Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-01-06
stevt,ens' Resolution The Situation.

~; Stevens Resolution The Situation.
The New York Herald" in an article on
tho Stevens resolution IN re.atiou to the an.
pointnieht Of q joint committee to consider the
osse Of the late rebelious States, gives us the
following explanation and comments upon the
position Of affairs in both IIousesof Congress-:
AS adopted, the resolution provides Joint
committee of nine members Of the House and
six Of the Senate, to inquire into the political
condition of the late insurgent States, and to
report thereon to the two Houses. AS passed
by the House, the resolution, if carried through,
with or without the Executive approval, would
have been law of The land, turning over both
Houses and the President, bound hand and
foot, into the hands Of an inquisitorial joint
committee, with which alone should rest the
admission of any member from any one of the
excluded Southern States into either House.
AS pruned by the Senate, each House is left
free to decide upon the elections of it's men,
bers, debate is not cut off, and the resolution,
instead Of being thrust into the face Of the
Preaidcnt as demand for surrender, is COM
plete as it stands, in being reduced from the
!. form Of law to simple parliamentary agree
inent between the two Houses, aud nothing
more.
"Thus far then, the Senate is entitled to
some credit for maintaining its own rights
and protecting. the President against the radi-
cal fanatioism of the original Stevens Ray
mond caucus resolution. But 80 far as the
excluded States are concerned, they are turned
over into the keeping Of this joint committee
and their prospects If an carly admission into
ayt hor Hn,,co f1,cof IL ~.
There was no necessity whatever for this Joint
special committee, each House having rcgu-
lar Committee on Elections so tlmt the de-
parture from tlle usual proceedings in regard
10 questionable elections means: nothing more
nor less than new and rigid inquisitiop, with
new and rigid conditions, in reference to the
Southern States
One Of these conditions precedent'is IL prob
ably foreshadowed in the bill Of Mr.. Wilson,
which was under discussion recently in the
Senate, providing to maintain the freedom of
She inhabitants Of the eStatcslatelyin rebellion
The object of the bill is to abolish all the sl@o
codes and negro laws Of said States, making
.discEminations between whites aud blacks,
prejudicial to the rights Of the latter us citi-
'gzens entitled toyequnl protection under tho
laws, There may be justice in this, but if
these inequalities in the local regulations of
the States concerned arc to be removed before
these States can come back into Congress,
Senator Summers plan Of reducing said States
to the status of unorcanized Territories, ,wilkbe
tho shortest method for accomplishing the
work. The views Of Senator Sherman touch
ing the equal rights of the Southern emanci
pated blacks were of more practical character
than the premature and visionary schemes Of
Wilson's crude bill i, II.
s&" There is, however, one point touched up
on by Senator Sherman regarding which there
should be fair understanding. When
sufficient number Of the Southern legislatures
=" make the ratification complete shall have
ratified Che Constitutional amendment prohib.
. ting slavery. aud providing for the enforce
4mcnt by Congress Of the freedom Of the blacks,
1t is probable that the President viii proelaim
the fact to the country, aud that said a,nend-
nlcnt has thus bccome part aud parcel of the
supreme law Of the land In this event, Con
greas must recognize the Southern Statcs CON
serned Va 'lcgiti nate members Of. the Union,
or declare their action and the Presidents nc
tion upon the amendment as good for nothing.
lf a State Legislature is valid to rat,fy the
amendment, it is valid for the election of its
United States Senators We c,nnot make It
flesh in the one case and fish in the other
Upon. this question, forhis own protection.
the President has the eight to demand clear
understanding with. the two Houses Df Cnn