Organizing The House

Tbe Ciucinnati Commercial, in conimenüng upon the orgamzation i)f tbe House, remarks : " A large üumber ot gentlemen will be in Washington on the first Monday of December, next, claimiug to be elected momber8 of the House of Representativos, and all will be provided with certifioates of election, 8igned and sealed by the Executives of their respective Slatcs. Illumioated copies of the anna of all the States are to be eeen in the stained glass of tbe oeiling of the House itself. ïhere, through all the war, Soutb Carolina, Mississippi ar:d Tennessee, have been been in golden light, aloug with Ohio, Indiana and Massachusetts. Wo havo never admitted that they were out of the Uniou, and wheu the Represeotíitives oí any Southern State carnes back to the old hall, they will lind the coat f arms borne on their certificates of election, shining over their heads. Now, is the " mere Clerk," as John Quincy Adama called that official, "to uHurp the throne,1' and say that Brownlow is not Governor of Tennessee, uor Humphreys of Mississipi, and tbat ceniöcates of election, eigned and sealed by thein, are not as valid as those eigned by Governor lirouph or Mortou ? It is the duty ol the Clcrk to malie out tlie official rol!, but is it his prerogative to go behind the official docunients, and decide what States are in the Union ? And if he is not to do it, who has the authority ? Are the Reprosentatives from Tunnessee, and Missiesippi, and other States that were in rebellion, to coustitute a part of the House that is to pronounce upou their qualifications to hold seats iu it ? Evidently the difficulty is a grave one, and one not contemplated by the frauiers of the Constitution. The mipfortunu is that the Houso of Representatives iswitbout form and void ; and it is not the House, but a míiss meeting, out of which the House is to appear, that assernbles iu the Hall of Representativos on the appointcd day of tbe uiectiug of Congress. We ehall get round tbe point of danger this time, we hav.) do doubt; and it will be the duty of Congrcsd to provide against the dangerous complicationa with which Bueh a precarious rnethod of organization as now prevails nienace the future.