The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-27
The Next Congress.

We publish this morning carefully prepared
4 sketches Of the members of the incoming Con-
gress. The session which commences on Mon
day next will be one Of the most important ever
held. Anything, therefore, relating to the men
who compose it. or which will serve to throw
any light upon their probable action on the ques-
tions arising, will be of interest to the public.
We have reached a critical period In our his
tory, and upon Congress, in great measure,
rests the decision whether the late instruction
is to be followed by another revolution and
domestic anarchy, or whether with the down.
fall Of the rebellion is to commence an epoch
of greater prosperity and firmer union between
all sections than heretofore. The republican
party proper have large majority in both
houses of Congress. II was this party that
had control of the government and welded its
power during the late war. They announced,
both by resolutions in Congress and Executive
proclamations, that they were prosecuting the
war for the preservation of the Union, to pre-
vent its being broken into fragments. II was
denied by them over and over again that any
State had the right to secede. They declared
also that al! the efforts of the Southern States
in that direction were illegal in toto, and there
fore an insurrection against the government.
The rebellion has been crushed, the insurrec-
ton subdued, the armed forces engaged have
been either captured, surrendered or dispersed.
Having accomplished this, will Congress
now allow the country to be Immediately re-
stored by the admission Of the Southern repre-
sentatives, or postpone it to some future day,
and thus keep the country in an unsettled con-
dition for some time to come! II the latter,
our domestic as well as our foreign relations
will be seriously complicated, commerce Grip
pied and our financial affairs imperiled.
AS already stated, the republicans have a
large majority in Congress and will be respon-
sible for the measures adopted. The members
were elected before the present political issues
arose. All the issues of the canvass at the
time of their election have passed away by the
collapse of the rebellion. II is therefore inn
possible to tell the precise course which they
will pursue upon the great question of restora-
ton, which will now mark the dividing lines,
except 1t may be with such men as Thaddeus
Stevens, of Pennsylvania, and Charles Sumner,
Of Massachusetts,, who have publicly announced
their policy. That there will be a marked
difference in the course in Congress Of men,
bers Of the republican party is plainly evident.
A disagreement has already developed itself to
| a considerable extent. President johnson was
elected by the same party and upon the
same issues that Mr. Stevens was, but their
avowed policy at the present time in reference
to the treatment Of the Southern States is di-
rectly antagonistical. The whole question as
TO the action Of Congress, then, is, does
Andrew Johnson represent the views and
policy Of the republican members, or
| is Thaddeus Stevens, with his radical, extreme
ideas, the true exponent Of that partys In look
| ing over the tabular classification Of the mem.
bers Of the House Of Representatives pub.
| lished elsewhere, we find that, excluding the
| eleven Southern States which were engaged In
the rebellion, there are one hundred and
eighty-four members. or these one hundred
and forty-three were elected as republicans and
forty-one as democrats Of various shades. With
some half dozen exceptions all Of both
parties take their seats with the avowed pur'
pose Of supporting the Southern policy Of the
President. Whether this In mere pretence OF
the real determination Of the members time
alone can determine. According to the best
information that we can obtain up to the pre-
sent time Of writing the following table shows
/ the real position of the members:-