The Portland daily press., 1866-03-07
A Change Of Tune.

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1t isnotVso long ago but that some of our
readers may remember the time when the
comprehend papers teemed with denupcia-
tions of Mr.. Lincoln's administration for what
they were pleased TO denominate its usurpa-
tions, and abuses Of arbitrary power. When
few blatant traitors, who were doing their ut
most with tongue, pen and press to hamper and
embarass the government in its fearful strug-
gle, were silenced by the military arm, what
edfying sermons we had about the sacred
right of free speech, the, inyiolability of the
habeas co, pus,, and the inexcusable enormity
Of arbitrary arrests. Yet the Chicago Tines
one of thu most rampant o6these journals,
which was SO outrageous in its treason in 1865
that it was suppressed by General Burnside,
and which has ever since vaunted itself as one
Of the martyrs of the Lincoln tyranny, gives
the following precious piece of advice to Pfesi
dent johnson. ~ II 20 s'A''. "a Ss
,@We do NOT hesitate to declare that it is the
solemn duty of the President to command the
arrest Of Thaddeus Stevens, Wendell Phillips, Z
Charles Sumner, and their confelerates in
Congress, and all over the country, for the
crime Of treason. In no other way can this
northern rebellion be promptly quelled, and
the public quiet restored. And If the rump
congress shall not speedily abandon its sedf
tiets, revolutionary: and lawless practices-GM
it shall persistsin excluding the Representatives
of eleven States from their rightful seats, and
in exercising the powers of the Congress of
the United States-we do not hesitate to de-
clare that 1t will become the solemn duty of
President johnson to constitute himself the
Cromwell OF the time, and dissolve the rumps
by military p0werg . g sui balEfosb = bna5Nil
Entirely in harmony with this was the abb
surd and monstrons proposition made in the
Senate the9other day by Garrett Davis Of Ken
lucky to the effect that the president is the
proper judge ofwho constitute the Houses Of
Congress, and that he ought to dissolve the
present organization Of that body, recognize
the opposition and the Southern members as
constituting the true Congress, and employ. the
military power to place them in their seats!
s1This,n says Mr.. Davis sis the Presidents
right. 1t is his constitutional function to as
certain who constitute the two Houses Of
Congress. The members Of the Senate who
are in favor of the admissions of the Southern
Senator's could get into a aGconclave with those
Southern Senators any day and they would
President of the United States has the con
stitutional option-it Is his function-itf is his
power-it is his right-and Iwould advise him
to exercise it. He has the right at any day to
ascertain, where, there are different bodies,
members Of the Senate contending, which is
the true Senate. If the Southern members,
and those who are for admitting them to their
seats, constitute a majority OF the whole Sem
ate the, President has a right-dnd, by, the
Eternal! he ought to exercise that right, forth
,oith-to-morrou- dny 9th r day, to recog-
nize the opposition here, and the Southern
members as majority Of the Senate" 71iSd 81
Comment is superfuous. oH 5ieio odi eli