The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-29
LETTER FROM wAsmrstToN.
Correspondents Of the Richmond Dispatch

Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
Contradiction OF Statements that inc presideu,
In any way Fayors the CONGREGATIONAL
Amendment adicaliSm Secretary Me
Culioch.s Policy-Southern "Loyalists' :
after Complete Reorganization I'm the south
How the Radicals can ward CT Supreme
Court Decisions In Favor of the Cons;itu-
tion, etc.
WAsHISGToS, December 81, 1866.
/ have had excellent opportunities for
learning what the views of the President
are in respect TO the constitutional amend
meut, and do not ctr in stating them. He
still holds that Congress has no right to
impose such guarantee upon thc ex-
cluded Stat :, and viii in no We advo-
cate its adoption. These are conscientious
principles, which govern him in his own
consideration of the matter but no one
can assert that he has ever urged the re-
personalities from any of the southern
States either one way or the other: and
whether they adopt the amendment or not
he will aid them in every possible way
towards securing their rights and privi-
legeS under the Constitution. Several OF
the party known as Conservative. Rcpu5li-
cans who kicked against the Amendment
when Stevens first showed his offspring to
the world are becoming rather more
familiar with IL now, and many OF them 20
10 the extent of giving it a hearty support.
They insist that there is a majority in Con-
greSS who hold that the States that accept
the amendment within reasonable time
are bound TO be admitted, and they are
urging the President TO ally himself with
that party. How the problem Of this cousti-
tutional amendment will Tic solved in the
future does not at present seem 10 be
known; but there Is very general belief
that the Radicals Of the next Congress,
which will meet on the 4th Of March, 1867,
will lessen lis Objectionable features some
what by proposing other measures 10 the
southern States, in contrast with which the
present will fade into iuSignitcanCc. No
one believes, however, that a two-third
vote in their favor will be obtained even,
as it is now considered impossible to get
that majority in support Of TIE various
revolutionary schemes which Stevens and
his partisan friends have under CoDtcmpla-
ton,
The question Of expanding the national
bank currency is looked at with very great
interest, the Radicals OF the West giving
il strong support. Congress may, and pro-
baby Will, in opposition TO the views Of
the Secretary Of the Treasury, insist upon
putting ahpat throughout the country an
other immense pile Of notes, and thus set the
return TO specie payments much further
distance off than it is at present. 1t is a
subject which Will receive extensive dis
Cussion after the recess is over and work
begins. There is a very decided opposition
to all the views Of Secretary McCulloch,
and many Of the Radicals are not disposed
10 concur in any respect with his ideas ot
the department requi>itions. lie is looked
upon as being the foremost and strongest
advocate Of the Presidents policy in the
Cabinet, although, as far as his fight against
the Radicals is concerned, il never eX-
tended further than the speeches he has
made on one or two occasions, in which he
applied the word Cpnstitution-tinkers -
to those who were advocating so many
amendments at the last session. lie he's
certainly made no removals from Office
and it is well known that 10 the Treasury
Department the number o. employees viO-
Iently opposed to the Administration policy
outnumbeE those who endorse the PTeS-
dent two TO one, taking them altogether.
The clerks i'll the department proper are
at least four times as numerous on the
Radical side as they are on the Presidents.
The southern. lUVdlistS who are holding
their sessions here will endcayor to have a
sufficient quota of representatives of their
views on the subject Of reconstruction to
file memorials in Congress for the rcUr-
gauizaticn Of every State government in
the South which Mey think needs chang
ing, and will claim that this is urged by
southern men. Congress Will be nothing
10th 10 consider all their petitions; but what
is TO be the end of the endeayOrS to sub
vert the State governments cannot be told
now. 1t appears that one result of il must
be to make split in the Republican party,
or else an abandonment of the extreme
measures which characterize il now and it
does not seem probable that the prominent
leaders would agree to anything like that.
The Radicals are alarmed lest the Su-
preme Court should decide against some OF
the plans they have under contemplation
before they are consummated, and are
puzzled as how 10 prevent their destruction
in that way. The justices cannot he re-
moved unless upon charges of corruption
properly Substantiated, and this, ii is uni
versally admitted, is impossible. 1t is
claimed by the dissatisfied partSanS that
the decision with regard to military com
missions, which is TO have very wide intiu-
encc, was not called for; and however
legal it may be, was not needed but was
put forward in the interest of conservatism
as the bred Scott decision was, they say,
In the interest Of slavery. The only way
to remove the obstacle of Supreme Court
decisions in opposition to unconstitutional
laws is by abolishing the court and there
are reports in certain circles that an
amendment to the Constitution having
this in view will be offered soon.
A new Republican daily newspaper, Tie
Leader, will be started on or about the LIST
of January in this city. w. j. Cowing,
late of the Alexandria Journal, is one OF
the editors.
Secretary Seward and Postmaster Gene
raj Randall are still absent from Washing
ton. Mr.. McCulloch did not go TO =. W
York, nor was he absent on matters con-
uected with the business of certain APP
pointments, as speculation had it.
The weather to-day is Of the most blus-
tering kind, the gale being more severe
than any which has occurred in this vicinity
for some years. There was slight fall of
snow very early this morning, but now 1t is
very clear and intensely cold. TIMoN.
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WHAT THE LOCAL SAID OF THE LECTURER.
"The lecture last evening was brilliant
affair. The hall ought to have been filled.