The national Republican., 1866-11-22

pehso " actmB uPvn wv N~ r
will relieve THE PREsIDESr from the un-
pleasant necessity Of declining TO entertain
and examine their applications. It is
physical impossibility for him to prepare his
message and at the some time transact the
detail business appropriately belonging to
bis Cabinet Ministers. 5,7s -.. y.
RESPONSIBILITY OF
-. CONGRESS. .t..
II is no new thing under the sun for politi-
cal parties - well as individuals to seek re-
sponsibilities which they are unable to bear.
Wise men are usually somewhat chary Of
great responsibilities; but it is the
habit Of another class to rush in where angels
fear TO tread" Congress has undertaken the
fearful responsibility Of resisting the efforts
of The President to restore the organism Of
the nation, which was disarranged by the
war. And having . majority Of two thirds
in both Houses, 1t has the numerical power
to make that resistance effective. II is now
fully accountable to the country for all the
consequences which shall result from this dis
jointed state Of things hereafter. .. g
II is reasonably certain that the course
which that body has already taken has ar
rayed the people Of the South very generally
against the Republican party-a result which
ought to have been and which might have
been avoided if loyal Senators and Repre-
sentatives from the States now unrepresented
had been promptly admitted to their seats.
The idea that under our form Of Government
the people Of those States could DO made to
give any security that they would never
again rebel, was as insane as that Of punish.
ing them all was absurd. Hence all the at
tempts to do SO have been effectual only to
perpetuate that sectional feeling which it
was for the interest Of the Republican party
as well as Of the country at large to oblit-
crate. The rebellion having failed and its
logical consequences having been accepted
by the insurgents, an opportunity was left
unimproved for the exercise Of such mag
nanimity rs would have secured the
favor Of that people inevitably toward
the dominant party in the country. For
all the consequences Of that shortcoming,
be they what they may, Congress alone is
responsible. 1t is responsible also for most
Of the divisions which exist among the Union
men Of the North. Had it kept steadily
along in the path marked out by itself dur
ing the war, and redeemed the pledges it
made during the same period, it would not
have had any issues or differences, even with
TIE President; on the contrary, the legisla-
tive and executive departments would have
co-operated agreeably, and all would have
gone on as smoothly as a marriage bell.
But in an evil hour Senators and Represent
atives condescended to contrive in secret
caueusses how they might keep the Union
discovered until after the next presidential
election, in order to shut ten States entirely
out from any participation in it. To give
outward plausibility to that unpatriotic
scheme, they instituted general system Of
denunciation against the people Of those
States, which was caught up and echoed by
the radical newspapers all over the country,
causing it to be believed that they were still
in rebellion against the Government of the
country, and proposing at the same time to
have them governed as vassals, through the
expensive machinery of the Freedmen's Blu.
reau bill. And when they found that The
President could not tconscientiously approve
Of that measure, leading members of both
Houses made coarse and gross attacks upon
him. For that and its incidents and result.
ing consequences to TIE President, the
party and the country, Congress is wholly
responsible.
In the approaching session its responsible
ity will be greater than ever. 1t will moi
only have before 1t perpetually the old re
construction question in the old form, but II
will have it in new forms. 1t will also have
before it new and momentous questions
touching claims against Great Britain and
our duty in respect to Mexico. To these
there will be added other topics Of general
interest, including notifications of the reve-
nue. laws-all demanding the exercise of the
utmost discretion. II Congress convenes in
good temper and proceeds to business in a
proper manner, there is ground for hope that
IL 1t finds occasion to differ with The PREsI.
DENT at all, it will % SO respectfully. We
trust that in any event it will not re-enact
any of those scenes which characterized
some OF its proceedings last winter.
But do what it may, one thing is certain
just SO long as it shuts loyal Senators and
Representatives out from participation in
the legislation Of the country will its load OIL
responsibility for a fragrant public wrong
continue to increase. 1t will be augmented
each successive day until it comes to it
senses and adopts The Presidents or som'
equivalent policy by or under which all thu
people Of the country taxed shall be repre-
sented in the councils Of the nation.
% E .aT A CALAMITY
A calamitv has befallen the nation MosEs