Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-15

of affairs at Washington is furnished by the
correspondent of the New York Herald, da-
ting on the 9th inst
CONGRESSMAN ANXIOUS TO EXPLAIN THEIR
VOTE
One of the most prominent characteristics
which marks the course of the members of
Congress- especially on the republican side,
is a great anxiety to explain their vote on
the Stevens resolution. All manner of reas-
ons are given by them, but the nervousness
and the fear manifested by many of them
that no one will understand tVeir eXplana-
ton are really wonderful 1t shows very
plainly that they feel guilty, and are asham-
ed of their vote But the record is there.
and the undue haste manifested by the entire
republican side more than cOunterbalances
| all explanations which they now make
! They rushed headlong into the trap set for
them. The manner in which they acted
! gave it the appearance at least of being their
| honest convictions. But many of them now
! show very strong symptoms of being in
! decidedly unpleasant frame Of mind-a state
of anxiety represented better than any other
| way by'ffie old maxim, "Marry at haste
| and Won will repent at leisure" They
were in such hurry to pass Stevens res
| olution, and place themselves on record
in favor of it, that they could not even stop
to elect their officers in the usual form, but.
rs soon as they secured their Speaker, put
| through all the others by resolution at once
fearing that the delay in balloting for each
one separate would not give them time to
vote on Stevens resolution. Then, when
that resolution was presented, the gag of its
previous question was enforced, lest some
one would say something against it, and
thus delay them in recording their votes.
The radicals like Stevens and Kelley were
honest enough in all this; for they had ex-
amined the field and come to the conclu-
sion that they must carry their point before
the Presidents Message were read in Con-
gress. They gave it as their opinion pub
licly that they must strike the blow at the
outset if they expected TO accomplish any
thing in opposition to the Presidents poll
Cy. But what are we to say of those MEM
bers who had every where proclaimed that
they heartily endorsed Mr.. Johnson's
course? This is the class of men who have
deceived the people, and whom the people
Will hold accountable.
As regards such men as Stevens, Kelley
of Pennsylvania Sumner and 4 few others,
they have made no effort to conceal their
opposition to the Presidents mode of reor-
ganizing the Southern States. They have,
therefore, in supporting the resolution, not
carried but their professional principles, and |
have reason to rejoice over their easy tri- |
umph and the remarkable gullibilitv of |
those republicans who have announced their |
endorsement of the action of the President. |
1t is this latter class that are now so con-
science-striclen that they are anxious to
aX-nr.,- bCJ,- +bnir Rttt II will |
take long time for them to relieve them
selves of the odium of that record. An open
and frank foe, who everywhere and on all
occasions announces his conviction of duty
and acts upon it, is always looked upon as
honorable. To him is accorded the virtue
of honest motives. But he who proclaims
his course and pledges himself to stand by
it, and then the moment that he is put to the
test does the very opposite, no longer COM
mands respect or is given the credit of hon
esty. This class is to be found in large
numbers among the republicans in the
House of Representative. Who they are
the people in each Congressional district in
the North can tell by recalling the promises
of their representatives and comparing
them with the vote of Stevens resolution on
the first day of the session.
WHAT TTAD. STEVENS EXPECTED TO ACCOM-
PLIsH BY HIS JOINT COMMITTEE.
In order that the position in which many
of the members of Congress have placed
themselves in regard to their former promi-
ses and pledges may be understood, it is
necessary to look back to the motives that
Mr.. Stevens in offering it. 1t is
we'll known that he has for two years past
;trenuously advocated treating the Southern
States rs so many Territories, and favored
and sweeping confiscation, the
receipts to be applied to the payment Of the
rational debt. This he has advocated in and
,ut Of Congress, and at the same time held
hat whenever the States in rebellion were |
igain admitted to the Union they must come
n under organic acts after the same probation
Is new Territories; in other words, kept under
military or rather Territorial Governors until
hey had gone through probationary period,
nd then admitted, by special permission Of |
Congress- under the restrictions and provi-
ions which that body might provide He
opposed the admittance of any of the dele
.ates from the States which had been in re- ;
,ellion in the Baltimore Convention for this ;
eason. But he was defeated there. He OPP
,oscd receiving the electoral votes cast for
resident from the same States last year. but,
esut, he was permitted to have his way,
nd there was no contest over that point of [
ny moment in the republican party. Mr.. |
stevens is not like many of hi3 radical as ]
that the Southern States |
hall be kept under military rule He at L
east privately advocates leaving them ex- 7
lusively to civil Law, bat that civil law to I
c administered in a Territorial form only, {
recisely as all new Territories are governed,
hitch would give Congress, in his view, v
ne same power over all questions arising d
herein as that body now have over the Dis &
net of Columbia. As it has always been r
re custom of the several Executives in this
luntry to select men from the States to act as
overnors, judges, marshals &c, in new
erritOries, this would, under Stevens plan, d
,cure the appointment Of Northern men to u
II all those offices in the States lately in q
sbellon; and under their manipulation, y
acked bv Congress and cOnfscation, he L
ould humble them and place them in a a
lndition to be admitted to the Union at y
some future time. This, Of course, places G.
lose States out Of the Union. This is the l.
1rrect view Of Mr.. Stevens's position, or at II
asst, as he has stated il TO his friends in con- e
arsation within the last ten days. u
He came to Congress with the determina- J.
on TO secure the endorsement Of those u
Jews by that body. On the Wednesday d
revious to the opening Of the session he T,
ld a long interview with the President, a.
I'D then took bold ground in opposition to II
le views and policy Of the latter. He not g
1ly opposed and denounced the idea of par p
Dning the late rebels, but favored confsca-
on in the strongest terms and to show
lat there is no installing his opposition to /
le President he said to him on that occasion ey
lat he .Stevens) did not believe that there I'll
As any person in Pennsylvania, outside of th
lie office-hoiders and few personal friends II
their officials, that endorsed or in the 50
ast approved, his (the Presidents) plan Of q
the South. That there was "
ot an independent republican in the State ct
his (Stevens) belief but that repudiated h
Iat policy This is Stevens opinion, upon a
hich he informed the President that he OF
lould act. Mr.. johnson appealed to him NJ
r harmony for the sake of the country, but III
evens would not change his tone in the re
asst The only thing that he did do in that NJ
teryiew inconsistent with the above eI- hs