Maryland free press., 1866-05-17
Washington Items.

i Hc CoiSSif ! aeith = iNI,"'p'S''a@ 49,
the nousc-if such name can be applied
to them-say that the passage OF the con-
stitutional amendment of itself is of no ae- !
count, and is no triumph of the cocmprit- |
tees plan of reconstruction. They say
that the main fight is to be on the passage
of the bill reported from the committee as
an adjunct to the amendment This
makes the acceptance Of the amendment
by any one of the eleven Southern States
a condition precedent to its readmqission
into the Union with the right ofrepresen-
tation. 1t is against this bill which defeat
ed and shaking conservatism threatens
now to make stand.
1t is very true that some of the reBup-
lican members were opposed to the third
section, aud would have voted to strike 1t
out if Mr.. Stevens and the democrats had
given them a chance. But the previous
question prccluded that vote. ...
The democrats were not obliged to help
their political opponents to perfect meas
ure for their purposes. They wished to
force the republicans to take the whole
dose which their great doctor had prescri-
bed for them. We shall see how the
physic will work.
1t is claimed that there are as many as
nineteen republican members who would
have voted against the third section If an
opportunity had been offered. That num-
Der of votes, in addition to the vote Of the
democratic minority, would have suiliced
to defeat the amendment for the want of
two thirds.
Some think that combination of dem
ocratic, radical and conservative republi-
can votes will defeat the amendment in the
Senate. 1t depends upon the number of
votes that Mr.. Sumner may rally, after
the scoring he and his friends have had
from Mr.. Stevens.
The protractcd debate on the amend
mcnt to the post Office appropriation bill
was unexpectedly brought to close in the
Senate this afternoon, several Senators
who had intended to speak, coming to the
conclusion that it .''was as well not. "
The vote on the amendment must not be
taken as a rest, as at least half q dozen of
those who voted against it haye expressed
their willingness to vote for a separate bill
restricting the Presidents power to remove
from Office.
The President has got the official axe
to work in good earnest on the rccusants
from his policy, The appointment clerks
in the general postaollice have been ex-
trepely busy this week in making out lists
of the decapitated. There are thousands
ofpostmasters whose appointments are not
brought before the Senate at all, so that
even if the bill of Mr.. Henderson should
pass, the Presidents power in this respect
cannot be infringed upon.
There was q considerable caucussing
among the republicans yesterday as to the
prospecting action of the Senate on the
constitutional amendment. The third Sec
ton, prohibiting all those who participa-
ted in the rebellion from voting until after
1870; will probably be stricken out.
Concerning the action of the President
in removing postmastcrs throughout the
country who are using their positions for
purposes antagonistic to his policy, it may
be stated that these officers WELD an i'm
mense deal of power and influence, partic-
ularly in the rural districts. In round
numbers there are some $4,000 officers of
this class, of whom only about 700 have
to be sent to the Senate for confirmation.
Hon. Henry A Wise delivered lee
ture in the Babtist church on Washington
street. Alexandria. last night, for the
benefit of the female orphan asylum of that
city, to a crowded audience. Mr.. Wise
indicated his intention to stand by Vir-
ginia; that he would not move one step
from her soil; that he had taken no test
oaths, and no power on earth could make
him take any. He had always obeyed
the Constitution of the United States, but
when the United States called on him to
suppress insurrcction, and Virginia TO re-
pei invasion, it became a conflict Of sover-
eighty, and he was not Individually respon-
siblc for obeying the call of his State.
The House will not take up the bill ac-
companying the amendment till the Sem
ate shall have acted upon the amendment.
1t is the general belief of the members of
the House that the amendment will fail in
the Senate for want ofa tyo-thirds vote.
New projects for restoration are to be Of
fered in the House by republican men,
bers.
There is believed to be bear majority
of fthe Senate in favor of the adoption, IN a
separate bill, of the negative amendment