The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-06
Letter from the Federal Capital.
WASHINGTON. March 2. 1894

100 oOulC luOic pUWClid oSu%oA'S oAASsAh ~AoAA~>
of these is administered to the public mind,
no permanent effect can be expected. The
speech is likely to share the usual fate of such
endeavors, and SO far from satisfying every
body may very probably fail to satisfy any
body As to this last specimen OF piiVate
conversation" desire to say word OF t"o'
1t does indeed recognize by implication the
right of Congress to adopt and establish re-
construction policy, and perhaps means to in
innate that if it had done so, the President
would have respected it. 1t is plain, however,
that Congress having adjourned without
adopting policy of reconstruction, because
the rebellion was not then crushed, and recon-
struction was not as yet practical question,
the President could, had he wished the assist
ance and advice of Congress, and would have
called an extra session; and that had he felt
any disposition to modify his policy to suit the
views of Congress, he would not now be de-
nouncing the Union majority as TRAITORS, be-
cause they can not and will not yield to his
absolute dictation. AS to the admission re-
speeding the right and power of Congress to
act in the matter, it seems to be fatty contra
dicted by the veto message; and whether the
Presidents policy is more truly and reliably
indicated by official state papers, or by Soon
versations" with Tom, Dick and Harry, is
question that answers ITSELF suppose the
whole country by this time understands that
the Presidents mind is not always quite clear
or unperturbed. that his reasonings do not al
ways walk on line of logical straightness,
and doubt not that the people are sick to
nausea of these public reports of private pa
LAYERS The sum of the whole matter seems
to me to be this. The President having by
his own stupendous folly turned his first vic
tory into something very like a defeat, natu-
rally wants truce III which to regain some
thing of what he has lost. In the "ardr" he
has declared, the @geat struggle" he has in
itiated with Congress, he does not appear to
be quite SO stomachful for the second bout as
he was for the first, and wants little time to
recruit. The conversation may also be meant to
hint some sort of an apology for the outrageous
indecencies of the 22d ult., but if there is any
thing in it more than above indicated I fail to
see it. And even this has been well nigh
rubbed out by the reports of sundry New
Workers, body of Kansas men, and know
not how many more, who at different times
and seasons have since been admitted to wit
ness with admiring delight that same straight
foruard, honest look" and those "hedrty tones
which inspired the susceptible soul of Gov
Cox with so much wondrous Enthusiasm
Those who, gathering hope from some word
or expression here or there, proceed to fold
their hands and stand with bated breath, for
fear of provoking the President to forsake his
party, may be very wise, but cannot appre-
ciate such wisdom. sha. DnG ,l5'.t
The debates in Congress have of late been
very spirited, but SO keenly does the public
watch the progress of events, and so full are
the Geographic reports at present, that scarce
ly need refer to them. At late hour last
evening Senator Fessenden closed the debate
upon the concurrent resolution given in my
last, in brief but powerful speech. No part
of his speech was more effective than that in
which he hurled back the iInputation that the
reconstruction committee are purposely de-
laying action by refusing to report,-an impu-
tation grown quite familiar of late, and re-
ported by some who ought to know better
by showing that, though thrice requested by
Congress to furnish information of vital i'm
portance in coming to a conclusion, and in
necessary as the foundation of
report, the President, even while arguing i'm
mediate action, had not only withheld such in
formation, but had failed,i after nearly two
delay, to give Congress any answer
whatever. He may have good reasons for
the information, but while he
does so Congress is not responsible for the de-
lay. IT,. -
The resolution was then passed, ayes 20,
noes IS. The names of Cowan, Doolittle,
Dixon, Morgan, Norton, Stewart, and am
obliged to add Lane Of Kansas, stand upon
this vote where fear we must look for them
in company with those of McDou-
gal and Hendricks, Salisbury and Garrett
Davis. i@- ii-d %
Thus has Congress asserted its rights and
its dignity, meeting the momen-
tous issue forced upon it by the Executive IN
firm and manly spirit, and making for itself
and the country record which future gem
erations will be proud to read. And now the
appeal lies to the people, for they are the real
arbiters in this great controversy. ~ --.
This is not time for timid counsels. The
fierce clamor of the mob that "the stable on
the hill yomder must be cleaned OUT the call of
the Constitutional Union that the old Capitol
be forthwith fitted up for the reception of
northern disuaionists arho indulge in rituper-
atiue abuse Of the President, s'the demand of
The Chicago Times that the President forth
with "arrest Thadeus Stevens, Wendell Phil
lips, Charles Sumner, and their confederates
IN CoNeRBss AND ALL OVER THE COUNTRY"
it's savage and unconditional exhortation TO
strike do,on the traitors at one tremendous
btoac," referring of course to the steadfast I'm
ion men of the country, the atrocious attempt
OF the Intelligencer, the Presidents chief sup
porter at the Capital, to represent the concur
rent resolution referred to above, which mere
ly asserts powers to belong to Congress that
nobody out of a mad house ever before this
denied to that body, and declares q purpose to
use them constitutionally, as an act of @revolt
against the Ia,rful authority of the United
States;' an act that means nonsense or vIo-
LENcE," its efforts to represent the tried and
ncoruptible statesmen Of the land as "reu-
dictionary cabal," thus apparently seeking to
prepare the public mind for some "coup-detatsI,
IN the part of the executiye,-these things
md others like them show upon how willing
,ars the Presidents talk about "putting down"
senators and Repr esentatives of the people
lave fallen, into how congenial soil his drag