The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-02-03
Sound Doctrine.

w zen the OIL lot the RESTORATION bl VII
ginia was before the Senate, Mr. Trumtull.
a Radical Senator from Illinois, ably aud
eloqueutly advocated her free ard untram-
meled admission. But his argument was
unheeded-iC was Throwing pearls before
swiUe." The following extract from his
speech contains the broad views Of states
man, not of the school Of impracricables, like
Sumner, Wilson and Drake, but of Que who
has studied and understands the constitution
Of his country and the nature of its govern
meut:
Now, it is proposed to do what? To
Impose what are called fundamental condi-
t;uns of political character, subsequent
conditions OF political character to be per
formed by the State. Can You do that 1t
seems to me not and Why? The States
which formed this Union were co-equal
States. Does any body controvert that prop
ositiun2 They were co-cqaal States when
this Union formed. Congress has au-
tholity to aGmit new States into the Union
Iuto what Union? A Union OF c,-tqual
States. There is 10 authority to admit
States into any other Union.
New States" says the Constitution,
may be admitted 10y the Congress into''-
what This Union %
What sort Of a Union was it It was a
Union of coequal States because they were
all equal when they formed it. 1t is into
this Union" that Congress has authority to
admit States, and Congress has no authority
to admit STATES into any other Union. You
have different Union if you have Union
of unequal States deny that Congress
has auv authority to impose fundamental
condition upon the Stale of Virginia, or up
on any other State formed out of new terri
tny, or any Of these reconstructed States.
that 1t cannot impose and enforce upon the
State Of Illinois. Ii the Congress If the
United States can say that Virginia shall
never alter her Constitution III regard t.
local matters, to which The Constitution OF
the United States has no application, then it
can do it in regard To Illinois. | deny that
it car do it in regard to either; and il it
could you have Union Of unequal States,
and you never could maintain such Union.
1t would be q destruction of the government.
The States of This Union must be equal in
all their rights as members of the Federal
Union, or yuu cannot preserve it. Such is
the Constitution such is the language of the
acts by which new States have been admit
ted and though l have voted for. the ad-
mission of States here with conditions i'm
posed. have done it because was in favor
of the admission of the States. and majpri-
ty of the Senate insisted upon imposing the
conditions which in my opinion, were Of no
validity whatever.
Therefore. | have been in favor of the
simple resolution recognizing the State of
Virginia as entitled to representation, and |
have voted against all amendments to it. /
he hxyf In
Senator from Vermont (Mr. Edmund and
amended on the motion If the Senator from
West Virginia (Mr. Wiley J. which required
the mem bers Of the legislature of Virginia
to take a certain oath and imposed penalties
for false swearing. | did not do that because
| was opposed tn the F,urteenth Amend
ment. | voted for the Fourteenth Amend
ment. ! am in favor If its enforcement
have reported bill making it a penal of
fense 10 violate it. and am ready to rass
that bill as general law But when we
by act declare the State Of Virginia entitled
to representation in Congress, aud thereby
make her one Of the States of the Union
equal with all the others. do not think this
Congress should pass law making that a
crime in the State of Virginia which is not a
crime 10 the State of Massachusetts or the
State of Illinois. | am not willing to make
that a crime IN any other State that am
not willing TO vote upUn my own State. /
am opposed to that partial legislation and
v bile am for general law | did not favor
putting that provision on this bill but. sir.
| shall vote for the bill nevertheless am
so anxious to see Virginia and all these States
restored that l am willing to vote for the
bill when the Senate put conditions on over
my vote if think those conditions are in
operative or of such character as are not
Eatai to the measure itself
Now. sir. appeal to the Senate to recog-
Mise Virginia as entitled tn representation.
She has done all that she can. By more than
two hundred thousand votes she has adopted
her Constitution. with only nine thousand
against it. Her candidates for Governor. Of
both parties. ask to be admitted the loyal
men of the State ask to be admitted and it
is due to these people. who have complied
with all your reqnisitions. that you should
now comply on your part. and at once ad-
nit that State to full representation iu C.n-