Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-04-30

but one thought and object / was willing to sacri-
fee everything had, and have staked my NE anu
all for it, and 10 be told that u was an III van,
and will amount to nothing 1t IS little hard, ior
us especiaIIy who have been in the border states 20
talk about rebels in the matter. DisregAy In Ig.h
Won will but listen 10 the lOyai men Vi tne 49,
and SOntb and what answer can you give mem men
when they ask admission into the union near te
IoysI man of the country, if you do not hear the
rsisls am willing to forgive every man. Though
thew were guilty OF great crimes still they are our
brofbers; and when they come asking Tor admission
into the Union we are willing to receive them with
men arms. loud and continued cheering.) In
conclusion General Rousseau asked for three cheer
for Secretary Seward, which were given with Will.
Mr.. VAN buren, made a much more serious
and careful speech than we remember ever to
have read from him. We can only glance at
some Of his p1iAts. After speaking of the de-
laws Of Congress in restoring friendly relations
between the States, and referring to the action
Of the " Reconstruction Committee" he said
..The proposition Of the President is this: The
war being at an end the Governmental relations must
be resumed; State Governments have been organized
in the Southern States; the revenue has been eN-
tended over them they subject to postal reguia
tons: they have been invited to take part IN an
amendment to the Constitution; their power over
domestic affairs is restOred they are States in the
Union: and there is nothing remaining to be done
hut to allow them 70 have representatives, IN Con-
gresS. Why are they excluded! Everybody knows
the reason is, that when those states are admuted
they will take part in the Presidential election, ana
the politcal PARTY that is excluding them expect to
ba defeated in the Presidential election by the votes
Of those States that they seek to exclude from the
Union TApplausel Probably Mr.. Stevens or Mr.
sumner would admit that JOINT resolution OF
Congress has been adopted, appointing committee
Of fifteen. aud declaring that till both Houses OF
Congrrss establish some general rule for the admls-
sion Of members neither House shall admit anybody
from the States formerly in rebellion To seat m
Congress Well, now, said Mr. Van Buren,, don't
know but may do great injustice to the intelligence
of members Of Congress in what am going to say,
Int | submit 10 YOU that they have no more to do
with what they call the reconstruction OF the states
of this Union than they have to do with the con-
tructiOn of the new Court House in the city OF New
York. Applause.) They seem 10 be acting under
An insane idea that some legislation is required from
them to reconstruct the States. have looked from
time To time pretty carefully at the Constitution oil
the United States, and confess never nave been
able IN find any provision which authorizes Con-
gress 20 do any such thing. | hope TO be able To
show YOU that il ia for the President alone TO say
which is the rghtful State Government OF any oil the
States. They can exclude members OF Congress
each House Is the Judge of the returns Of election,
ana the qualifications of its own members But with
that sple exception neither House Of Congress have
ANYTHING more 10 do with the RECONSTRUCTION oil these
States than they have to do with my reconstruction
a.
We have space for but one more extract from
Mr.. VAN BUREN's speech, in which he pro-
claims ANDREW JOHNSON his choice for the next
Presidency, and then sketches the two Radical
leaders. SUMNER and STEVENS. That passage
is as follows:
a. have never found, as have before said, that
Democratic President ever died in office. (Cheers.)
And when election takes place in 1863 those States
will vote aud at that time, by the blessing OF Pro-
violence Andrew johnson will be President OF the
United States Those votes will be counted, and II
they added to the votes Of the other States, effect
legal and constitutional election Of an Individual
that individual will qualify and enter upon the dis
charge of his duties. (Hear.) Now, great many
people fear that that my lesSO some physical con-
lict do not thinkit will. | have some interests
well Others in the property oil the country, ana
through friends and associates Sery considerable
one; and if saw any possibility OF revolutionary
disturbance affecting the property or peace oil the
country | should be quite as likely to be anxious
IN regard to it as any one. But 10 not
see any occasion of alarm in the character
of the men who are contemplating the regulation oil
the votes of these states My own impression is that
Andrew johnson, being President OF the United
States and cOmmander-in-Chief OF the army and
navy of the United States, with such men as Generals
Grant aud Sherman and Admrals Farragut and
Porter will be likely to be able to enforce the law
lrbeersl-and that a party headed by two men, one
Of whom made himself conspicuous by jumping out
Of back window when a disturbance arose, which
ne had himself provoked, and the other OF whom IS
remarkable mainly for whining when he is whipped,
would not be a dangerous adversary for this great
f,,tyo ~. laughter.) never have
been able TO bring myself to believe that cOntro
yerSlry like this would be attended with any serions
violence or meet with but one result (Laughter.)
Fellow citizens, let me say, as have sald before,
hat ] know from the experience l have had oil
popular movements and of politicians, with more or
oil ,f hat hasa "a
,onabe unconstitutional revolutionary projects all
grow out Of settled purpose TO accomplish victory
at the next Presidential election
The extracts we have given evince bold
ness of utterauce and determination against
the aims of the dominant party that few would
have dared to manifest few months ago. The
Presidents brave speeches and dauutless bear
ing have inspired the Conservatives with some
of his own courage. These meetings at the
North are exerting a powerful influence IN
opening the eyes of the people to the dishon-
esty, prohigacy aud recklessneSs of the Radical
leaders. That coming together Of the people
in great, patriotic, conservative organization,
which the President prefgured in one of his
speeches, is, we HOE, beginning to take place.
When he begins to WELD that mighty engine
the Government patronage-for the benefit and
in the interest of the Conservative Republi-
cans, and against the Radicals; and when
brave, true and able speakers shall go about to
instruct, stir up and lead the honest masses,
a change may be looked for, before which the
lactious demagogues who are poisoning the
very sources of constitutional liberty will
quail. A striking feature of the Brooklyn
meeting was the letter of General JOIN A.
DIX. No movement can be deSpiSed that has
among its leaders a man of the ability, charac-
ter and influence of General DIX. lie threw
himself heartily into the war whilst it lasted;
he is now as heartily for peace. His clear,
terse, and patriotic letter should be universal
" read. 1t is as follows:
GENERAL DIx's LETTER.
"NEw YORK, April p, 1866
' j. l.. Douglas, Esq, Chairman, &c:
DEAF SIR-If il were in my power, it would af-
ford me great pleasure To accept the invitation you
gave ME yesterday to attend the meeting to be held
in BROOKLYN this evening, TO sustain the policy of
President johnson in regard to the Southern States
lately in rebellion. In the general scope Of his views
fully concur From an early period after the close
Of the war it was understood that when those States
should have given their assent to the amendment Of
the Constitution aboShing slavery, and repudiated
the debts contracted 10 overthrow the Government
they should be permitted to resume their places in
the Union and TO be represented in both houses of
Congress The eXactiOn Of new conditions is vio-
lation Of Cat understanding, and is calculated to
prOlOng the separation Of the States against which
we carried on tor four years a sanguinary war, and
10 widen breach which il is our duty by all just
and practical measures TO repair and heal.
" That there will he, for long time to come, much
hostile feeling at the South, must be expected as