Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-16
The Presideut,- Position.

| III dunMtE " Ills ShC AASs Aeu
quotes the following from the President
veto message, and, after little more char
acteristicslly abusive language, relapse
into quiet, indulging in the comfortable
conviction that it has refuted, rebuked
and annihilated an audacious opponent:
II would newise interfere with the dis.
cretion of Congress with regard to tn.
qualification Of its members, but L hold it
my duty to recommend to you in the in
terests of pesce and the Union. the admis-
sion of each State TO its share in public
legislation when it presents itself in an
attitude of loyalty and harmony and in
the persons of representatives whose 10y
atty cannot be questioned"
1t will be observed that in this sentence
the President grants to Congress the right
to judge of the individual qualifications Of
its members. In other passages of that
message, and in his remarkable speech on
the 22d of February, he denied the right
of Congress to enquire into the condition
of the Southern States themselye
and denounced the Republican majority
in the bitterest terms for attempting
TO do so. This is precisely what the
LEADER charges him with doing. There
is all the difference in the world between
judging of the qualifications of member
and investigating the loyalty of State
which sends that member. We do not
hope to make the Herald man see this, for
even since he declared that "the great un-
selfish Union party" had "come to an
end" his whole course proves him to be
in a state of muddled bewilderment But
it is just on this issue that the President
has broken with the Union party. Mr.
Johnson has indeed most graciously per-
miH-l Congress to exercise a right ex-
pressly guaranteed TO it by the Constitu-
tion-that Of judging of the election and
publications of their membership he has
over and over again asserted that the
Southern States should be Immediately
restored TO power, and has repeatedly
denounced Congress for delaying to ad-
NIT them. The President holds that Con-
gress has the right merely to enquire into
the loyalty of individual applicants for
admission, but he denies the right of Con-
gress to investigate the loyalty of the
States from which these applicants come.
Do you want proof that this is Mr..
Johnson's position7 There is plenty of
it. In the Presidents veto message he
says:
1 would not interfere with the unques-
tionable right of Congress to Judge each
House for itself of the election returns and |
qualifications of its own members, but thGt
authority cannot-be construed az including |
the right TO shut oNt IN tinsG of psace any |
State from tho representation to ,ghieh IL |
IS entitled by the Constitution. At pres
eHt all the people Of the elevsn States are
excluded
Il is hardly necessary for nse TO inform, |
Congress that IN my orDH judgment most of |
these States, so far OF least as depends upon
their oIcn action hare already been FULLY |
restored, and are to be deemed to be entitled |
to enjoy their constitutional rights as meme
bers Of the Onion.
The Presidential programme is here
clearly enough. These States are "FULLY
RESTORED: :" they are entitled to repre-
sentation: Congress has no right, there
fore, to enquire into their condition or
loyalty, but must admit their representa-
tives, helter skelter, only asking each man
to swear that he is loyal. No guarantees
can be exacted, no conditions made for
the safety of the Uaion or for the
establishment of liberty and justice. No,
"the states are fully restored" and all
further legislation by Congress in regard
to them is an insult and an outrage.
Starting from promises like these, it is
natural that the President should advance
very soon to the conclusion that the
Union party in Congress are usurping
power. So we ar not surprised to hear
him, three days later, in his curious 22nd
February speech, asserting that the Union
men in Congress are inaugurating an
other rebellion, and denouncing their
leaders By name as traitors. We quote
EThe rebellion Is put down by the
strcng arm of the government, 6ui 100 are
hardly out of the rebellion before zee are al- |
most IN tte midst Of another rebellion.
There is an attempt to concentrate the
power of the government in the hands of
a few, and thereby bring about consoli-
dation which is equally dangerous and OBJ
iectionable with q separation. We find
that in effect, by an irresponsible central
directory, nearly all powers Of gov
ernment are assumed without ever con-
sulting the legislative or executive depart
ments of the government by resolutions
reported blythe Committee upon whom all
the legislative power of the government
has been conferred. That principle in the
Constitution which authorizes and en-
powers each branch of The legislative de-
partment to be judge ri the election and
qualification Of its own members has been
rirtuaIly taken dsCGy from those depart
DisHts and conferred upon a committee,
who must report before they can act un-
der the Constitution and allow members,
duly elected, to take their seats. BIZ this
rssLe they assume that there must be LGses
passed that thers must be recognition in
respect te the state in the Union NTH all is
practical relations restored, before its rep
resentatires are admitted
1 STAND TO-DAY PREPARED, so FAR AS
CAN, TO RESIST THESE ENcRoACEMESTs
UPON THE CONSTITUTION AND GOVERN
MENT."
In this language the President has ex-
pressed his ideas and intentions SO fully
that they need no Interpretation. The
declaration by Congress of its right to
examine into the condition of the rebel
lious States is expressly denounced as a
usurpation, and the President declares
that he stands there to resist it as far
as he san. Does not the Presidents own
language prove that We spoke mildly
when We said that ''he demands that the
Southern States shall be Immediately re-
stored to power, and denies that Congress
has any right to enquire whether they are
still rebellious."
Mr.. s R. Mallory, the rebel Secretary
of the Navy, has finally been released
from confinement by order of the Presi-