The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-04

qualifying certain classes of citizens 1
that took an active part in the rebel !
lion, from holding Office. The radical
programme will then be nearly com
plete But their nefarious purposes
will, in the end, be defeated The
wicked cannot always triumph. Truth
is Omnipotent and Public Justice GER
tain r
The President and the Cabinet on
the Reconstruction Committees
Report.
Il dispatch Of the lst inst, from
Washington, TO the Cincinnati Com
mercial, says at Cabinet meeting held
that day President Johnson invited an
expression of opinion on the Recon
struction Report Of the Central Direc-
tory" Mr.. Seward is reported as hay
ing declared himself in very decided
and emphatic terms against the plan
Of the Committee, and in favor Of the
immediate admission of the loyal Rep
resentatives from the lately rebellious
States. Secretary McCulloch was as
positive as the Secretary of State in his
opposition to the plan recommended
by the Committee, and expressed him
self as strongly in favor of the imme-
date contamination of the Presidents
restoration policy by the admission into
Congress of loyal members from South
ern States.
Secretary Stanton was equally deci-
ded in his opposition to the Commit
tees proposition. He was for adhering
to the policy which had been agreed
upon ana consistently pursued by the
Administration, and he was gratifed
that the President had brought the
subject to the consideration of the Cabi.
net.
Secretary Welles was unequivocally
against the Committees scheme, and
was earnest in his support of the Presi-
dents policy cOmprehending the in
slant admission into Congress Of loyal
representatives from the States lately in
rebellion.
Secretary Harlan was rather reticent
and expressed no opinion.
Postmaster-General Dennison was in
favor Of the Presidents policy, but
expressed doubts as to the precise time
at which loyal Representatives should
be admitted to seats in Congress. At
torney-Genersl Speed was not present
The President was earnest in his op-
position to the report of the Commit
tee, and declares himself against all
conditions precedent to the admission
of loyal Representatives from the
Southern States in the shape of amend
ments to the Constitution, or by pas
sage of laws. He insisted that, under
the Constitution, no State could be de-
prived of its equal rights in the Senate,
and that Senators and Representatives
ought to be at once admitted into the
respective Houses, as provided by law
and the Constitution He was for g
rigid adherence to the Constitution as
it is, and remarked, that having sus-
tanned ourselves under it during ter
rible rebellion, he thought the Govern
ment could be restored without q resort
to amendments He remarked, on
general terms, that if the organic law
is to be changed at all, it should be at a
time when all the States and all the
people can participate in the realization.
We hope that these statements are
true, and that there is this uanimity in
the Cabinet on the subject of restora-
ton. If Mr. Harlan cannot mako it
consistent with his ideas of duty to the
country to stand by the President, he
ought to have the grace to resign his
portfolio.
II will be truly gratifying to the PEG.
pie to know that the President, not
withstanding the difficulties of his try
ing position, and the vaccinations of
his enemies, remains firm and unsha
ken in his determination to carry out
his policy 1t would be absurd, in the
present state of affairs, to propose
amendments TO the Federal Constitu-
ton. The Southern people, conquered
though they may be, and submissive
as they have shown themselves, have
not lost their manhood, and will never
purchase the favor Of radicalism by a
surrender OF dear constitutional rights
When their Senators and Representa-
lives are permitted to be heard in the
halls of Congress, aud to vote upon
proposed amendments there, it will be
time enough for them to consider the
expediency Of altering the Constitution
again. Until then all schemes to amend
the Constitution wiki be fruitless Re
preSentat,oa no more, rather than submis-
sion TO the demands OF Jaoobin legis-
lstors.
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