New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-02-23
"RECONsTRUCTION.,

We seldom praise the House 0i Repre-
sentatives--more seldom still The Opposi.
ton side of it--yct we think both did
well for the country on Tuesday IN sustain
ing the motion of Mr.. Mallory Of Kentucky,
whereby the bill providing civil governments
for States subverted by the Rebellion was con.
clusiyely laid on the table. Our objection
applies not especially to that. bill, but to any
measure of the SOFT. 1t rests on the consideTa-
ton which we urged in favor Of the Prcsidenti
refusal to approve the kindred measure OF las'
Session, and in deprecalion 0f the able. pUng"nt,
bitter philippe evoked from Messrs Wade and
Davis by that refusal. oar couutry j. involved
lin civil war--wo trust size il soon to be
rescued from It's perils--we Vi-h her delyeruce
to DC worthy and hcnorablc-we would have It
peace that viii be real end endurmg-but We
want the earliest peace consistent with thee
vital requirements. Now the bill in question,
with al kindred measures, seems 20 Ms 70 fctter
and hedge about the action Of our Government
with conditions and limitations that arc likely
nav, are calculated-to embarrass the President
and possibly TO postpone the desired consumma-
ton. As the President forcib!y urged in the
paper which Me:srs. Wade and Davis 30 sharply
criticised, certain mode OF recstablishins and
maintaining the National authority in AZ
nsurectionary State may be advisable
nay, may be excellent yet not the
only mode wherein our troubles may be jusi-
fably, bencfcently ended: and it is impossible
to foresee and provide for al the contingencies
Of clouded future. We do not question the
power Of our Government 70 yindicdte end en-
force, if necessary, is authority in rebellou5
States or districts By the agencies provided in
Mr.. Ashley's or any similar BILL we DO not Say
that those sgenoies are inadequate or unfit: We
simply urge that Il cannot now be determined
by any power loss than all-seeing, that other
agencies may not he better adapted TO the state
Of facts that me, be found existing six, tlfee,
or even two months hence; and that 1t Is the
obvious dictate Of statcsm9nship to leave 10 the
Executive the largest discretion compatible
with the genius Of our Institutions.
This Congress is soon to disperse; and we
trust the President may not be required to
assemble the next till Autumn at the earliest
Meantime. he aud his Official counse'ors must
deal with the momentous issues OF Peace and
War as circumstances shal dictate. The
country confdes in the President and
would tomorrow decide unhesitetinely 70 leave
the matter 10 his uncontrolled discretion. II
it were put 10 general vote" VIII youup-
hold and prosecute the War till Abraham Lin.
coin says its end on your part has been attained,
and then agree TO such terms OF paclication rs
he shall prescribe or acccdc 10 !"---we orc conf.
dent that the Yeas would have very large
majority.
Il seems 10 ~ that here il indicated the best
practicable solution oil the problem that per.
plexes Congress. Let the two Houses agree
that the power to accept or reject terms OF
Peace is an incident Of the power to make War,
and clothe tho President, by formal act or re-.
solve, with whatever authority may be deemed
requisite to render valid any adjustment of our
great controversy that may receive his sanction.
Thus armed, we may confidently expect him to
achieve al carly and enduring Peace.
If we arc not misinformed, the Hampton
Roads conference repeatedly witnessed the need
Of somo such action as we suggest. On more
than one important point The Pres;dou' i IN.