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

yember. On Friday, the LIST dav of Decem-
Der, there was a caucus of a few radicals. Al
this caucus were stevens and a majority OF
the Missouri delegationin the House, with a
| few others from different sections of the
country, the object being to have some mu-
tual understanding as to their course, in or
der that they might concentrate their
| strength. At that caucus Mr.. Stevens re-
! lated the substance of his statement 10 the
| President, and then told the gentlemen pres
ent that what they accomplished they would
have to do in spite Of the President; for he
was welded to his own plan of recons5ruc-
ton. During this meeting the Senate was
| canvassed, and they came 10 the conclusion
! that a majority of that body was inclined to
| be conservative this year, or, as it was term
| ed in radical syntax, inclined to PLAY the
sycophant to Mr.. johnson" Fears were man
| ifested that the Senate would admit
| some of the Southern Senators, and
thus defeat their (the radicalD pro-
| gramme. In order to prevent that they
came to the conclusion that they must Sc
| cure the appointment of a joint commit
tee on reconstruction, to whom everything
relating to the admission Of the Southern
representatives, and the treatment of the
Southern States, should be referred. The
resolution appointing this committee should
have some provisions which would prevent
one house from admitting Southern repre-
sentatives until the other had come to the
same decision. In this way it was thought
that check could be held over the Senate,
and the admission Of Southern Senator'S
prevented. Some doubt wss expressed BY
one or two present about getting u resolu-
ton of that kind through the Senate; but
Stephens replied that it was the only mode
that he could see to accomplish that object,
and if they failed circumstances might pre-
sent some other mode. But it was thought
that if the party in the House presented an
undivided front the Senate would not dare
to reject it. They would be afraid to array
themselves against the House, for fear that
some measures which they were interested
in might be rejected in the latter body. 1t
was agreed that this plan should be adopted,
and Stephens was requested to present il to
the Congressional caucus to be held on the
floor of the House on Saturday evening.
But this was not the only point settled
then. All agreed that it would not answer
to allow the credentials of the Southern
members to be referred in the usual way
to the committee on elections for the rea-
son that if the matter took that direction
some of the men elected from the South
would get around the members and ingra-
tate themselves into their favor, and the
first they would know, one clever fellow
would be admitted from this locality, and
another from that, and thus in effect defeat
their plans, and carry out the policy of the
President. 1t was therefore agreed that the
credentials should not be allowed to go to
the committee on elections; if referred at
all it must be to the joint committee on re-
construction. In order that the proposition
for a joint committee might be successful,
the Importance of its being appointed at the
opening of Congress was impressed upon all
present. If it were DELAYED for few DAYS,
they would probably fail. What were done,
said Stevens, must be done at the very out
set. They must endeavor to commit both
houses to their programme at the outset, or
they Will be unable to carry it through. |
Having once secured the passage of the res
Olution in both houses, then in order to pre- |
vent any change of policy, it was agreed |
that resolution should be put through de
claring that there were no Southern States |
to be represented; in other words, that there |
were no such States as North Carolina, Ala
bama, Georgia, Texas and Florida, or Ten
nessee. The latter State was especially
mentioned to be treated the same as all
others. This, in their opinion, would dis
pose of the question of credentials and re-
move all further controversy on that point.
The joint committee would then be left with
out any embarrassments to mature its plan
Of reconstruction, the government of the
Southern Territories, which the President
.laims as States, and fix the period of their
probation before they are admitted To- the
Union, as well as enumerate the conditions
of their resuming their relations.
THE SECOND CAUCUS.
The foregoing statement embOdies the
INSTANCE of the proceedings of the first rad
cal caucus Another caucus of the radi-
ais was held on the following day at the
ooms of Senator Pomeroy, of Kansas In
he meantime, however, the programme
marked out at the first gathering was sub
nitted to Chief Justice Chase, and it met
is approval. The whole thing was done
t Pomeroy's rooms, and Reimbursed there.
his meeting is said to have been exceed
ngly enthusiastic and larger than the first
hey became so wild in their radical doc
rines that some of those present thought the
majority would 90 crazy. One expression |
sed by person there was that he began to
link they would go through the roof Of
ne house. At this meeting every per
on was appointed a committee Of one to 90 |
round and see that every radical member
the house was at the caucus, in order that
here might not be any failure in their Sc
lring the endorsement of the programme |
Y the general caucus of the republicans,
nd thus get every republican member ,
ound to its support as party measure
hen it came before the House on Monday I
hat, nf hA sfy all |
roposition was presented by Stevens. aud
eferred to committee consisting of Ste
ems, of Pennsylvania RAYMOND, of New ;
'ork Blaine of Maine Spalding, of Ohio, I
Vashburne, of Illinois Payne, Of Wiscon-
n, and Boutwell,, of Massachusetts. ,
This furnished Raymond an opportunity !
administer severe blow, if not to defeat |
tevens' programme but instead of that he
nited in the report in favor of it, and it
as unanimously reported back to the eau
u, and adopted without debate, as n party b
easure. Thus Stevens not only carried Z
is point but the radical programme adopt d
at their private caucus was put through n
it'll the pretended supporters of the Presi- n
ent advocating it. Raymond was used as u
tool to advance it. Stevens was immedi- a
ely, by resolution, directed to present il to d
e House on the following Monday as soon E
that body organized, which was done, and \
received the entire vote of the republicans I n
that BODY. These facts leave no doubt Of d
e intention Of the movers Of the resOlu- 2
On, or Of Stevens object in offering it. 1t J
aces the entire republican strength in the J.
ouse Of Representatives in an antagonistic CT
,sition TO the President, and as a direct and
lequivocal attack upon his reorganization -,
,licy as announced to the public in his
and speeches and Message to =
,ngress. OF this there can be no doubt 81
Those Congressman in the recent elections oi
10 announced their approval Of the Presi- "
nts policy have, therefore, gone back upon %
cir promises and placed themselves on IL
cord in opposition TO the President. o.
THE SENATE. \,
The resolution still hangs fire in the SEN al
:. What will be its fate in that body re- a
Tins to be seen. The extreme radicals st
clare it viii pass. Other Senators say &C
1t it will not Another class say that AZ
nnessee will be excepted from its operation tn
pass in that shape; while others state al
1t it will be modified 50 as TO remove the &,
eek upon the action of the Senate by the tr
,use, and then pass. With these conflict nc
, views of prominent Senators it is hard on
predict the result. One thing is certain, at
longer it is delayed the poorer its chance ed
endorsement by that body. In the mean ha
ne Stephens is holding back his resolution, ev
,laring there is no Southern States 10 be su
,raeaptod awaifiuey the action Of the Son | M