The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-11-24
THE ACTION OF THE NEXT CONGRESS


In few days Congress will meet, and the
question Of Reconstruction will come up for
final ., Element. Our beloved bretheren Of the
metallic order arc laying the " aattcring unc-
ton" to their unctious souls, that the Union
party will DO split up on tho question OF Recon-
structioa that there will DO the radical wing
and the conservative wing, and by means Of
this division the copperheads shall bold the
balance fpower. This mirage Of the Demo.
cratic party springs from no reality in earth or
or sky, and tho great party Of tho country will
s,,tlc the status Of tho exrcbcls firmly, lastly.
and unanimously. There must be no admis.
sion Of representatives from States lately in re-
bellion uatil the Constitutional amendment Is
ratified rs the fundamental law of the land, by
such Stat 9; the rebel deb, must be irrevocably
repudiatrd; the colorcd frcemcn must be plac.
ed upon IN exact level with every other man,
save, perhaps, in the matter OF franchise, and
every gu ,rantee which is needed shall be given,
that the form OF government OF those States
sh III hen 'eforth and forever DO republican.
Speaker Colfax was recently sereuaded in
Washington when he made speech upon the
admission Of representatives, which so reflects
our visws that wo make an extract from 1t
S,lns OF these members Of the 50 called Con-
iederate Congress, who at our adjournment last
March. wsro struggling to blot this nation
from the map OF the world, propose, I under
stand, To enter Congress on the opening day OF
its session mex, month, ard resume their former
business ot governing the country they strug-
gled 81 earnestly to ruin. They say they have
lost no rights. II seems as il burning the
sips Of oar commerce on the ocean, the starv.
ing OF our prisoners on the land, and raising
armies To destroy the nation, would impair
soms OF these rights until their new govern.
mcnts are recognized by Congress. The Con.
situation, which seems formed for every emer-
ysncy, gives to each House the exclusive right
t. Judge 1t the qualifications Of the election re.
turns Of iis members, and apprebeud they
will exercise that right, Congress having passed
no Law on reconstruction.
President johnson prescribed certain action
for ti,vss shates, which he deemed indispensable
a. d. iormer relations to the government,
Which 1 think are eminently wise and patriotic.
F,rst, that their conventions should declare the
yarious ordinances OF secession null and void,
not ~ sons have done, merely repealing them,
bat absolutely without any force and effect.
Second. that their Legislatures should ratiiy
the Con titutional Amendment abolshing
slavery, that this cause OF disention aud rebel
lion might be utterly cxtirpated. Third, that
they shall formally repudiate the rebel debt
though by the terms il will DO long while
before il iills due, as IL was payablesix months
IF e.. h.,t aha
United States. This reminds mo OF an old
notes pay ,ble ten days after " never" Blu,
,brre are ,,ther terms IN which think there Is
NO division among the loyal men Of the Union
srs,. tina. tho DESIGNATION Of Independence
must be recognized as the Law Of the land, and
every man, alien, and native, white and black
protected in the inalienabls and God-giver
rights Of life, liberty and the pursuit OF happi
mss. Mr. Lincoln, in that emancipation pro
clan, alton which is the proudest wreath in hi
ehaplet Of fame, not only gave freedom u
s,,vys, but declared that the government woult
maintain that freedom. We cannot abandon
them and leave them defenseleSat the mercy o
their ior'ner masters. They must DO prolectet
ntheir r,ghts OF person and property, an'
ths-s irc Omen must have tho rights TO sue ir
Courts o'Justice for all just claims, and TO tes
'iiy als'. 30 u. To have security against outrag
and wroig. call them ireemen not freedmen
Tue last phrase might have answered beior
thsir II edom was fully secured; but the,
shssd 70 regarded now ~ iresmen Of the Re
pua'e
second. That the amendments Of their STA.
Constitutions, which have been adopted b
many Of their State Conventions 80 reluctan
~. "sax the pressure Of dispatches IRON u
Pr % Mt and the Secretary Of State, should |