New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-29

discussing the Constitutional Amendment reported by
the Committee OF Fifteen and 1t Is now agreed upon
that Tuesday next vote shall be taken 1t Is to be
regretted that the first proposition submitted to Con-
gress by the Committee OF Fifteen has been such
to command the universal and unqualified assent Of the
Republican membes But is not 10 be regretted that
proposition which was open TO objections. has been
subjected to full and fair II lengthy-discusson.
There those who find fault with the House for not
having passed the Constitutional amendment without
exhaustive debate under the Of the previous
question. Would it have bettercd the case If the
amendment had passed out OF the hands OF Congress
into those Of the State Legislatures undscussed and IN
examined, and IL the objections 10 1t bad been dis
covered by tie latter Is it not far better that Con-
gress should go to work carefully and rather DELAY
action than submit TO the State Legislatures Consti
tutioual amendment bich is not sure to commend inc
unanimous support, al least OF the krpuohcan States
and thus may fail be the peOpe Is II not far better
that all the arguments FOR and against should ne e1-
hausted In Congress, and that thus the amendment
when going before the Legislatures, should be accom-.
panied with full and compendious statement OF the
reasons why IL framed and not otherwise thus
rendering further discussion In the Legislatures IN.
necessary Ard finally is IL not iDhnley better that
Congress should devote ample time TO the perfection OF
such amendment than send forth one the effects 81
which be evaded rendered insignificant by artiul
amendment is intended to efeci No donbt we desire
prompt action but desire above all that such action
should be well considered udicous, just, and sure Of
effect andwe ought 10 find no fault when due care Is
taken TO the real object even OF the expense OF
prom ptness.
The debates on this Constitutional Amendment were
somewhat confused rambling wildly over an immense
field The objections to the proposition Of the commit
tee came In showers. Almost every member that rose
to speak had discovered new flaw in the amendment
as framed BY its origiDators; the questions whether
nr atunnu In hp b.sia
taxation; whether the amendment as 1t stood did not
acknowledge the right Of State TO exclude large
proportion Of its inhabitants from the right OF voting
on account Of race cOlor whether IL would not lead
to an unjust appOrtiODment OF representation " the
number OF voters instead Of population were made the
basis Of it, whether 1t would not be possible for the
Rebel States ~ evade the purpose OF the amendment by
devising qualification upon another ground than that
Of race cOlOr-al these questions and many others
crowded professionally into the discussion and woud
have been impossible for the advocates Of the measure
to devote 10 objection raised that attention TO
which those who raised II thought 1t entitled. The
sequence Is that the discussion has succeeded In
concentrating itself upon few simple aud distinct
issues and that the differences Of opinion to details
are still os multifarious as on the first d'y.
Nevertheless. there seemed to be. yesterday more
hopeful feeling among the principal advocates OF the
proposition, and In their survey OF the field they fig
ured he two-thirds majority necessary to the pas
sage Of the amendment l apprehend their hopes are
based less upon the favorable effect the discussion might
have produced than upon the alternative the House
may be placed in either TO adopt the amendment In the
form In which came from the COMMITTEE or to drop
1t altogether II there were motion before the House
10 refer the amendment back to the Committee without
instructions, the motion would undoubtedly prevail
and tine Committee might then remodel IL according to
tbs light received from the discussion. But the mo-
ton is TO recnmmt the amendment With Instructions,
a motion which cannot be divided. and 1t will be nearly
as difficult for the House to agree upon instructions as
IL will be to unite upon the amendment itself The
orgnaiors Of the amendment think therefore. that the
House. when obliged TO choose between a recommit-
ment with instructions. upon witch 1t cannot agree
10 nal a. amendment
stands will at last prefer TO pass the amendment II
is indeed. difficult to say what the House when pressed
IN final decisun might not be willing to do ~ avoid
the failure Of the whole and take the chance.
But look upon it eminently probable that, II AT the
last moment by some parliamentary e1peolent or IN
instructions the issue Of simple recommtmeht with.
out instructions should be presented the House would,
by a large majority acceptthe latter.
At all events whatever may be the result, the hope
of the Democrats which We see expressed here and
there that the discussion now going on VIII disturb
the harmony OF sentiment and break np tie harmony OF
action Of the Republican majority In Congress- IS
doomed 10 disappointment. The Republican majority.
with the exception OF the few hragslers we have long
ceased TO count upon, Is determined with perfect una
nmity that either the whole loyal element In the Rebel
States black as well white shall be enfranchised
as 10 exercise Its due and legitimate influence upon the
legislation and uefor Development OF that section OF
the country that the Rebel states Snail be shorn OF
political power in proportion To- the number OF nsvTs
they exciude from tls elective franchiSe<and. am
haDDy.ta 80 large majority Of the Republican mem
beers are tar more intent upon eectng the former than
the latter and would prefer to 90 1t by direct acuon
nd tie SECOND port, upon which there is the same
uuanimty Of feeling Is this that some p1tlcal measure
must be adopted to this object II there is any
division OF sentiment 1t is not upon the question
whether this should be done at a bat in what way IL
can he well done so tO lead TO unjust discrimina
tons and 20 be sure Of effect The Democrats who Tor
years have been so fond Of specuatlng upon ,ne =.
though they their hopes blasted again and egan
By every ensuing election. are once more indung IN
the innocent amusement Of predicting fearful things;
but they will have TO recognize the fact that TINS
Republican majority is not only as hrnly united Dut
that the bonds of principle and common enas Whicn
bind II together are becoming stronger every Gay.
The Reconstruction question proper has received
but little attention this week. The House was so Ousv
engaged In the discussion OF measure tending toward
practical reconstruction as to have no time 70 on
the ventilation Of theories until to-day when the
whole afternoon was devoted to speechmaking IN Com
mittee Of the Whole the Presidents Message ana
the Senate was determined to have the treedmens
Bureau Bill passed, that the only chance MI howe
could find for his reply 10 Mr.. DoOtle ana Mr ReVeruF
Johnson was beta cen the passage OF the freeumehs
Bureau Bill and the taking up of Mr. Trumbd ssecooa
bill providing for the protection 20 oe EXTENDED 10 al
the inhabitants Of the late Rebel States that are not
sufficiently protected by local legislation MI. MOVE
succeeded in showing by an array oil Keen a,guine,s
how Incomatible the theories advanced by those VINO
constitute themselves the special advocates OF the es
dents policy are with the Presidents own acts anu
how indeiensibe the Presidents acts are the THEORIES
Of his busiest defenders be adopted. MI Howes argu
mens are always pointed and well arranged DIS MUS
trations apt and striking; ana style q delivery
little more fluent rapid and nervous. would place lid
not only among the best reasonerS where he STANDS
now bat also among the most attractive orators Of TINS
country.
But while reconstruction In the abstract was out III
tie discussed in Cong there other agences AZ
work which win have much to do with the ultimate so
luton Of the problem. Information Is steadily coming
In from the Rebel States and is being gathered up o
the Committee Of Fifteen In the shape OF testimony Az
the same time Information is steadily coming in from
the loyal States and Is being gathered mp by kepuo-
beau Senators and Representatives In the shape OF en-.
enlargement While most Of the We receive from
the South Is adding darker colors TO picture already