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

ence between the President ana Congress was
caused by his removal of the Provisional Gov
ernor of Alabama, and presentation of the
State Government to the officers elected by
the people This action was thought to be
equivalent to a declaration that Congress had
no control of the subject, which was espec.
tally surprising, as it was then employed in
\ legislating for the restoration of the States.
! December 20, the Senate, in reply to a reso
luton requesting Information as to whether
the Rebellion had been suppressed, etc, re-
ceived a message from the President, inclosing
sDecial reports from Gen. Carl Schurz and
| Gen. Grant upon the condition Of the South.
! The message was characterized by Mr. Sum
ner as an attempt to "whitewash" the un
happy condition ofthe Rebel States, and many
facts were cited by him to show that the Pres
ident was mistaken in his statement that
spirit of nationality was succeeding the sec
tional animosty of the South. The report Of
Gen. Schurz contained the strongest evidence
that the late Rebels had little sense of national
obligations, aud were chiefly anxious to regain
political power, and compensate themselves
tor the loss Of Slavery by keeping the negroes
in abiect seryitude. Both Houses adjourned
December q, until January 5. Up to this
point no important measures had been ma
tured though many had been proposed
January 8, Congress resumed its session,
and acting upon the information the Presi-
dent had furnished in the reports CT Gems.
Grant and Scharz Mr.. Williams introduced a
resolution declaring it the sense of the House
that the United States troops should not be
withdrawn from the South. Gen. Grant
shortly after indorsed this opinion. In virtual
reply to this and similar acts Mr.. Voorhees, Of
Indiana, January 9, Introduced a resolution
declaring that Congress indorsed the whole
policy of the President, but the matter was
referred to the Committee on Reconstruction
by large majority. The next day Mr.. Kelley
of PENNSYLVANIA stated in the House that the
President had personally assured him he was
in favor of negro suffrage in the District Of
Columbia and in Tennessee This subject
continued to be debated till the bill estab-
Fishing impartial suffrage in the District
finally passed the House, January Is, by a
vote of Il6 to 81. In the Senate the subject
was repeatedly taken up, but not acted upon
Continual attempts were made from time to
time to obtain the admission of Senators and
Representatives from Rebel States, but their
credentials when presented were either laid
on the table or referred to the Committee on
Reconstruction. Even in the absence of de-
clared policy, such men as Hershel Y. John
son of Georgia could hardly have hoped to
gain admttance to the Senate. February g
the House, by series of resolutions offered
by Mr.. Longyear Of Michigan virtually as
serted the right of Congress to deal with the
whole subject of reconstruction, declaring the
existing governments of the Rebel States to
be provisional and temporary, and Offering its
constitutional authority to guarantee 10 each
a Republican form of Government. In the
meanwhile the President had few interviews
with colored delegations, and a great many
itb oh prl IiSba ba6
speeches showed that the negro loyalists had
little reason to hope for reward, while the
! Dardoned traitors had less to fear punishment
But Presidential opposition, and that of the
I Democratic minority, were not the only diff
cuIties which Congress had to overcome. The
! Union party had but one object, but it was
divided upon the best means to attain to it.
Three ideas Of reconstruction were unfoldcd
early in the session. They may be classified
( thUs;
Mr. Summers idea, that no Rebel State
should be readmitted to its old place in the
Union til! it had made its black and white
citizens equal before the law. ,. a
/ Mr. Stewards idea, that universal amnesty
should be offered tie South, and universal
suffrage imposed.
The popular idea embodied in the Civil
Rights bill, and the Constitutional amen dmenl
re forming the basis Of representation. .,...
To the first of these plans there was little
objection other than its impracticability. and
the force of this Mr. Sumner seems to have
finally acknowledged 1t must be conceded,
even by those who most earnestly opposed
him, that be honestly and bravely did his
best for freedom, and that the failure Of his
plans was not from any want Of earRestnesS
cr ability in advocating them.
'sBut who shall be
Wiser than God, stronger tkan Destiny?'
Mr.. Stewart equally failed in his more pop
ular policy-a policy in which we firmly be-
lieved from the first, and have not ceased to |
advocate But while men like Wendell Phil /
lips stand apart and influence the nation solely /
by the uncompromising declaration of Prin- /
ciples, Congress has another duty. 1t is !
charged with the creation of Measures, and il
these sometimes fail to embody principles to
the fullest extent, let it be remembered that
no practical statesman has ever yet succeeded |
in reconciling facts with his IDEAL.
The backbone of the XXAIXth Congress !
was the Reconstruction Committee of Thad- /
deus Stevens That Committee, denounced /
by every traitor, and by every man who in his
heart sympathized with traitors, has done a
noble work. 1t gave Congress a center. l. |
shaped policy which has been triumphantlg /
executed and bafied all the plans and schemes |
of the minority to eutrap Congress into de-
parture from its principles By referring to
it the innumerable questions concerning re- |
construction Congress secured consistent and
deliberate action Those who declaimed |
against it as tyranny forgot that it had no
more power than any other Committee, and
that ii could do nothing without the consent I
of Congress, of which it was the creature I
One of the most important measures which |
had birth in this Committee, is the concurrent
resolution, reported February %, that no Rep |
resentative or Senator shall be admitted from
any of the Ii Rebel States till Congress shall !
have declared such State entitled to admis |
sion. This resolution passed the House tho |
same day, by loo Meas to 40 Nays, and was
debated in the Senate till March 2, when II |