The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-03
mcetinS z Of Congress.

Meeting Of Congress.
The session of Congress which com
menceS to-day will be one of vast im-
portauce and universal interest. Few
representative bodies have rested under
more wcighty responsibilities than de
volve upon the National Legislature
now convcnHrg. Its deliberations will
extend to subjects in which every Amer
lean citizen has deep and abiding in
tcrest. and its action will affect for
good or i'll, the political destiny of the
entire country. While we would gladly
welcome such action on the part of Con
grcss as would put ut rest the diSscn'
>ions by which we are distracted, re-
alizc the patriot's hope and give us the
blessings of peace and united nation,
wt are free To say that little is to be en-
pcctcd from Congress in mitigation OF
,he national troubles and trials.
The indications are that the same in
tenscly Radical element which has here
toforc prevailed in Congressional de-
liberati0nS will continue 10 be dominant
therein. Schemes of the widest, moSt
r.y,l,,-;nrary a.-,l most ruinous """'''~'
JeyiS, :, and the attempt
.'.c To incorporate them into
"' ~, " errmcntal policy of the country.
cav ..i.is character is the dangerous doc
70 advanced by the leading Radical
H'snersano paPoro, that three -foarths
Sunfeient for the ratification of the new
of the loyaland adhering States are Con-
stitutional Amendment" and that 'it is
the duty of Congress to pass enabling
acts, under which the communities that
seeded from and fought to destroy the
Union. and by their failure to do so be-
came thereby subiusatcd, may he organ-
lied for the purpose Of securing rcpub-
lican governments to such of their in
habitantS as We're true 10 the Republic"
4 leading objection t. these mon
strouS propositions is, that they are in
consistent with and directly contradict
The past official acts of this Republican
Congress. in submitting the COnstitu-
tional Amendment abolishing slavery
10 every one of the seeding States for
ratification. If they were in the Union
for the purpose Of ratifyinG that Amend
mcnt their cooperation is necessary in
amending the Constitution to-day, and
the contrary doctrine now declared
only proves that the radical party will
change front on any question and be-
lie its own record, in order to secure a
perpctuation Of its power. The move
meut to declare that the rebellion was
Il success. that the Union was divided,
and that the South did secedc and can
NOT now vote upon the Amendment to
the Constitution is the preliminary TO
aplan to ''rcvolutionizc the Government,
usurp all power, change the system
from republic to n despotism, and en-
slave the people"
When the Constitution shall have been
amended by three fourths of the loyal
or adhcring States" the Southern States
are to he treated as mere territorial de-
Pcudcncies, and to he governed 10y I'M
limited Congressional dictation. The
Philadelphia 1ge refers to this subject
in the following emphatic style:
This new, dangerous aud unconstitu-
tional mode of amending the fundamen-
tai law of the land is to be followed by a
bold usurpation of power on the part Of
Congress. That body, representing only
the "loyal or adhering States" is to pass
enabling acts under which the COM
munities that seeded from and fought
10 destroy the Union, and in their failure
to do So became thereby subiugatcd, may
he organized for the purpose of securing
republican governments" to such of
their inhabitants as were true to the
Republic" In o'her words, Congress
is TO invade the States, break up
their governments, destroy their in
dividuality, and reduce them TO
the condition of conquered provinces,
to be governed by laws passed by Con-
gress and enforced by authority from
that body. Where is the authority for
snch action rs that proposed 7 The
Constitution does not confer it upon
Congress. 1t is not war necessity, for
the strifeis ended. There is, in truth,
no warrant or precedent for such pro-
cedure, and if consummated it will be
an act of usurpation which should cost
the actors in it their heads, and would
do so in any country where the laws
were properly executed.
This advanced movement of the Rad
ical party demonstrates the fact that
they mean to hold power by any agency
which can possibly be used. The Con-
stitutiOn and its safeguards will not
cause moments pause in their march
OF usurpation and aggression. Even the
existence of the States is recognized or
ignored as that fact tells for or against
The success of party measures. The very
foundations of a republican form of gov
eminent are to be undermined as
means of securing the control of the
next presidential contest. In the mean
time, the country is kept in state of
constant agitation, and all its material
interests suffer. The remedy for this
diseaSed condition of the politics of the
nation il in n cnaa1x- ro<,,r,, 4 - h., ,.,:.o