The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-04-20

flaming sword at the gate of Eden, to
warn such men that till there were
fruits meet for repentance, or bonds
for future good behavior, there was
no place in those precincts for them.
[Cheers.
a Again. the policy of reconstruc-
ton was indicated by Congress in the
winter of 1876, when it passed
nearly unanimously, and without the
yeas and nays, joint resolution that
the Vice President, in asserting the
Presidential votes, should not count
the electoral votes of any State that
had been engaged in the rebellion.
That was intended to proclaim that,
until Congress removed their disquali-
fcation by laws restoring them to
their rights, they should stand back
Congress has, therefore, by these two
striking enactments, indicated Its
policy of reconstruction.
!" But the Constitution has in still
palmer language declared where the
responsibility Of reconstruction should
rest. IL has declared that every State
shall be guaranteed republican form
of government, and In a subsequent
section it declares that Congress shall
have power to make all laws necessa-
ry and proper to carry into execution
all the powers vested in it, or in any
department or oficerof the Govern
ment. This was intended to declare
/. that Congress is the only law ma king
power of this land, and by the Consti-
| tuition to Congress, and to it alone,
I must we look for legalized reconstruc-
ton. a i.t@
"The President of the United
States, in his proclamation last May
appointing Provisional Governors,
declared that the States which had
been in rebellion were without civil
government. That was a fact as pal
pable as the stars when they shine in
the heavens. My regret is-for /
must speak plainly. to-night-that
Congress was not at that time called
together. [ believe it would have
fastened the work of reconstruction.
81 believe that Congress, and the Pres
ident, by his approval of their legis-
lation, would have united lastsummer
on a policy of reconstruction which
would have been acceptable to botll
branches of the Government, and in
which the South, seeing this concur
. rent action, would have acquiesced
"The Constitution of the United
States declares that the President, ON
extraordinary occasions, may convene
Congress, and it has always seemed to
me that last April was an extraordi-
nary occasion. The President of the
| United States had been murdered by
rebel conspirator, and the Vice
President had assumed the Presiden-
tial functions. The rebellion had
seen its flag trampled in the dust, and
its armies had surrendered. 1t seem
III u TI1S tlsas 70 ever there Was an OK.
4 traordinary occasion this was one.
But the President-and / recognize
his full constitutional authority to de-
| eide this qaestion-deemed that it
was not expedient to call Congress to-
/ gether, and went on himself with the
work of reconstruction.
Il believe he entered upon and pro-
ceeded with that work periodically,
and that he thought, as an expert
ment, it would se well to test it be-
fore Congress reassembled. / am
confirmed In this belief by the mes
sages which he sent to the Governors
J of Florida and Mississippi, stating
that their restoration would depend
upon Congress, but do not think ii
resulted in developing loyalty at the
South.
! " Congress at last convened on the
. first Monday in December last. II
could not convene earlier, for it had
no power to meet until its regular
session, unless convened by the Presi-
dent. . 4