The national Republican., 1868-12-14
The Case OF the senator from
Georgia.

The Case OF the senator from
Gcorgia.
We learn with regret that certain ineonsid-
crate parties are laboriDg to prscipitats the
Senate into . capital blunder-ths rejection
of the Hon. Joshua Hill, who claims scat as
Senator from Georgia. The prsts.t for this
effort Is that the Legislature which elected him
was m illegal body, because the members did
not take the oath required Of officers Of the
United States, commonly known Is the "iron-
clad" oath.
It 10 true that the supplemental recon.
struction act Of July 10. 1867, enacted tha,
this oath should be taken BY all persons there.
after elected to office In the Southern military
districts "under any so-eslled State author.
ity." Bat Gen. Meade, the commander oil
the district including Georgia, did not con.
strue this as applying to officers chosen under
the new constitutions Of the Southern States
for though the State government was pro
visisnal at the time Of their election, thsiI
official duties were mainly to be performed
after the provisional character Of the govern.
mont should cease, on ths compilation Of 70
was sustained BY high military authority al
Washington. Tho omission to require thiI
oath Of the members Of the Legislature was,
at the time-to wit: in July isst-well known
In Georgia, well known at the War Depart
ment and army headquarters, and we'll known
to Congress- then in session. Yet no disap-
probation was expressed BY the aensral.in-
~ h. hs ~ H.
gross. On the contrary, ono branch Of Con.
grsss-tho House Of Rspresentstivss-soism
ly recognized this Legislature Is Q legal body
by admitting six members from Georgia,
which, under the reoonstruetion acts, could
not be done until legal Legislature had COM
piled with certain fundamental conditions
prescribed in those acts Therefore, Il Is safe
to assert either that no error was committed,
or that the error has gone beyond remedy by
the default Of those who should have cor.
rectsd 1t at the time. We support the former
proposition We are not prepared to bring .
grave impeachment against Gen. Meade, Gen.
Grant, and the House Of Representatives,. We
believe that rule prescribed for provisional
officers was not intended to operate on officers
chosen, indeed, under the provisional govern
ment, but chosen to serve under tho psrma
mont government to which the provisional
government was about to give place.
The complaint Of the omission to require ths
oath Of the members Of the Legislature is for
ally made to Congress by the Governor oil
Georgia, Hon. R. D, Bullock. In his memo.
rial he styles himself "Provisionai Governor. "
And IL is matter Of history that ho once acted
in that character BY appointment Of General
Meade. Bat 1t Is also true that in July last
he was Transmitted from q provisional gove..
nor under the reconstruction acts into an or
dinary governor under the constitution Of
Georgia. He went through the ceremony Of
Inauguration. He celebrated the restoration
Of Georgia to her place in the Union BY fes.
tive rejoicings at her capital. He has CON-
missioned hundreds of officers in Georgia, re.
quiring of them no oath but that prescribed by
the laws Of that State. He has approved Of
laws passed by this same Legislature, and 10
enforcing them as the executive Of the State.
He Issued the very commission which Mr.. Hill
produced In the Senate last Monday as svi.
dence Of his title to seat. He draws his
salary from the State treasury as q Coustitu- |
tional Governor, aud not from the United
States Treasury as 4 provisional Governor un-
der the reconstruction acts. After Eve months
daily recognition Of this Legislature as . legal
body, by those and similar acts, 1t is passing
with tho complaint that the body never had
legal existence.
Georgia had no right, under the joint reso.
lutiOn of Congress Of July 20, 1868, to vote
for President until she complied with certain
conditions requiring the action Of legal
legislature. Her people thought that she
ought to vote in the late election, and she did
so, land, in our judgment, voted for the wrong
Both parties hold conventions,
nominated their electors, and asitated the
State with q lively CANVAS. According to
Governor Bullook's present theory, all this
agitation was foolish and nugatory, for tho
vote Of the State ought not to be counted.
Bat our main objection to the denial Of
seat to Mr.. Hill, rests on higher grounds than
the foregoing It Is something bad to stultify
Gov Bullock, Gen. Meade, Gen, Grant, the
House Of Representatives. and the people Of
bat 1t Is worse to undo the rsson.
struction Of an important Southern State.
We cannot agree with President johnson, that
10 . failure. Reconstruction
was 4 terrible problem. The Republican
party has met 1t bravsly, and, we believe, sue.
csssfully. Let 1t not plead guilty Of bung-
ling. Tho peace Of the country forbids any
backward stop.
II the reconstructed government Of Georgia
10 unable, through tho Psrvsrsity Of Ter
Democratic citizens, to protect her people Of
Ill races, cOlors and pslitios. a remedy is In
he hands of Congress. under the last amend
mont to the Consultation. No good man will |
Inject to the vigorous exercise Of the powers
herein conferred. whenever the State law
ails Our information leads US to suppose
hat intervention BY Congress Is now neess.
ary. Tho admission Of legal Senator will
lot stand in the way Of such Intervention,
'ut rather secure valuable aid In making 1t
'fectusl.
The REUsioS AT CHIc HIcA9o.-9eneral Grant.
elect of the United States, accom-.
panied by Generals Dent, Babcock, Porter
Ind Colonel Parker, Of his staff. Admiral
Porter, General schOasld Secretary Of War;
Major General George II. Thomas, General
Alfred s. Terry, General Joha A. Logan,
3onefaI DYER Chief of Ordn.p,a, M.ior |