New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-30
THE END OF THE SESSION.
The Spirit and tho Work Of the First Session OF
the Thirty. Ninth Congress.
REVIEW OF THE POLICYOF RECONSTRUCTION

When tho Thirty-ninth Congress assembled at Wash
ingon December a. 1865 it found the national affairs i'll
Unprecedented confusion Seven months before the Presi
dent had declared all armed opposition to the Government
ended For nine months Congress had not been in
session. When it adjourned March 4, the war still ragged
Sherman sweeping through North Carolina, and mad
yet reached Fayetteville Sheridan was moving up
the Shenandoah beating the Rebels under Gen. Early on
his way to Lynchbure Petersburg and Richmond still
brised with Rebel guns, and Grants vast army lay mud
bound before their walls Lee appealing to the peo-
pie of North Carolina for provisions sndat the same time
the Southern press was loudly Boosting that Grant
and Sherman would DO beaten in detail. No
one could certainly say when the would end,
though all knew that the end Recruit
ing stimulated by overhangng draft, was proceed
ing in the North, and the Rebellion presented
bold and defiant front. Abraham Lincoln was still
President and the very day Of its adjournment the
Senate convened in extra session to take part IN his
reinauguraon None of the who listened that day
to the Inaugural Address of Andrew johnson imagined
that few weeks he would become the head of the Gov
eminent. The future bright The clouds of war we're
dispensing and the Thiry-eghth Congress ended its ex-
sence in the faith that National troubles were nearly
over and trusting implicitly in the ability and integrity of
the President who by four years of war had been thor
oughy tested and taught For nine months the admins
tive alone, yet dreamed that the National policy
was 20 be reversed.
Hardly had the members of Congress reached their
homes before the whole country filed with rejoicing
over the fall Of Richmond; and triumph after triumph,
the surrender Of Lee and his whole army Then the
shoungs the tumu the thunders of thousand cannon,
senced by the single pisolsho that ended the life
of Abraham Lincoln. Even while his funeral procession
passed slowly through the land Sherman received from
the hand of Johnston the last broken sword of the Rebel
lion The terms he granted to the enemy were thought
far too enent by the people and were instantly rcscnded
| by the President. Then few persons insulted
Providence by declaring that God had removed Mr. Lin
coin because serner mind was needed for the work of
reconstruction, it, like poor politician, Heaven
was only to succeed in its purposes by the assassina
ton of good man. Still, the nation felt safe
| with Mr. johnson. Had he not said that treason
| was crime aud must be made odous, and that
| traitors must be punished He would hang them Is
high Haman he sd but the vail Of the future was not
yot lifted TO reveal only the foul assassns, and Wrz the
wretched tool Of men, swinging upon the gsiows
No one looked forward to the long, wearsomc impson-
ment of JEFF. Davis, and tho humating spectacle of
Government afraid either to try or to release its chief
enemy The people had not yet recovered from the shock
Of Mr. Lncol.s death before Presidential proclamation,
dated MAY . offered reward of $780, 600 for JEFF Davis,
and charged VIII PIocutlhS "sSNS0i
nation His arrest speedily followed and the Rebel leader
was placed in Fortress Monroe and up TO this time the
terrible charge has never been withdrawn proved.
About the time of his capture the President in repeated
speeches declared that the attempt to assassi-
nate tho Republic was a greater crime than
the murder of an individual and deserved pun
shment In this spirit May % he apologized for extend
ing mercy to certain miscalled "Sons Of Liberty in In
DIANA and hoped that his action would not be construed
into preference of clemency to justice. His Procama-
ton OF Amnesty followed, May %, and excepted ii
classes In which we're included nearly all the influential
southern citizens. II fully carried out his announced policy
of dealing severely with the leaders Of the Rebellion
Early May the trial of the assassns began and an effort
made by the prosecution, in behalf Of the Govern
ment to prove Davis preeognsant Of the crime From
all these events reasonably supposed that the Presi-
dent would continue to enforce the stern principles which
he had so often and 80 emphatically defended.
But before midsummer policy was indicated. In
June delegates from the South first admitted TO
private interviews with the President On the 18th OF
Juns his proclamation providing for the restoration OF
civil government In Georgia aud Alabama was issued and
II disappointed the nation by its deliberate exclusion OF
blacks from the category Of loyal citizens entitled to
vote. Few however disposed to censure Mr.. John
son severely for this omission, though majority Of the
Union party held that the Government had perfect right
en,rust State reorganization TO all loyal citizens with
out the slightest reference the dead laws which
based on the slave system. Other ntmatops Of opposi
ton 10 tue established principles Of the Union party were
soon given. The Presidents appointments OF Provisional
Governors for the Southern States were received With joy
by tho late Rebels, aud with sorrow by the North.
Governor Perry, OF South Carolina shortly after his ap
pontment said in public speech July 3, "There is not
now in the Southern States any who feels more bitter
and IA 90 IN
Union than do" These words alone, It was thought,
should have secured his instant dismissal from Office but
they were coupled with significant praise the President
-praise which properly interpreted Cover.
nor Perry assured his people that the death of Mr. Lincoln
was no loss TO the South while he had every hope that
Mr. johnson, as an old slavchoding Democrat, would be
an advantage. Immediately following these eycntSesen
In Alexandria, under the very eyes Of the Government
the old spirit Of secession which seemed to have persisted
with Lees army revived with vigor. Southern
leaders openly followed Governor Perry in declaring
| the restoration of tho Union degrading neces-
sity In Alabama the Convention prohibited negroes
from testifyng in the courts. Tho people who had
for four years done all their power to destroy the Union
now cooy began to talk Of taking an immediate part In
its Government Gov. Perry, In November, again eulo
giving the President coupled with his compliments per-
cmpory demand that when Congress met the Clerk of the
House should call the Of men elected from the un
reconstructed States In the same month Mr. johnson
wrote 10 Gov Perry, who hesated about adopting the
amendment abolshng Slavery, that the clause giving
Congress the power to enorceit BY appropriate legislation
really limited Congressional control over the subject
Thus assured that Congress had right to egate for
the negro sitter no had been freed Gov Peys fears were
alayed aud South Carolina adopted the amendment Peo
pe wondered at Mr. Johnsons strange exposition Of Con-
| rressional enaetments and their surprise was not