The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-03-05
The Concurrent Resolution Excluding
the Southern states from Congress.


| The Concurrent Resolution ExcIud ing
| the Southern states from Congress.
Mr.. Cowan, of Pennsylvania, said, in his ad-
mirable speech delivered in the Senate on FRI
day against the concurrent resolution excluding
the Southern States from representation in Con-
gress that such radical measures were alarm.
ing the country; that "the people are anxious"
and that "the political atmosphere bodies the
| coming Of no common storm" These words Of
apprehension and warning are not mere
rhetorical flourish; they faithfully represent the
| feverish state of the public mind. We arc no
alarmists and have good deal of confidence
| in the elasticity and recuperative power of the
| country under severe trials; but VIC must con-
TESS there is cause for alarm in the obstinate
and persistent revolutionary conduct of Con-
gress From the time the session commenced
to the passage of this unconstitutional concur
rent resolution Congress has done nothing to
heal the wounds caused by the war. On the
contrary, its whole conduct, from first to last,
has been such as to keep those wounds open
and bleeding.
During last summer and fall, and up to the
meeting of that body, the country was buoyant
with hope. The war had no sooner collapsed
than feeling Of confidence and security in the
future sprung up in the minds of the people.
Every one felt the rebellion was 80 effectually
crushed that there need not be the least appre-
hension Of any future attempt ON the part of
the'South TO resist the gov, rnment The South
ern people everywhere saw that the efforts to
break up the government had utterly fsilodj
that their destiny was irrevocably fixed in tho
same republican empire with ourselves, and
their reason, their interests and their COM
mon sense told them that both their duty
and their welfare required thereafter unfeigned
loyalty. After hostilities ceased and President
Johnson inaugurated his healing restoration
policy, the people, both North and South,
brcaihed freely again. Anticipating that the
enmity created by the war would soon be al
layed and. harmony restored by this liberal,
statesmanlkc policy, the country became pros.
porous. Industry, trade, commerce, prosperity
in everything kept pace with the progress Of
restoration. The people believed the end of
our domestic troubles was at hand, and that
Congress would soon crown the work 30 hap
PLY begun and carried on by the President.
That was the condition Of things, the hope and
The feeling of the country up to last December.
Then Congress began to undo what had been
done, to agitate the country and to blast the
hopes of the people. II has continued this
revolutionary and destructive course all
through, and now, as Mr.. Cowan expresses il.
''the people are anxious, and the political ut
mospberc bodies the coming Of no common
storm" A feeling OF uncertainty and gloomy
apprehension has seized the popular mind; and
this last revolutionary act will greatly increase
IL. II is true the people have become wearied
with political and war excitements, and are
ready To submit to good deal for the sake OF
present peace. This, perhaps, is a reason why
the radical revolutionsts in Congress are so
presumptuous Such measures and proceed.
ings as would have aroused the whole country
before the war are allowed TO pass for the
present without much demonstration. But
public spirit here Is not dead, and must
be aroused In time. Still there IL Away,
danger In such apathy. Eternal vigilance II
the price Of liberty" History teaches M
that IL ID just ct such times-just when
the people become wesried and disgnsted
with agitation and strifes, and ready To
submit to almost anythiug-that usurpcrs, the
Casars, the Cromwells, the Napoleons, Parlia-
ments, Conventions, and Congresses trample
on constitutions, destroy liberty, and usurp un.
constitutional power.
DO we use too strong term when we call
the proceedings Of Congress revolutionary
Is not this concurrent resolution, by which one
House binds the other in . matter that &C
cording to the constitution, belongs TO each
exclusively, revolutionary! Is not the factlous
war made for party political purposes upon
the Executive, and the measures he has already
put into operation, revolutionary What arr
ell those constitutional amendments passed
without the Representatives Of large portion
Of the people voting upon them but revolu
tionarys The whole Of these proceedings are
IN direct conflict with the constitution and
spirit Of our institutions. Il has been said
revolutions never 70 back. II will be for'u
nate for m II We Gan arrest the progress o.
this one before the fundamental character Of
the glorious government transmitted TO ~ By
the hshers becomes entirely changed. Ths
visionary radicals of Congress, Ike ths revc
iusionists In France and other countries, thinl
esr""se thew ere rcprescasasivss thev osa d