The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-01-22

4 ~~ ~-Seo<A SonSorvativoa.o
The Washington correspondent of the Phi,
adelphia Press, Col. Forney, under date =
Jan. 10th, shows up in just but scathing Ian
guage, the character the men and infiuence
now arrayed in opposition to the acts of tn
present Congress. The New York World
with malignity equalled only by its unscru
pulousness, calls it the "Rump Congress-" an,
the Washington Iateuigencer, with delight
full recollection of the fact that it is indebtet
to the measures adopted by nearly these sam.
Congressman forits own preservation, arraipn,
them as reckless radicals, intent upon a polio,
of dictation to the President and of inconceiv.
able tyranny upon the Southern people.
"There is not" says the article to which we
have referred, "a Copperhead newspaper, from
Maine to Maryland, that Is not now busily en-
gagged under this lead in bringing into con-
tempt the chosen delegates of the loyal mas
ses now assembled here in the discharge of
their constitutional duties. When Mr.. Lin
ccln, in the exercise ofhis authority, attempt.
ed to resort to decisive measures for the ~.
pose OF putting down the traitors, the power of
congress was invoked as against him. He,
tne individual, was the tyraEt, and they (the
Congress) were called upon to master him.
Another expedient is now to be tried. An
tne elements of disafectlon, North and South
are TO be rallied into crusade upon Congress,
in the hope, if this last effort is successful, that
that which was achieved on the battlefield,
and ratified at the baIlot-box, would be utter
ly lost, and slavery, under different names, re-
established, with the authors of the great re-
bellion returned to power, and through North
ern divisions, enabled to exercise it with
nigh and an unsparing hand. This is the al
most pronounced Copperhead policy" t..
"of all the men engaged in this attack up
on the representatives of the American peo-
pie, not one has ever, directly or indirectly,
voted for or supported single war measure
and not one, since the incoming of President
johnson, has indicated, by bis acts or his
votes, the slightest disposition to make good
his cheap professions of fealty. They prove
that precisely the same opposition made to
the measures initiated in the two Houses of
the present session, was organized against the
fax bill, the draft, the confscation, the increase
OF the army, and, of course, the emancipation
and enrolement OF the former slaves. Since the
memorable 18th of April, 1866, when Andrew
johnson became the successor of Abraham
Lincoln, not one of these men has come out In
support Of the constitutional amendment, or
sho,on the least deSire to provide for themiH-
ions Of people, aohite and black, made depend
ent, 6y the close of the aoar, upon the National
Government. Every contest they made, in ev-
cry free State, was made in distinct opposition
to those important remedial acts, and upon
the most imperious demand for the restoration
OF the old order Of things. In New Jersey, in
pennsylvania, in Connecticut, and in Ohio,
not word was said in favor of the anti-slay-
cry amendment of the National Constitution !;
not word and not suggestion for the fulfil
ment of the grave duty growing out Of
the compelled abolition of slavery, nor any
thing intended to aid the Government in its
stupendous financial policy; while, in all these
States, the cry was continuous, as during the
war ITSELF upon the Abolitionists and radicals,
and the silence as ominous in regard TO the
traitors themselves as in the same period. But
how loud and dogmatic they were when they
came to demand the removal of the barriers
setup between the Government and its assail-
antsl Hence their rawlings against the Secre-
tary of War and the continuance of the freed
mems bureau, and the retention of the oath
and ofthe military forces ofthe South. These
are the bulwarfs and monuments still left to
save the republic from its insatiate and i'm
penitent enemies. May God keep them
staunch and standing till the paths to peace
are not beset by peril and deathw