The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-04

ter OF reconstruc ton, but absolutely accepts
all that he has done and indorses his course in
the strongest possible terms at is expedient"
says the committee, 'that the States lately in
nsurrection should at the earliest day consistent
with the future peace and safety of the Union be
restored to participation in ali political rights"
These words embrace the whole basis of the
Presidents course; they express the very spirit
of his policy. Not one word against the acts
of Andrew johnson. Not even little clause
to involve or imply rebuke for, or to point
out to the people the act, that made him
"usurper and despot."
BY this report of the Reconstruction Com
mittee Congress swallows its words-almost
swallows itself. 1t tells the country in the
most emphatic way that the President was right
all the time, and that its reconstruction COM
mittee, after a patient search of five months,
cannot put its finger on point in the Presi-
dents plan to justify its abuse. What must be
the result? Simply that the whole mass Of the
party arrayed against the President must go
over or SO under; simply that the party must
perceive Immediately the great error it fell into
rectify that error. Already this is begun. Mr..
Stanton adheres TO the President Finding that
nothing can be said against his policy, that
there is no other course to take, he gives in his
allegiance to the great practical reconstruc-
ZIONIST and thus signalizes the commencing
disentegration of the radical faction.
-------
Commodore Rodgers on the Bombardmen
OF Valparaiso.
The official report OF Commodore Rodgers of
the bombardment of Valparaiso, addressed to
the Secretary of the Navy and published in our
columns yesterday is certainly one of the most
extraordinary documents ever signed by an
American officer. The Commodore appears to
have been in dense fog as to what course he
ought to pursue. The responsibility thrown
upon him seems TO have entirely unnerved him,
and yet he took occasion to assume more of the
responsibility than justly belonged to him. 1t
was quite enough for him to be Commodore;
but he tried to be Minister besides. Sent out
to the coast of Chile as naval officer, he under
took to do little diplomacy, and was rather
unsuccessful in his attempts upon both the
English and the Spanish Admirals. In his re-
port he is not contented with a statement of
facts, but he gives us o curious analysis of
the processes of reasoning by which he ar
rived at certain conclusions The analysis
lis very clear; the processes were very logi-
cal; the conclusions were excellent; bat
after he had reached them Commodore
Rodgers did not act upon them. Had his ac-
rions conceded with his conclusions Valparaiso
would not have been bombarded. He displays
some knowledge Of international law, and pro-
duces neat little essay upon the relations be-
tween Spain and Chile but when he drops the
pen and pipe of the philosopher and resumes
his proper character of a naval officer, we see
that he docs nothing. Evidently the metaphysi-
cal Commodore Is out OF place in the Navy De-
partment He might probably be transferred
to desk in the State Department to assist
Secretary Seward.
Commodore Rodgers explicitly informs us
that his opinion of the bombardment Of Valpa-
raiso does not differ from that of the rest OF
mankind. He thinks that the Spanish have
committed great outrage, and nm outrage, too,
upon American ncutrals, and he also admits
that be was sent to Chile to prevent such out
RACES. The question is, why did he not pre-
vent them? We can find no satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION of this point From his own showing
he did either too much or too little. He offered
60 beyond the letter Of instruc-
tons to preserve strict neutrality"
but when the time came he did not
go. He offered to ego as much farther
us the English Admiral chose;' but when the
English Admiral declined to choose the i'm
pulsive Commodore quietly withdrew his OPP
position. He was not afraid Of the Spanish
fleet; for, "from target experiments" he was
certain that Gin not less than thirty seconds,
and not more than thirty minucs"-this par
ticuIarity "a TO time is very amusing-''the
Monadnock herself, entirely unassisted, would
leave only the mastheads Of the Numancia
above water" Well, them, why did not the
Commodore interfere? He says that "a nation,
Witnessing disturbance among her sister ma
tons, need not rest absolutely impassive, but
with sincere neutrality might interfere, with
force if necessary, to keep the operations of
belligerents at least within the law for the pro-
lection of neutral persons and neutral pro-
perry" II Commodore Rodgers be a nation
and We presume that he regarded himself in
that ligbt-his argument is perfectly sound.
Why did he not carry it into practical effect!
He argued, and that was all. After proving
that he ought not to allow Valparaiso to be
bonbarded he stood calmly by and saw its
houses knocked over and its inhabitants killed.
The only excuse that the Commodore offers for
his inaction is that he made up his mind to do
noshing without the cooperation of the Eng
lish Admiral. ~ said," he writes, '.hat i had
no intention of becoming catspaw to draw
European chestnuts out Of the fire, and then
have the Power served laughing at my singcd
paws while they enjoyed the fruits Of my
temerty.' Here is singular muddle. Not
only does the Commodore transform himself 4