The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-03-10
THE PRESIDENT AND con-
GRESS.
The Impending Rupture-A Con.
nervatfve Republican Journal
Upon It,

The following article, from the New
York Times of Dee. 29th last, will show
that the opening wedge of the late serious
division in the Abolition party had at that
time already been driven in. The Times,
be it observed, is a i" conservative Abo-
lition organ, the .mOuthpiece of Seward.
Its editor is Raymond. Member of Con-
gress. It said
We have hoped that no serious conflict
of opinion would occur between the Pres
ident and Congress on the subject of re-
construction. Both have hitherto been
go thoroughly in favor of maintaining the
integrity of the Union, and the sentiment
of the country has been so emphatic in
the support ofthat policy, that serious diff
ferences in regard to it have seemed I'M
possible. Certain sentiments, however,
published by authority in the Chicago
Tribune, are calculated to impair our con-
6denee in this position.
Mr.. Wilson, member of Congress from
Iowa, at the request of Mr.. Thaddeus Ste
phens, offered the resolution of which the
latter had given notice concerning recon
construction. Immediately after its adop-
ton by the House, Dir. Wilson soughtand
obtained an interview with the President
of which he has made a report published
in the Chicago Tribune, and copied in an
other column of this mornings Times
Mr.. Wilson, at that interview, assumed t.
speak of the majority in Congress, and he
Informed the President that it was very
desirable that no conflict Of action should
arise between them on the subject of re.
construction; that it could be avoided pro
yided the President would not press his
peculiar views, but would accept the &C.
ton of Congress as conclusive; but that
unless he did Sc, he would certainly gel
into trouble. "If you are disposed" Wa:
Mr.. Wilson's language to the President
* to interfere with Congress, by patron.
age or otherwise, and force your peculiar
views upon Congress and the country, YOU
win meet with serious opposition by those
that are now the friends Of your Admins
~tration and desire sincerely to make it sue
cessful."
What Mr.. Wilson means by being tbs
e friend of the Administration " is appar
ent from the context. He claims I,
have aided to bring it into power, and h,
therefore, claims the right to dictate ant
cverrule his policy, and at the same time
retain the dispensation of its patronage
The President has been engaged, eve
since his accession toofice, in the patriot
ic task of restoring the Union and heal
ING the wounds of war. He has adopted
a policy for this purpose which is hearth,
approved and upheld by the country, ant
which is rapidly effacing the disasters anC
animosities of the dreadful contest so hap
lpily closed. Just at this moment Mr.
Wilson steps in, and, on behalf of a pow
erful party in Congress, demands that th,
President shall abandon this policy, or a
least hand over all the patronage and pow
er Of his Office to aid those who would Sc
it aside, and who propose to complete tn
disruption of the Union which the rebel
failed to achieve. IF he will do this
there can be no possible difficulty be
tween the Executive and Legislative
branches Of the Government"
But Mr.. Wilson was not content viii
thus laying down his terms ofpeace witt
the President. He proceeded to denounc
certain other members Of the Administer
ton party in Congress who propose to sup
port the President in the policy he ha
thus far persuaded. Here is his own re
port Of what he said on that subject:
aAnd let me add this, the ~so-calle,
conservatives in Congress, the men tina
claim to be your exclusive friends, go witt
you to-day because they think it is to thei
advantage to do so; but they wlll oppos
you tomorrow, if they shall find that it i
to their advantage to oppose you. Yol
viii find il the end that The men who dit
fer from you to-day, from sincere convic
tions, and honest, patriotic motives, ar
muchmore reliable and trustworthy friend
than these time servers"
This is a curious and characteristic spec
linen of the Pharisaical self-complacenc.
of Mr.. Wilson, and those on whose behai
he claimed to speak. They alone are me
who act from " sincere convictions" The
alone are men Of "honest and patriot
motives" and their principal concern i
lest they should not be allowed the patron
age of the Administration to overtime,
its policyl
The country will not be surprised
learn that Mr.. Wilson failed to obtain th
assurances which he sought. The Pres
dent did not surrender to his demand:
He "said nothing that could be construe
into an admission that his own policy q
reconstruction had failed" On the cor
trary, he useemed 70 be fully persuade
of its present and future success" Anc
What was still more astounding to NJ
Wilson, he " did not say one word to in
dictate his intention" Of allowing NJ,
Wilson and his associates to use the pa
ronage Of his Office for the overthrow {
his policy and the permanentdisruption
the Union. We venture to predict tbs
itwin neverb be obtained from the Presiden
For four years the Union party hs
been fighting for the preservation Of th
Union. That was the object Of the wa
and it was also the object of peace. Th
people will not surrender il to HI. Wi
son any sooner than they would surre1
der it to JEFF. Davis. Andrew Johnso
recommended himself to the confidence {
the nation By his devotion to the UnioI
EzE