Year: 1866

MISREPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.


cannot but add another very grave
objection to this bill. The Constitu
tion imperitively declares IN connec
tionwith taxation, that eachState shall
have at least one Representative, and
fixes the rule for the number to which
in future times each State shall be
entitled


1t also provides that the Senate Of
the United States shall be composed
of two Senators from each State, and
adds, with peculiar force, that no state
without its consent shall be deprived
of its equal suffrage in the Senate
The original act was necessarily pass.
ed in absence of the states chiefly to
be effected, because their people were
then contumaciously engaged in the
rebellioa. Now the case is changed
and some, at least. of the states are at
tending Congress by loyal representa-
tives, soliciting the allowance of the
Constitutional right of representation.
At the time, however of the considera-
ton and the passing of the BILL there
was no Senator or Representative in
Congress from eleven states which are
to be mainly affected by its provisions.
The very fact that reports were and
are made against the good disposition
of the country, is additional reason why
they need, and should have, Representa-
tives of their own in Congress to ex.
plain their condition, to reply to asser.
tiOns, and assist, by their local knowl-
edge, in the pertecting of measures I'M
medfately affecting themselves while
the liberty Of delberation would then
be free, and Congress would have full
power to d &c ide according to its
judgment. There would be no obiec-
ton urged that the states most inter
ested had not been permitted to be
heard, The principle is firmly fixed
in the minds of the American people
that there should be no taxation with
out representation. Great burdens
are now to be borne by all the coun-
try, and we may best demand that
they shall be borne without murlnm
when they are voted by majority OF
the Representatives of all the people.
| would not interfere with the unqucs-
tionable right of Congress to Judge,
each House for itself, of the election
returns and qualifications of its own
members, but that authority cannot be
construed as including the right to
shut out in time of peace any state
from the representation to which it is
entitled by the Constitution. At
present all the people of eleven states
are excluded. those who were most
faithful during the war not less than
others. The State of Tennessee, for
instance, whose authorities engaged III
rebellion, was restored to all her Con
stitutiOnal relations to the Union by
the patriotism and energy of her in
Iiured and betrayed people. Before
the war was brought to a termination
I they had placed themselves in relation
with the general Government, h a d
established aState government of their
own, and as they were not included in
the Emancipation Proclamation, they
by their own act had amended their
Constitution so as to abolish slavery
within the limits of their State.
know no reason why the State oI
Tennessee, for example, should not full
ly enjoy all her Constitutional rela
tions to the United States,


DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE CoUN


TRY.


The President of the United States
stands towards the country in a some


what different attitude from that o.
any member OF Congress, chosen from
a single district or state. The Presi
dent is chosen by the people of all the
states. Eleven states are not at this
time represented in either branch o.


Congress. 1t would seem to be his
duty, on all proper occasions, to pre-
sent their just claims to congress-
There always will be differences O
opinion in the community, and indi
viduals may be guilty of transgressionS
, ofthe law but these do not constitute
valid objections against the right of q
state to representation. | would il
, no wise interfere with the discretion
of Congress with regard to the quail
, fications of members, but [ hold it my
, duty to recommend to you, in the in
terests of peace and in the interest o
, the Union, the admission of every
} state to its share of public legislation
However insubordinate, insurgent o.
rebellious its people may have been
/ it presents itself not only in an atti
tude of loyalty and harmony, but il
the persons of representatives, Whose
; loyalty cannot be questioned unde
existing constitutional or legal tests
1t is plain that an indefinite or perma
t nent exclusion of any part of. the coun
: try from representation must be at
: tended by a spirit of disquiet ant
f complaint. 1t is unsound and danger
Gus to pursue a course of measure
t which will unite any large section Q
' country against another section o
! country, no matter how much the latte
may predominant. T he course Q
Y emigration, the development in indus
' try and business, and national cause
: will raise up at the South men as de


voted to the Union as those of an
= part of the land; but if they are el
d cluded from Congress, if in perm;
O nent statute they are declared not t
; be in full constitutional relations t
J. the country, then may they have caus
d to become unit in feelings and sent
: ment against the Government. Unde
> the political education of the Amer
v can people the idea is inherent and il
4 eradicable that the consent of the m;