The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-26

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the army, and but u small number of
them hnd an opportunity to vote. There
was still hope that IL peace could be
made through the ngency of the DEM
Ocratic party. These circumstances
were all unfIvOruble to the cause of the
patriots.
The Democratic party is now weaker
than ever before. Its identity with the
Rebellion is better understood. The
young men of the country, In the pro-
portion of three to one, unite them
selves with tho Republican party. AS
nm organization, considered by itself,
the Democratic party is utterly power
less and hopeless.
Tho detection of Mr.. Johnson, how
ever, inspires the leaders with fresh
courage. 1tis possible for them to on
Joy the patronage of tho government
for two years at lonst, and is barely
possible for them to secure tho recOg-
milton of tho ten Rebel States, or, in
other equivalent words, the ten Demo-
cratic States, to the Union.
This combination is formidable; but
its dangerous nature is duo to the facts
TINT MIR. Stewards name and means of
influence are still powerful in the State
of New York, and that he has Joined
himself to tho new party and become
an instrument in the hands of design
ing men for tho organization of another
rebellion. Outside of New York Mr..
JOililSOu y Jtle OltCJlOuS Will DO
so small that the Union majority will
rcmain substantially Rs in the present
Congress; nor can VIC conceive that
the gains in that State will be adequate
to the necessities OF the cOnspiratOrs.
1t is probable that the undertaking will
provo failure; but it should never be
forgotten that the country Is in peril;
that it is in peril in consequence OF the
uncertain political character of tho
State of New York; and that that un-
certain character Is Justly attributable
to the conduct of MIR. Seward. II, then,
Mr.. Johnson succeed in the attempt to
change the character of this govern
ment by setting aside the Congress of
the loynl States, Mr.. Sewnrd will be re-
sponsible, equally with MIR. Johnson,
for the crime.
Reverting TO tho statement already
made, that neither Mr.. JohnsOn nor any
of his supporters can even hope to Sc
cure minority of the members elected
from the States represented i'll the pres
ent Congress, it only remains for us to
consider more specifically the scheme
of revolution and usurpNtiOn in which
these desperate men are engaged. The
necessary preliminary condition is the
election of ScHenty-One members of
Congress from the twenty-siX States.
To these will be added fifty persons
from the ten unrepreSented States, ma
king one hundred and twenty-one, or a
majority in Congress if all the States
were represented. This accomplished,
the way onward is comparatively easy.
When the Thirty-ninth Congress re-
assemblies in December next, Mr.. john
son and his Cabinet may refuse to re-
cOgniZe its existence, or, recognizing it
as Il mntter of form, deny its Legitimate
authority.
He would summon the members of
the Fortieth Congress to assemble in
extra session Immediately after the
4th of March. Fifty persons would ap-
pear claiming seRtS HS representatives
from the ten States. The Republicans
would deny their right to seats,-the
supporters of the President would main
tain il. The supporters of the Presi-
dent, aided directly or indirectly by th..
army and police, would take possession
of the hall, remove the Clerk, and or
gHniZe the assembly by force.
Whether this could be done without
bloodshed i'll Washington and else
where in the North remains to be seen
but ns far as relates to the organization
of the House, there can be no doubt of
the success of the undertaking. We
should then see IA united South with
the President at the head, and n divided
North the army, the navy, the treas
ury, in the hands of rebels. This
course is the necessity of Mr.. .JohnsOn's
opinions and position. 1t is the natural
result of the logic of the rebels of the
South and of the Democratic party at
the North. Mr.. Johnson believes that
the present Congress intends to impench
him and remove him from office. Admit
that this fear is groundleSS, vet, if he
entertnins it, he will act MS he would
net If such were the purpose of the two
Houses. Hence he must destroy the
authority of Congress. Hence he arr
rniEns its members as traitors. Hence
he made tho significant, revolutionary,
Il E,N.. II
Revcrdy johnson ms tho organ of the
Philadelphia Convention: "Wc haze
seen hanging upon the Uergc Of the Gou-
eTnment, nS IL fDcTe, n body called, or
'Chich assumed to be, the Congress Of the
Cnitcd States, but in fact u Congress OF
only part Of the States" This distinct,
specific denial of the right of Congress
TO exist, to act, to legislate for the coun-
try. 1t is an impeachment of all our
public dOings since the opening of the
war,-of nil our legislation since the
departure of Davis and his associates
from Washington. 1t is au admission
OF the doctrine of secession; for if the
departure OF Davis and his associates
rendered null and void the authority of
Congress, then the government, and of
course the Union, ceased to exist. The
constitutional amendment abolishiuE
slavery is void; the loan acts and the
tax acts are without authority; every
berry; and every penalty inflicted upon
criminal was itself crime. The
President may console himself with the
reflection thut upon these points he is
fully supported by Alexander Fl,
Stephens, late Vice President of the So
called Conrederacy.
We quote from the report of his ex-
animation before tho Committee on Re-
construction.
"QmeStiom. Do you mean to be under
stood, in your lust answer, that there is
no constitutional power in the govern-
ment, as nt present organized, to exact
conditions precedent TO the restoration
to political power of the eleven States
TINT have been in rebellion?
'AnSWcr. That is my opinion.
"QueStiOn. Assume that Congress
shall, at this session, in the absence of
Senators and Representatives from the
eleven Stntes, pass an act lOvying taxes
upon all the people orthe United States.
including tho eleven, it is your opinion
that such an act would be constitu.
tional?
''Ans'Vcr. l should doubt If it would
be. 1t would certainly, in my opinion.
be manifestly unjust, and against ali
ideas OF American representative gov
ernment."
Thus it is seen that these two author
tiles concur in opinion; although it must
he confessed that the late Vice PrGsi.
dent of the sO.cnlled Confederate States
in urhanity of Kramer and in the art
cI diplomacy far. supnsses the late
tce-President las Mr.. johnson, if his
logic does not iail him, must soon snv0
of the so-cRlled United Stutes.
Having thus impeached the existing
Congress and denied it's authority. the