Year: 1866

The Constitution declares in express terms
that each House, the Senate and House of
Representatives, each acting for itself, shall
be the Judge of the returns of election and
qualifications of its own members.


1t is for each House to settle the question
under the Constitution, and under the solemn
sanction of an oath and can we believe that
either House would admit any member into
its body to participate in the legislation of
the country who was not qualified and fit to
sit in that body and participate in its pro-
ceedings2 They have the power-not tn
two houses, but each house for itself. The
Constitution further declares that no State
shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in the
Senate of the United States without its con-
sent Then, where do we stand? All that
is needed to finish this great work of resto-
ration, is for the two Houses respectively to
determine these questions "Oh,n but some
will say, "a traitor might come in" The
answer to that is-each House must be the
Judge, and if a traitor presents himself can
not either House know that he is traitor,
Tapplause1 and if he is a traitor can they not
kick him out of the door, and send him
back, saying to the people who sent him,
'you must send us loyal man," Cheers,
and voice" that's the logic" Is there
any difficulty about that9 Cries of "no,
no." If traitor presents himself to either
House, cannot that House say to him 4" no,
you cannot be admitted into this body-go
back, we will not deny your people the right
of representation, but they must send loyal
representative ?" Cheers ]-President John
son to tile Soldiers and Sailors


The President, having finished his
part of the work of restoration, now
declares that it is for the Congress to
restore the Union as it was by admit
ting loyal representatives and Senators.
We entirely concur with the President
in this view. But these representatives
and Senators must be loyal. They
must not be traitors. They must be
such as the taoo Houses Of Congress aoiU
receive This is what the President
says. What does the Sentinel, the Or
gan of Gov. Worth, say? Does it
agree with, or does it oppose the Presi-
dent in this, one Of the vital features of
restoration? We call for an answer.
Silence on the part Of that journal will
be construed as opposition by it to
the President. Will it answer? We
shall see


The Sentinel wants to know if we
" dare assert that any traitor has been
elected, TO Congress from North-Caro-
lima" We charge no man with being
"a traitor. We only know that Con-
gress says, and the President says that
"loyal" men, and none others, shall be
admitted to Congress. A test has been
established by which loyalty is to be
tried. Those who can take certain
oath will be admitted; those who can
not take that oath will be excluded
1t may be hard oath, but Congress
will not alter it, and the President
agrees that Congress is the sole judge
iu the matter. What then? Must the
State remain out of the Union for years
and years, or will the people require
those members Of Congress who cannot
take the oath to resign, and elect men
who can take it, and thus restore the
State to the Union? That is the ques-
ton. What does the Sentinel say P
The oath referred to is the law of the
land. Would the Sentinel remain out.
of the Union for years without law, Or
o.back by complying with the law?


Office, honors, patronage, selfish con-
siderations, every thing Of the kind
ought to giveway before the overriding
necessity for restoring the Union. If
are are in the way we are ready to be
sacrificed to effect that great result.