The national Republican., 1866-12-06

mstter, snd thsrs was . dssbt In bis mind vhsthsr
the act Of 1857 conferred ssy additissai psser sn
q. prss'ds.s sss,sh be - not Ps'psr'd 10 say
One Of the most importass questions 70 bs deter
mined, however was, whether the President could,
By virtue Of The Constitution, naks proelsustien
Of amnesty or not Ifhs could II would bs totally
unnsoesssry TO repeal this provisicn. Another In
portsn mt question that was whether, In fact,
the pardon Of particular individual restored his
property taken avay from HIN. I'll 49, .-f.I
This was an important question. II had been
very ',arnedly discussed In the Supreme Court BY
tho t,ntlsmsn who sat near him, Mr.. Johnson
.sI u a, p;,dS. lon si.S:d %s
Mr.. johnson. Undisposed Of alas ..r #
Mr.. Grimes. Yes, cir; that whore the suit vas
commenced all the rights not taken away from him
reverted back 70 him - necessary consequence of
the pardon. He thought that there vas no nssss-
than that the President designed 10 make praetl.
cal amnesty for the Southern people, and he did
not apprshsnd that such was the fact. II there
any such possibility he would change his course
but st present he would vote to ssad II to the Ju
dietary COMMITTEES. E--. ID -.. ..a.. ...... -.
Mr. Dixon said that n he had had any doubts as
to the propristy Of sending this bill tbs Judiciary
COMMITTEES, they voald have bssn dispelled BY the
remarks Of the Senator from Michigan. That Sen.
stor had made serious charge for Senator Of the
United States TO make In his place against the
have no personal knowledge on the subject, but be
would take II upon hinsslf to utterly deny The
charge. The Senator had been misinSornsd most
grossly; the Rresdsnt Of the United States was not
guilty Of the crime charged against him. He
thought Il was not proper 70 allow such charge TO
pass without some reply. He was not prepared At
this time to set before the Senate the real facts In
the case but he thought that his denial was snti-
tied to - much weight, ak least, - the charge. He
vas ssrs that the Senator from Michigan would Be
glad 70 hear that the charge vss utterly anfounded
M. Chandler, Of Miehigaa, said that the charge
Of the ssls Of pardons had been established before
the court. His information had been received, q
b. had said, from one Of the judges. He would,
however. withdraw his call for the yeas and nays,
and let the msttsr 20 to ths committee =.
vissd, he could ASSURE fhs Senator from Michigan
that the bin shopld have his support. al
The bill wss rsfsrrsd 10 the COMMITTEES on the Ju.
dicisry. raa.| aa' #..Es S.1 sF. .. ..
On motion Of Mr.. Sumner the portion Of the
Prssdsut's message referring to foreign nations
vas referred to the COMMITTEES on Foreign Rsls-
tous. 'r
Mr.. Sumner introduced . series Of resolutions
declaring the principles Of reconstruction; the urs
diotion Of Congress over the whole subject; the
illessiity Of eIisting sovsrnments In the rsbel
States; and the exclusion Of such States with such
gress, and from voting on constitutional amend
ments. '.. 'r
The resolutions declare 'that all proceeding with
. view TO reconstruotion originating In Executive
power are In the nature Of usurpation; that this
usurpation becomes especially offensive when II
sets aside the fundamental truths Of our institu.
tions that II is shocking to common sense when II
undertakes TO derive new govsrnmsnts from that
hostile population which has Just been engaged in
armed rebellion, and that all govsrnmsnts having
suoh origin are necessarily illegal and void That
II 10 the duty Of Congress to proceed with the work
- A.. n. - a
urisdietion Of the States lately In rebellion except
50 far as that Jurisdiction may have been already
renounced, and IL must recognise only the loyal
States or those States having legal and valid
1egislatures,' - entitled to rsprsssntstion In
COngrs" or to voice In the adoption Of constitu-
tional amendment" r..
Mr.. Sumner was not disposed to discuss the res.
olptions but hs would say that be sav no chance
for peace to the rebel Statss until Congress did It's
duty By assuming jurisdiction over the whole
matter. The resolutions rsoitsd briefly ths duty
Of Congress in that regard and assigned reasons
friend Of the cause in Texas, so important in
its bearing on tho questions involved In the reso-
lutiions that he would read II.
Mr.. MeDougall objected.
| The President decided the reading in order.
Mr.. Sumner then read tho letter, which alleged
that the governments which had been set up In
the South were sham governments, and drew q
gloomy picture Of the condition Of Affairs In Texas,
enumsrstins = number Of acts passed By the Texas
store the relation Of slavery.
Mr. Sumner said that this letter was from .
gentleman with whom he had corresponded for
some years, and whose character he knew we'll and
he would not have read 1t had he not been satisfied
Of the high character and intellik ikence Of the
\ writer 1t was In the nature Of testimony, which
the Senate could not disregard. He thought they
should follow the suggestions Of those patriot
Unionists and erase those governments under
which such outrages had been perpetrated. The
writer had properly called them sham govern
ments; they had no element Of vitality In them;
they were disloyal in origin, and showed the char
acter Of the rebellion ITSELF They should 60 forth
to meet those governments and the spirit In which
they had been organised precisely in years past
they had gone forth to meet the rebellion Tho
conflict WAS no longer on the field Of battle but In
this Chamber and the Chaubsr at the other end Of
the Capitol. The strife was severe, but 1t should
| be none the less strenuous
Mr.. MoDoussil. None the less severe, IL the
strsuuousnsss will achieve the true victory, Mr..
MeDousali went on to say that hs had been in the
Senate . long time, but had never read anonymous
letters. He doubted whether the Senator from
Massachusetts, had ever visited the Southern States
On motion Of Mr.. Wilson . joint resolution from
the HOUSE Of Representative, appointing Erastus
B. Woodruff and John L. Calender - managers Of
the National Asylum for Disabled Soldiers, to al
vacancies, wss twice read and laid over.
On motion Of Mr.. Henderson, . resolution calling
upon the Sscrstary Of the Navy for copies Of core.
spondsncs relative TO employees In his Department,
was twice read and laid over.
| Mr.. Wade moved that the Senate take up, with
view to reference, joint resolution which he had
offered last session reporting an amendment TO the
Constitution Of the United States proposing to 70.
strict the tenure Of once Of the President to four
years. He said that this was the most favorable
opportunity for this amendment that had occurred
since the formation Of the Constitution.
The President decided fhat under the 2lst rule
business remaining unfinished from the previous
session could not ss considered until six days Of
this session had elapsed.
Mr.. Wade said that that rule was differently In.
tsrprstsd In the House He thought the usage In
the Senate on that point should be reconsidersd.
The President said that II there was no objection
| the resolution might be taken up and referred u
the Committee on the Judiciary.
| On motion Of Mr.. Fsssendep, soeinuch Of the
Presidents message a. related to the subject oi
finance was referred to the COMMITTEES on Finance.
| On motion Of Mr.. Pomeroy, SO much as related
to public lands was referred to the Committee on
Public Lands
So much as referred 10 railroads was, on motion,
referred to the Committee on Railroads.
On motion Of Mr.. Sherman, Q bill introduced BY
him last session. to. prevent the illegal appoint.
msnt Of officers Of th1 United States, taken uT
and referred TO the Committee on the Judiciary.
On motion Of Mr.. Morrill,, Of Maine, the bill In
regard TO suffrage In the District Of Columbia va,
ordered to be printed :.