The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-02-07
The President and Congresq

breach between the president and congress:
WAsHYGroN, Jan. Il.
havenot been swift to rush into print with garbled
statements Of what the president said to Smith
and representative Jones las retaied by them the
ayenue concerning his relations TO congress- and the
existing differences of policy. have thought it more
respectful at once to the president and to NY readers
to say nothing until | could speak adyscdly.
But it is well that the country should understand
precisely how the president does talk and how the
representatives of the people talk him If breach
between them is widening, tile country should know
who widens il; if disposition to eoncliate IS shown
who shows it; if Indifference to consequences, who
manifests that. / have, therefore, taken pains to
procure correct accounts Of several recent interviews
with the president Careful minutes OF some were
made at the time, and am writing with these be-
fore me.
In one case several members, popularity known as
radicals said the president that if he would be sat
i-ied with constitutional amendments basing repre-
sentaton voters making all men equal before the
law, excepting in the matter OF suffrage repudating
rebel debt and guaranteeing national Obligations they
would make effort to bring the party in congress
to an adjustment Of the reconstruction question on
that basis and would even go the length of admitting
Tennessee in advance Of all the other States and Of
the general adoption Of this policy by the SOUTH if
she would Individually agree to these amendments
Without entering into any serious consideration of
their subject matter the president said that be had OBJ
jcctions on general grounds to any constitutional
amendments He had once been iii favor Of some
himself, and was on the record IN their favor; but
these changed times, and the tendency was too
great toward unsettliBg the foundations Of things
These frequent amendments were calculated towcaken
the force and solemn sanction of the constitutions and
make its provisions like the work Of town meetings
As to any propositions for making the payment Of the
rebel debt unconstitutional he considered them unue-
cessary, and doubted their proprtety. The southern
people were in no danger Of wanting to pay those
debts The objections in the south to their payment
would every year grow stronger and stronger. How
would it look to provide by constitutional amend
ment that the United States debt should not be repu
dated? ct this would be no more improper than
the other. Furthermore there was gross inconsisen-
CT in the proposed mode of securing these constitG-
tional amendments. They were to be proposed by
congress from which the south excluded. Then
the rebel States who unfit TO be represented in
congress, to be considered fit to ratfy constitu
tional amendment. If they expected as States
to act upon the question of ratifying them, they
should be permitted through their representatives in
congress, to act also in proposing them In effect he
did not think it right to demand the adoption Of any
constitutional amendment condition Of admitting
southern members to congress because those States
were in now and entitled all the rights Of States
Perhaps tile most generally accepted plan Of re0r-
ganisatOn involves constitutional amendments But
there Others IN congress who prefer to regulate the
whole subject by law. Among these are tile most
who wish to 5quarely the ragged issue of negro
suffrage. In the last congress- Mr.. Winter Davis came
very earring through such law. Substantially
m sor,a r,ooz,rais ~c,v 6ecora errrross 1870; I Il
known as Ashley's bill. Numerous congressman have
,,r,.oa tl,is mo-, ia ,,roeidn,ts tt,,,tir 4 ,
have messed The General rory Of rroydi,., -atbo L
I'LL tIon H., congtitntioroI ar,a,5irIat+ NM, 9,t
which the entire union party with exceptions too in
significant to menNonG agree in considering essential
to any safe organisation.
To such suggestions the president has replied that
he considered Mr. Ashley's measure simply bill for
IN dissolution IL the Trnion Ha ba5 ris.ad bs or
life and nronprty 10 preserve the Tnior TTo ,ooro
~ tha cngntrv stand nh IA stood ham MI s;ti
t1,at tho rebellion was ia no nut dow, d Inc ef+os
tGorty tert II, III Union r. 4sEIa,, mi M NJ
osed to turn them out and prescribe coditions for
tbnir retrrn
He thougbt thot the tr,a cop,sa Cor tho min, marty
70 pursue Vas with opcn arms and cordial hands )
70 welcome these States into participation in be gov
eminent Tbus ~ yyoad Iva I'm, u TIL f.r5s ~
the union psrtv and not make them lis ennp7ias Inv
slan,r,ine the door n their fices
In e1Cb connections tho ,,rasf,I,t has y,,-o tho
o,co etated Ill avn tbaorv al recnnstrrco II words
mach more eynIjct than have found teir av into
tbc p1bjc documents
D1rup tln rebellion tta Tov,1 ,ry,ar7--a,,t Ina II
sense bSen ovarhrovn Il wqq fherorora fE, dnty or
M T,itod Stotos AMI If ~, r-s;,lat ';t .tl;-
IN; !, If h tlei nower 10 secnre to tIcsa 5tataS
a-,-s I:ga ,,ot nh. locaraz ag,anisiiy mi
'2 - f1 ritt so.i,, ~ H. los
~ D ~ u3 - - g. .
No'o &c On" %Ssion ~ plesCto!n6 we
etoLL 49, 80 s.o,IiI " .lseu y II
la[ a. w .'u 'eu any NOV III n"'inoll WIN
.l'er = ,ipse y y y l'F a !
~ ,'aS "o;'tu nov oe a.
o,oIss G'i'sss sle9 III IL Sou..lons We u
ieai'J a1 y ~ - II' - ~ ol'5 "u.lSot nc ia"
:gt III! ..,s oi TouIu q ~
"a .o'i 'l'e
= ~ Y III 1'
tId 49, ~ ''i''
III ta~a S4o = 4 i II
in CONGRESS ali trongb the rebellion indeed there
was greater reason for their being then represented
than there was at other times Congress had repeat
edly dealt with them as States during the rebellion.
Members from Virginia, for example, were admitted.
Direct taxes were apporioued among them just
among the other States. The 9th section of the act
of the eth Of June, 1852 in its latter clauses, recog
Missed the same principle
The rebel States are, therefore, now in the Union.
Indeed, their governments arc more republican, more
democratic more II harmony with the spirit Of our
institutions than they were before If congress would
only look cut there now It would see legislators gov
ornors, State officers OF ell grades members Of con
gress, all elected by tue people; courts in session,
taxes belng collected, maIs beng carried Surely
these made States in the Union, il they we're ever
IN IT,
numerous interviews the president has stated to