.in. Chief in and over ten States Of this
UnionY -"
An, g. Sec. 1.-the judicial power Of
the United States shall be vested in one
supreme Court" ETC., etc,
II this Is Constitutional Congress, why
has 1t Just abe it enacted that the majori-
~ mower of that tribunal shall be taken
away from 1t, In order to deprive It Of an
anticipated decision against certain Act
ef their own (the Military Reconstruction
BIllD-in regard to the unconstltutionali-
ty (which there Is no doubt?
Again:
Art 4, sec. 3-@The United States shall
guarantee to every State In the Union Q
fepabllean form Of government"
H0b is Constitutional Congress,
whegeee that guarsnteef How b II that
- - Dmpneut ten States Of this Union
h6tUtD Governments Whatsoever, save the
6o1 1|fms Of military d.spotism p
uo&D u that II George Warrington,
iJs4o y91olsss and John Blair, Of vAyts-
qsis;sf