Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-12-13
DIsUNIONIsM RAMPANT.


Some of the measures proposed in Congress
since its meeting on the 81 instant seem so
wauton and wicked that the reader can hardly
believe his own senses.
First there is bot haste in the House to re-
peal the 18th section Of the coniscatiUu act of
1862. which relates to amnesty by the Presi-
dent. The majority seem to forget that the
President has the power under the Constitution
10 grant parlous, and according to the inter
probation Of Mr.. Writ when Attorney General,
this prcrogativemay be exercised either be-
fore or after CONVICTION and for its exercise he
is in no wise responsible to Congress, unless it
can be proven that he has t2kena bride. The
Senate very properly takes time to deliberate
upon this proposition.
Mr.. Wilson proposes to break up all the mil
itarv organizations in the Southern States, and
we learn from Washington that he has gone
with party of friends to visit the battle-felds
around Riehmond-felds which he did not
deign to look upon during the war. The near
est venture was towards Bun Run one Sun
dav morning in July, 1861, where before
night. he learned to practise Hardee's double
quick
The experiment Of negro suGragein the Dis
trict of Columbia, which was passed by one
House last session, but was delayed lest Penn
sylvania and some other Northern States might
not relish the matter. is again to be pressed.
As well remarked by writer in the National
Intslligencer: Simply because Congress has
unlimited control over the District, it is in
some quarters regarded as a fit subject for all
sorts Of experiments which Senators and men,
bers Of Congress are unwilling or unable to try
in their own States OF Districts
And it is added that "the fact seems to have
been disregarded that, during the war, over
$4,000 freedmen have been injected into the
population of the District. Circumstances
have made it freedmen's haven, and the least
worthy of the black population Of Maryland,
Virginia and North Carolina-that portion that
was unable to subsist in any other way than
upon the rations issued by the government
have Aocked bither, not 50 much for refuge as
for support in idleness.'
Propositions with no higher apparent mo-
tive than that of annoying the President have
been made to interfere with his power of ap-
pointment, and to trammel him in the exercise
of his constitutional functions; and, to make
the Instructions more complete, the hero of Vi
emma, Schenck, Whose first military exploit
was to run two hundred Ohio troops into an
ambuscadel proposes to have perpetual Con-
gress-that is, that the term Of the 10th shall
commence on the 4th of March next, although
at that time New Hampshire, Connecticut, CAL
ifornia, Kentucky and Tennessee will have no
members
But the most mischievous and revolutionary
Of all, is the proposition to subvert the present
ategovenmentsi in the South, by the appoint
ment of provisional governors by the Chief
Justice, and by the formation Of State consti-
tutions and governments by conventions Of del
egates elected by self-styled loyalists and by
negroes, 90 the exclusion of two-thirds of the
white population. A measure ike this, so vim
dictiye and vicious, so well calculated to create
and foster deadly hate between sections, must
eventually overwhelm the party which adopts
it, else the people of the North and West have
become reckless Of the principles upon which
free government rests, and are ready for real
despotism-the worse for being many-headed
In his memorable farewell address, General
Washington well portrayed the necessity Of re-
ciprocal checks nthe exercise Of political pow
er, by dividing aud distributing itinto different
depositaries, andconstituting each the guardian
Of the public veal, against invasions by the
others; aud in regard to a modification of the
constitutional powers, he wisely said, if there
is any thing wrong, let it be corrected in the
way which the Constitution designates, but let
there be no USaTpatiOR for though this, in
one instance, be the instrument of good, it is
the customary weapon by which free govern
!