counted in any of the amendments of the Constitution until they are
duly admitted into the family of States by the law-making power of their
conqueror. For more than six months the amendment of the Constitution
abolishing slavery has been ratified by the Legislatures of three
fourths of the States that acted on its passage by Congress, and which
had Legislatures, or which were States capable of acting, or required to
act, on the question.

I take no account of the aggregation of whitewashed rebels, who without
any legal authority have assembled in the capitals of the late rebel
States and simulated legislative bodies. Nor do I regard with any
respect the cunning by-play into which they deluded the Secretary of
State by frequent telegraphic announcements that "South Carolina had
adopted the amendment," "Alabama has adopted the amendment, being the
twenty-seventh State," etc. This was intended to delude the people, and
accustom Congress to hear repeated the names of these extinct States as
if they were alive; when, in truth, they have no more existence than the
revolted cities of Latium, two thirds of whose people were colonized and
their property confiscated, and their right of citizenship withdrawn by
conquering and avenging Rome.

2. It is equally important to the stability of this Republic that it
should now be solemnly decided what power can revive, recreate, and
reinstate these provinces into the family of States, and invest them
with the rights of American citizens. It is time that Congress should
assert its sovereignty, and assume something of the dignity of a Roman
senate. It is fortunate that the President invites Congress to take this
manly attitude. After stating with great frankness in his able message
his theory, which, however, is found to be impracticable, and which I
believe very few now consider tenable, he refers the whole matter to