The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1868-02-05

of this clause of the Constitution, and
that he based his system of rcconstruc-
ton upon it. 1t is true he recites in
this proclamation that he is the Com
mandcr-in-Chicf of the Army of the
United States but at the same time
; he puts his plan of reconstruction, not
upon the exercise of the military
power which is called to its aid, but on
the execution of the guarantee provid-
ed BY the clause of the Constitution to
, which | have referred. He appoints
, a Governor for North Carolina and
for these other States, the office being
civil in It's character, but military in
its effects. The Governor has all the
powc? of one of the district command
crs, and, in fact, far greater power
than was conferred upon General Pope
or General Sheridan or any general
in command Of a district for it is
further provided:
That the military commander OF the depart
mcnt, and all officers ald persons in the mill
nry and naval service aid and assist the slid
provisional Governor in earring into effect this
proclamation"
We are then agreedupon the second
position, that the power of the United
States to reconstruct and guaranty re-
publican forms of government at once
applied when these States were found
in the condition in which they were
at the end of the war. Then, sir, be-
inc agreed upon thcsetwo propositions,
we are brought to the question as to
the proper form of exercising this
power and by whom it shall be oxer-
cised. The Constitution says that
'the United States shall guaranty to
every State in this Union republican
form of government" BY the phrase
''IInitaI Statcs' here is meant the
Government 6f the United States.
The United States can onlyact through
the Government, and the clause would
mean precisely the same thing if it
read "the Government of the United
States shall guaranty to every State in
this Union a republican form of gov
emmcnt."
j Then, as the Government of the
United states is to execute this guar
antcc the question arises, what consti-
utc, ci,e Government of the United
States ? The President does not con-
stiutc the Government the CONGRESS
does no, constitute the Government
the judiciary does not constitute the
/ Government but all three togcthcr
constitute tha Government and os
the guarantee i, to he executed by the
government OF the United states, 1t
,'''', '''''-','''' ~, my :
LEGISLATIVE act Inc IrVSiuelt coaIu
not assume to execute the guarantee
,,;t(,,,,+ ,...,,,,i,,. ,Iot bo u,.,, ,ho
w ''.''',' ''''''i,"7 ,'''' ~ "''' ci l'o
. ChItrd Ntdte' Withlh hjUeIhellilhgo oit'lat
provision. Congress could nOtOl itself
's..,,.,., o., ,,.,.,+C +L, r,,,,r,,,,.,, ,,.;-L
''''',
out assuming Ihat II was the NoFefll-
ment Of the United States nor could
I lo ;rJ;,i,r,. ,citbor+ 81 lilo ossr,,n-
-, ,,'' J'''I,''''' ~, '''''','I " ,'',
lloh. ne ACT must DC lne act ol the
| Government, Old therefore it must be
, Iori-l,tivg oot q law n,eeaI hv
~ ~,
congress Nlloil!IIeu 10 ile rcSiueht
for his approval, and perhaps, in a
nronar co.c snhirrt to he reviewed nv
| r. ,1:-;.
lhe lu''Ic'a'l
Mr.. President, that this is neccssa-
rilv thc case from the sin,nln rcaling
,,,..:..,f;'.., -, -, ,.,. 90
Vi li!e No'iS0iI"tiol Sc'''l9 W I'lc cjtii-
not be for Il moment denied. The
. President in o-sur,ino, I'm nvncutn this
tr
guarantee !.IihacII, Is assuming 10 De
| the government Of the United States,
which h, .lc,rlv i NOT hut only, o,o Of
.
It's co-urdIhlte Drdhches ana, there