The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-12-03
THE MEETING OF CONGRESS.

Congress meets to-day, and intense is the in |
terest with which the meeting is regarded. |
Rarely have people looked with such solici-
tude into the expressive features Of their fu |
ture, and rarely have people had SO much Mt
risk upon its developments. For hun
dred years we have been the happy possessors
Of singularly attractive system Of civil and
political liberty. 1t has been prodigal of prom
ise; and it were but fair to say, that it has
been abundant of performance. Our people
have been happy in the belief that, in respect
Of their civil and political institutions, they
were the most favored people upon earth. And
they truly have been favored. For near
hundred years they have been in the enjoy
mcnt of q state of peace and prosperity that
has been rarely equalled. But there are many
Indications that this state of things is tottering
to its fall 1t is certain, Mt least, that it has
become much unsettled and disturbed in its re-
latons. The parts Of its machinery have come
to collide upon each other. The coequal States,
which formed at first the base Of the system,
have become fused and blended into sections.
The Government which was the natural organ
to express the political purposes of coequal
political purposes of opposing sections. The
Congress, by the accident Of our experience,
has fallen to the hands of the one of these sec
tions The Government still persistent TO per-
form it's Office, stands rs q sort of bulwarl1 to
the other. Their positions are as hostile rs are
the political principles they represent and be-
tween these two great political functionaries-
the one sustained by the traditions of our po-
litical history. and the other impelcd by the
energies of On adversary and imperious section
come up today to final test Of their respect
i've powers; md there is necessarily much Mt
stake on the result, and much solicitude as to
| the attitude Of actors in this momenteus con-
test
With respect to the positions of one of the
actors in this contest, however, there is little
room for question. The Radicals in Congress
have very clearly indicated their course They
have declared that they are possessed of Con
gress, and intend to keep it.; that they will le
none others in, to shake or test their power
but only upon the terms Of unconditional &C
cceptance Of their usurpation; that with tha
Congress they will mould the old Constitution
or MAI q now one to their purposes; thu
they will give to their adhercnts whatever o
exhlaration thero may be in running the fur
3 rows of ruin still deeper through the subju
gated South, and that the Government shaH b
their instrument in the execution Of this amia
. bio purpose, or that IL shall stand aside an
!, let them execute their purpose for themselves
The position of the Government, however, i
. not 80 clearly indicated It has declared it
}; purpose to vindicate its constitutional positio
); in the very teeth of Congress, and the Presi
y dent is supposed personally to possess yer
a great tenaoity of purpose, and it is not to b
q expected, therefore, that he will surrender O
!; discretion, But it is not apparent that he no
4 taken steps for the efficient rindieation of hi