The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-08-14

Rebel States presented their credentials: in
every case they were laid on the table or re-
ferred to the Committee. The Committee,
acting by authority of Congress, spared no
labor to obtain thorough knowledge Of the
condition of the Southern States, and freely
used its power to send for persons and papers.
1t scorned no evidence. Union and Rebel
soldiers were summoned before it, and even
the Yice-PreSident of the Confederacy, Alex
ander H. Stevens, gave his testimony. The
results of this vast and profound investigation
were embodied in the report of June 8, in
which the Committee declared policy which
Congress has, in the main, consistently car
ried out. 1t may be said to be embodied in
the three great measures-the Freedmen s
Bureau bill, the Civil Rights bill, and the
amendment to the United States Constitution.
The bill to enlarge the powers of the Freed
mems Bureau was early in the session intro
duced into the Senate, and it passed that body
January %. The history Of this important
measure may be briefly traced. The House
continued to debate it at length; the Demo
Gratis of course, opposing itstep by step. Itwas
amended and adopted February 6, by vote
of ] SO to 33, and referred back to the Senate.
Most of the House amendments were approved
by the Senate, by which the bill was again
passed February 8. On the 9th, it stood tri-
umphantly approved by two-thirds of each
branch of Congress and only needed the Pres
idents signature to become law. 1t received
Mr. JohnsOn's veto on February 10, accompa.
MED by long message in which his reasons
were set forth We could not repeat his ar
guments, nor those by which they were re-
futed. Perhaps the most dangerous of all
the objections advanced by the President was
Z .Et,.lt Of OF nd
passing Of the bill there was no Senator or
Representative in Congress from the II States
which are to be mainly affected by its pro-
visions" This objection: if sound at all
would have made worthless al of the legis-
| laton referring to the Rebel States. There
were other points in the Presidents Message
more painful, as showing the blindness or
Indifference to the condition of tue freedmen
but there was none more alarming, for il in
dicated that he was ready at once to give the
traitors who had fought fercely for four years
to destroy the Union, an equal voice with
! loyal men in determining the terms of its re-
construction. On February 20, the Senate
/ failed to pass the bill over the veto, by sc
! Yeas to lSNays. Six Senators who had voted
| for the bill, now sustained the veto. The
reasons given by Messrs. Dixon, DOolitte
! Morgan, Norton, Stewart, and Van WinkIe
/ for this sudden change of policy were various
| bat the discrepancies made no difference
! their action was the only matter Of Importance
! The failure Of the Senate was hailed with ac.
Hclamalions in the South, and by the Copper
heads. Mr.. Va landighan's voice could no.
express his delight, and he had 100 cannon
! fred in Dayton, Ohio, to family signify bis
admiration for the President. This Joy was
but short-lived, for the Senate and House
almost Immediately introduced resolutions to
continue in force the existing Bureau These
measures continued to be debated, and, MAY
|, the House passed an appropriation Of SILL
000, 600 for the Bureau bv vote of 70 to 4
/ May %, tho House passed bill continuing
the Bureau for two years by the decisive vote
of 90 TO %. The Senate in the meanwhile
had been chiefly occupied with the Civil
Rights bill, but, June 27, it adopted bill for
the continuance of the Freedman's Bureau,
differing from the House bill in very i'm
portaut matter-it did not guarantee posses
sion to the freedmen of the lands on the Sea
Islands of South Carolina, which they held by
orGer of Gen. Sherman. July, 3, the House
agreed with the Senate amendment. and the
bill was sent to the President for his sigma
ture. On the 10th it was returned to Con-
gress without his approval, Mr.. Johnson af-
irming that the Civil Rights bill made this
bill superauous. This singular argument
failed to convince Congress, and on the same
day the bill was adopted IL both Houses ny
two third majorties-in the Senate by SO
Yeas 20 / , Nays, and in the House by lO4
Yeas to 33 Nays. Thus this important meas
IRE for the protection of the Southern blacks
which, in its first and best form, passed the
Senate January 25, was for nearly six months
threatened with defeat by the opposition Of
the President, and it iaally became a law
shoru Of much Of its original force. But the
principle it embodied was triumphant, and the
fidelity Of Congress received the earnest
thanks Of the Ration.
The second of the great measures for the
reconstruction of the Union was the Civil
Rights bill, introduced in the Senate BY Mr.,
Trumbuu. After some amendments the bill
was passed, February2. IN the House it was
debated thoroughly. and on March recon-
mitted to the Judiciary Committee for alter
alton in its details, The House, March l3,
adopted it as amended by vote of I09 to 80.
The Senate, March %, passed it, and it was
sent to the President. 1t received the usual
veto March 81, the President opposing not the
terms of the bill, but its purpose. Mr.. Tram
bull few days afterward said in the course
Of a very able speech, reviewing the Presi-
dents message, that Mr.. johnson, though
shown the bill while it was before Congress,
and requested TO make known his objections
that if possible it might be modified to sui
his wishes, never siguiGed any opposition
until after its passage. April g. the bill was
passed by the Senate, over the veto, by 80
Yeas to ) NAYS. The House, on the 9Th,
neutralized the veto by l22 to Al, and the
vote was received with tumultnous cheering.
Mr. Raymond of New York was the only Re
publican member who voted to sustain the
veto The bill thus became law, but we'll
founded feals were expressed that the Presi-
dent would not enforce it. Events soon jus.
tilted this apprehension. Gen. Howard of the
Freedmen Bureau received information near
the end of June that the bill was entirely dis
regarded in parts of Maryland and case
cited, where the Criminal Court Of Calvert
County had sold men iuto Slavery for various
periods, too truly represented the spirit
G,.H 4 4la 1r,pI,,1 10