The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-12-15

The Proceedings OF Congress and thc
Presidents Position.
The people of hiscountry have been
indulging the hope for the last few
months that the war was being closed
up, its wounds were being healed, and
that we Were about to emerge from the
shock Of domestic commissions to peace
and harmony. They believed, as speak
er COlfaX said in his opening address to
Congress on Monday, that ''peace reign
ed from shore to shore in our land" )"
They thought, from the universal sup
port given to President Johnson and
the eulOgiums passed upon him and
his policy by all parties, during the
late elections, that we had entered up
on new and an astonishing period OF
harmony. In fact, there was no other
issue but this. Both republicans and
democrats claimed the President, and
made him and hispOlicy their platform.
The former were PARTICULARLY positive
and earnest in their appeals to the peO-
pie on this; and it was on that ground,
doubtless, they obtained such an over
whelming success over their opponents.
1t was the doubt which existed as TO
the sincerity Of the democrats in pro-
Tossing to support the President that
defeated them, and confidence in the
professions of the republicans that gave
them the victory. At the time the
President was making as much prog
reSs as possible to restore the Southern
states and to have their representatives
ready to take seatsin Congress hisname
was the banner and the battle cry of
the elections. Yes, many Of the repub-
lican members now sitting in Congress
triumphed through carrying the ban
ner Of Andy Johnson.
That is one side of the picture. Now
let Us look at the other. The smoke Of
the contest is hardly cleared away; for
many days, or weeks, at farthest, have
not passed since theelection. The Pres
ident has not changed in themeantimc,
except that he has been more urgent
and emphatic in demanding of the
South such measures as will satisfy the
North. Yet in the face Of these facts
we see Il sudden assault made upon
Mr.. Johnson's policy by the very party
! which claimed him, and by the very
men who obtained their seats through
using his name and pretending to sup
pot him. They did not even wait till
the President could inform them by
message what he was doing and pro
posed to do, or what was the condition
of affairs. \ decent respect to the
Chief Magistrate and for the views ne
might express in the mode prescribed
by the constitution was the least that
might have been expected from those
who claimed to be his party and who
| so lately prOfessed to be his warm sup
porters. 1t is the first Congress, we be-
| lieVe, that ever acted in such a manner,
and the act shows plainly the revolu-
| tionary character OF that body. Never
/ in the history Of the country had the
/ chief Of the nation such important mat
| ter to communicate and submit to Con-
gress; never did that body need full
official information more, and never
| was careful deliberatiOn more required.
| Yet the first day-the first .sHurs Of the
sessiOn-befOre the President had time
| TO send his message, these men began
| to legislation the most important ques-
tions, and that in a manner directly in
conflict with his policy. Why this un-
seemly haste3 Why this disrespect
and covert hostility to the President
/ WesuppOse Thaddeus Stevens, Sumner,
Wade, Wilson and other revolutionary
radicals Of that stripecan tell thereason
but we think the greater part of the
/ conservative republicans can not.
Looking at both sides of this picture
we do not hesitate to say that there
never was a greater fraud committed
upon Il people-up0n their cOnstitucn-
| cies-than the members lately elected
to this Congress have cOmmitted-tha
is, judging from their conduct at the
commencement Of the session. We can
only hope that the majority have been
! deceived themSelves-carried away, as
! itWere, in an unguarded moment BY an
artful and INSCRIPTIONS conspiracy, and
| that they may get out of the trap into
which they have fallen. The whole
proceedings, the snap Judgment that
was taken, the concert of action in both
houses, the leaders Of the movement,
as Sumner, Thad Stevens, Ben Wade,
and Wilson; the radical revolutionary
! measures initiatedan the secrecy main
| tanned till the last m0ment-all show
| that it was Il matured conspiracy a.
gainst the President and his policy. II
reminds US Of the convention during
the French Revolution. That is the
nearest parallel in history we knoW-of.
Our Jac0bins are as rabid, impractica-
bic and proscriptive as the Jacobins OF
! the French Revolution were, and if al
| lowed to have their own Waythey will
! plunge the country into the same bloody
anarchy as their prototypes did France.
We hear with pleasure, however, that
some of the members of the House
and the members of this great State are
particularly mentioned-are alarmed at
The false step they have been dragged
into, and will not follow the lead of our
! American Marats, CouthOns and Robe
! spheres any farther.
Congress, it is true, can refuse to adj
NIT members from the Southern States;
for each house is the judge in such ca
ses, and a majority rules, The consti-
tutionality Of rejecting the members
/ from whole States, and OF the present
proceedings Of Congress on the subject,
are very questionable but the Presi-
/ dent has no power over the matter,
! All he can do is to restore the States to
/ that point, put all their local State ma
chinery in motion, withdraw the mill
I tary, and leave them in the enjoyment
/ of local self-gOvernment. He ought,
| r6 thinl- hn mill fNurc.rn Tho ax-ay,