The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-05

Inc prOceeufnks w mo nrst uaJ W VIC WI
ty-ainsh Congress arr before our readers. IL
will be seen that The programme q crganisa-
ton agreed upon at the Saturday night repub-
lican caucus has been carried out that the
members elect from the laie insnrgent States.
including even those from Tennessee. were
excluded from he preliminary roll Of Ne
Clerk. and that The caucus resclaiioa 81 Mr..
Thaddeus Stevens Tor . joint committee 70
consider the condition of the excluded States
u before The House. In the form Of bill
ID h apparent TOO. from the House vets On
The suspension Of the ruiss h order 70
INTRODUCE The bill a. once. sAss 10 b Ne PR
pose Of the ~sjority 70 bring Ne President
70 the tess Of sigaing n without les Of
time The bill requires ne action Of eosA
houses and The signstnrs of he Prssidsat
and then u win become . Lao Of No
land. The proposed sxclusies Of No
Southern members. subject 70 Ne sesisa q
the two housss, could have been gsinsd ~
each house acting Independently 81 No ssAsr.
In this form OF action the President wosld have
had nothing 70 do In NE matter. Hence. ve
infer, this bin Of Ms. TksAAsas SsevssA A
the 6rss business proceeding Of the Mouse n =
manifestiy intended m . rcbuke 70 Presideat
johnson In reference 10 The rcconssrucsioa
policy which be has pursued. and ~ repeal
which he 10 10 DO required 10 endorse All
this, too, in advance Of his message. - n 10
| cut him on without q hearing. 10 much Tor
the FIRST day In the House. What The upshot
will be few days viii probably determine.
The proceedings OF the Senate are as stroasiy
favored with the intensesl rsdicalism. That
body, being already organized. was at once
prepared for business, and business was imme-
diately commenced by Messrs Wilson, sumner
and Wade, in perfect avalanche Of radical bills
and resolutions levelled At the late rebellious
States. The schedule presented by senator sum
prchcnds "a bill 10 carry out the principles OF
republican form OF government In the District
of Columbia In regular overhauling, no doubt.
of the District laws making Determinations be-
tween whites and blacks q bin prescribing an
oath TO maintain republican form of govern.
ment in the rebel States; BIN 10 put In exe-
cution the guarantee OF republican form ~
government In the constitution Of The United
States Qhis Is, perhaps, a sort Of territorial
bill for the South; bill 70 enforce the
amendment OF the constitutional prohibition Of
slavery; series Of resolutions declarslcry 81 NE
duty Of Congress 20 loyal citizens (fiecdmen)
in the rebel States, and q series Of resolutions
touching the duty OF Congress with respect 10
guarantees Of national security and national
faith in the rebel Statcs" This bill probably
involves a little seasoning Of confscsiion.
This is Mr. Summers schedule for the opening
day Of the Senate, and we think u enough Cor
one day. His colleague, Mr.. Wilson. with his bin
to secure the freedom Of the inhabitants ~ the
States declared in rebellion; and Mr.. Wade, Of
Ohio, with his bill to regulate the elective tran
chise in the District OF Columbia, followed In
the same direction. The question recur~. "
we have such things In the green tree what
shall we have in the dryy' These proceedings
in both houses clearly indicate an ultra radical
and revolutionary system Of Southern recon
struction as the policy resolved upon BY the
radical leaders of the republican majority Of
this Congress. However improbable and
visionary we may have been inclined hereto
fore to consider the remorseless propositions
for Southern reconstruction Of such fanstical
leaders as Stevens OF the House and Sumner al
the Senate, we are now brought lace 10 lace
with the danger Of their enforcement
The opening proceedings Of the two houses
of this Congress foreshadow the practical re.
duction Of the excluded Southern States 10 the
status Of Territories conquered from foreign
enemy and still in a state Of revolt Coercionl
There Is nothing here but coercion. The radi-
cal leaders Of this Congress seem 10 be enraged
at the conciliatory experiments Of restoration
adopted by President johnson, and which, in
preparing the minds Of the Southern people for
the great change which has come upon them,
have been attended with such wonderful sue
ce&- His patient and patriotic iabers in view
of the earliest possible restorstioo Of The South
to law and order. industry, prosperity and pe-
litical harmony with the North, excite, apPa-
rently, no confederation among tAs majority in
either house Of Congress.
The Presidents message, wh;sa, u is e.
pected, will be read before both houses Today,
may result in some manifestations OF a better
spirit His statement Of the views and pur-
poses by which he has been guided In his
policy Of Southern restoration may perhaps
have the good effect Of checking the radical
leaders in their mad career. Az II stands. the
first days record Of the Thirty-ninth Congress
foreshadows not only merciless rule Of des-
potism in the reconstruction Of the excluded
Southern States, but The first chapter In q radi-
cal reconstruction Of the government Of the
United States itself, or quick and decisive
popular reaction against the party in power.
II the republicans have now the strength ofa
giant, let them remember that il IL not always
wise to use Il a. giant They can afford 10 be
magnanimous while the helpless Southern
States, disarmed and Impoverished, cannot
Afford N ha sutr> a. h1s