Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-12-19
F A AT WASHINGTON.
sourHERN nrpREsrNrArrvrs

W -
on reconstruction. Mr.. Stevens, after due
consultation with several Senators this morn~
ing, determined to accedc to the position as
sumed by the. Senate. 1t was, therefore, on
his own motion that the House took it from
the Speakers table and passed it men. .cOn.-
The joint committee theTeiRauthorized will
probably not be announced before Monday
next.
Horace Greeley still talks on for recon>
struction, but it is of that kind which may
be practicable without peril to the Republi-
can 7ascendancy. Considerations of party are
the misfortune of this whole matter. a dis
tinguished Republican, of the rank CT
oanerai, recently said to mo that if the THING,
were left to soldiers of the Union and rebel
armies, who fraternize everywhere; thew
would settle it at short order.
CaucusSinS in quiet is the. leading business.
now OF Congressman and other politicians
Ihaddeus Stevens stirs around among the
members, which fact indicates that he is not
having things all his own way.
Tn contest between Schenck and Sher-
man for the Senatorshipin Ohio is understood
to be close. 1t may be affected by the re-
construction question.
1t IS understood that on tomorrow both
branches of Congress will adjourn over until
Monday, and from that day until after Christ
mas. 1t IS also understood in Republican
party circles that the credentials and ether
papers Of Southern Senators and Representa-
tlVes are to be referred to the joint select
committee, to sleep until the end of the scs-
sion. =.
Mr.. Forney sticks to his text on the oucs-
ton OF taking the oath His last letter to his
paper dwells upon this point so much that. if
he is to be accepted as authority, we NAV as
sumo that those members who can take it will
hn nnm1ftnH RT1t rro L
that this is a sort of middle ground that he
is occupying between the President and the
majority in Congress, and from which he can
hereafter go over to either side, He SAYS:
"NOwt that it is clear that no party can
stand up against the irresistible doctrine that
the States are all in the Union, the admission
of Senators and Representatives will be a per-
sonal question whether the individual app;i-
cant has borne arms against the Union or
whether he can take the abovc!printed Com
gressional oath !? Thus a. State like Alas
bama may send six applicants for admission
into the House of Representatives, three of
whom can, and three, of whom cannot, take
the oath. The first three will be received,
the last three returned to their constituents
who, If they choose, can perform the farce of
John Wilkes to their own satisfaction as often
as they please"
The New York Ecenin7 Post, always a rad
ical paper, advocates the Presidents policy
openly good indication. 1t thus speaks
of some of its party friends:
'Thc whole subjcctof reconstruction would
have been, w. have no doubt, wisely DISPOSED
OF by the standing committees but unless the
special committee is constituted with more
discretion than the movers of it have vet dis
played VIC fear the question will be treated
IN spirit OF extreme craftsmanship rather than
of SfafaCO0onShin r HNL,o2 TO-
few men In Congress who would like to SEQ
the present abnormal condition of things pro-
tracted they do not scruple to speak of the
late Confederate States as conquered and
subjected provinces, as if we breathed the
very air of the Austrian burcaux ; and thew
express a willingness to hold them in vassalo%e
for an indefinite period of time. The in
fiuencc of such on the committee could onlv
be delcterious."
VIRGINIA AND WEST VIRGINIA.
Considerable surprise is manifested here
at the receipt of Il letter from Governor Peir-
point, of Virginia, addressed to tire President
of the Senate and the Speaker of the House.
enclosing a copy of an act passed by the Cen
eral Assembly of Virginia repeating the as
sent heretofore given to the division of the
State by the formation of the State of West
Virginia. The letter was printed and laid
upon tho desks Of members, and attracted
much comment.
1t seems that the question first came up in
the Virginia Legislature on a bill to~.settle
the status of the two counties of Jefferson and
Berkeley, in the Shenandoah Valley; which
have been in disputed Jurisdiction. This act
was so amended as'to repeal the assent given
in 1868 to the formation of West Virginia.
In order to be effective. the assent of the lat
ter State must be had as it. has been rccon-
Yizo1 INV oil f6o IooorIu,c~E,I q n. -
ment, legislative, executive and judicial.
A VIRGINIA SENATOR ON THE FLOOR.
Mr.. Segar, of Virginia, a Senator elect, has
unlimited privilege to a seat on the floor of
the Senate, and of course the same would be
conceded to the Tennessee Senators should
they wish to avail themselves of it.
GENERAL GLINGMAN.
Ex-senator Cfingmcn, OF North Carolina,
appeared on the floor of tic Senate
ing, and received the congratulations OF
friends. He is rapidly recovering, from the
severe wound which he received .durlLg the
gar.
PRESIDENTIAL EIsITORs-GEN. BTTLER.;
Quite a number of gentlemen called and
had a conference to-day with the President.
Senators CONFESS, Sprague and others spent
a short time in consultation with him. Rev. |
Henry ward Beecher was also present at an
interview, which was quito protractcd. Gen.
Batter was awaiting to communicate with the
President. 1t is stated that tile General,
being now out of the army, and not lisblc to-
the charge of INSTRUMENTATION, intends to
launch a violent philippe at General Grant
for his structures upon his. military career
When the doors closed, at three P. n, there
were about one hundred and fifty persons, In
GLIDING a good many ladies, who had not OBJ
tanned admission.
WASHINGTON. December 1.-THE Con: