Year: 1866

from Me inquirer, Moderate ReDUbHcdn.


The Message of the President of the Unit ed
States to Congress has this merit about it, that
although the views of the Executive are de-
cided as to the policy which should be adopted
in regard to States lately in rebellion, the tone
is moderate. In looking over 1t we cannot dis
cover anything that is absolutely new. The
President recites the story of the measures
which he had adopted prior to the last session
of Congress in relation to the means of recon
structon, and argues as he then argued, that
those States should be admitted to Congress
upon their presentation of loyal men" as
Senators and Representatives In denomi-
mating the persons who have been elected to
those positions .'loyal," the President assumes
determined the test of loyalty, and prescribed
the oath which should be taken by all officers
who were chosen to discharge duties under the
Government. 1t is notorious that q very large
proportion OF the individuals who have been
chosen in the Southern States, to represent
them In Congress, cannot take that oath, unless
they are willing to perjure themselves and that
they were elected in defiance of the law upon
The subject 1t is, therefore, fact, that no
State lately in rebellion has commissioned
loyal" men, ana if Congress, without further
tives from those States, there would be very
lew VINO are competent. But throughout his
proceeds with his arguments as II 1t were ad-
mitted That there is no controversy upon the


There is much force in the plea of the Presi-
dent that II viii be judiciouS to admit Represen-
tatives from the late insurgent States as soon
as III can be done without injury to the Govern
ment, But the defect in the Message Is that
hedoes not refer 10 the obstacles which undoubt-





before Congress would be justified in relaxing its
position. The Constitutional Amendments pre-
scribe nothing more than is absolutely neces-
sary. unless we are so foolish to allow the
southern States to come back into Congress with
no pledges for future good behavior If nothing
had ever happened TO break of the connection
OF the southern States with the Government
II they had not Withdrawn violently and con-
Iemptuously from Congress aud enCleavored to
overthrow the Government, every argument of
Ihe PRESIDENT would be unanswerable. But its
weakness is that IL does not recognize the fact
Ihat past misdeeds need punishment aud the
necessity OF material guarantees for future 10y
any anu obedience to the laws. Hence, when
ne argues that by the Constitution each State
shali nave az least one Representative and that
no STATE snail Without its consent be depriYed of
equal suffrage in the Senate he fails 10 notice
that the states for which he pleads did consent
TO be deprived or such rights, and declared thai
they would have no Representatives either i'm
The House or Senate, and solemnly washed their
hands of all participation in the Government


The President argues that they have a right
TO play fast and loose, and that the Congress of
the United States has no alternative but 10 snb


NIT 10 their whims when they withdraw. en-
dure their treason while attempting To keep
out, and 10 admit them with humble gladness
when, having failed in their object, they choose
TO come back. This course Is not one which
high spirited nation will adopt, and when IL Is
asserted. II is in effect by the President that
certain States have right TO trifie with and
outrage their obligations, and then to resume
them az their pleasure, he makes q suggestion
which is contrary TO human nature. Consider
ing mat the Constitutional Amendments were
proposed by Congress- representing the loyal
people oJ The UNIFIED States. and that they have