Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-04-06
Congressional Leadership.

There is much Just appreciation Of char
acter. and Of the situation in Congress, in
the following article from Harper's Weekly:
Among the living Statesmen Of this coun-
try there Is none who commands prOiOundcr
popular confidence than William Pitt Fes
sender Senator from Maine. Absolute III
tcgrity, certain antique severity Of char
acter MAJ ing him sometimes inpatient and
almost pcTulant in opposition 10 rhetoric and
sentim5 ntality, great sagacity. catholic com
prehcn-ion. strict fidelity to the fundamen-
tai prIrcili,s Of the Government, and a SIN
gularly ei,ar and concise Oratory, are quail
ties which are apparent to every man who
watch,s IL career. No man surpasscs him
in that jar; estimate of uracticlbility which
is tho iost OF statcsm nship. The duty Of 4
legislator Is 10 know what i possible and to
do It. |, Is u make SIX or eight, if you eau
not 80. re- ten. Ii is to take the half loaf
rather than TO lose the whole.
H. tie Senate debates, Mr. Fcsseuden l.
always conspicuous for an incisiye good
sense, which is the rarest as 1t is the most
excel ent quality Of Senator. In opposi-
;ion lc is always reasonable, speaking to the
merits OF the special ease, and not planting
himself upon distractions. Quick to defend
AMI explain the prerogaIye OF the body in
which he sits, he neither traduces nor defes
hi- opponents. lis advocacy Of measures
is more effective because It il not raneorous
in rhetoric nor discuTsiye in argument. but
firm, lruoeut. and pointed. There Is no
man IL Congress whose Judgment is truer,
whose discretion Is more absolute, Or whose
conviction Il sileerer If there were any
conspicuous and distinctive leader in the
Senate he would be the man /; ana that with
his peculiar powers be l. not cJnlcssedly the
leader, is due rather t. temperament than to
any other cause.
Unquestionably Mr.. Fessenden represents
the palIeu; COMMON sense Of the Union party
in this country. lie knows that the difficult
ties Of the situation are 10 be surmounted
not by yituperation and elimination, not by
petty jealousIes or lofty moral Indignation,
but by tranquil firmncss and honest argu-
ment- lie does not propose an ideal recon-
struct;On, which Is sure to be bsflled by
events, nor an unreasoning and blind sub
mission to chances which are calculable DIFF
fering upon some points with the President,
he does not accuse his sincerity and con-
WINGED that certain conditions of reorgani-
zatiOn are Indispensable, he neither exasper-
ates nor fitters the late rebel population
Had the action of Congress in both Houses
been inspired by such spirit much of the
gravity OF the situation would have been
avoided. SOunoer health, a more cheerful
temperament. and greater ambition and self
esteem would have made Senator Fessenden
a more conspicuous chief, but they could not
make him moro useful legislator.
A total contrast to Senator Fessenden is
Mr.. lhaddeus Stevens who has been permit
ted by the House of Representatives to take
the position of leader. Mr.. Stevens has no
single quality of a statesman, except strong
conviction and fidelity to principle. lie is
strictly revolutionary leader reckless, IN
sparing, vehement, vindIctive, loud for the
rights Of cOnquerors, intolerant of oppOsi-
ton, and as absolutely Incapable of fine dis
elimination and generous judgment as To-
comotiye Of singing. OF a pleasant humOr
and personal kindliness, be is NJ more fitted
for the task OF reconstruction which deyol-
yes upon Congress than jOvial blacksmith
10 repair = watch, or butcher to take up
hidden arteries and sundered veins in the
very region of the heart Yet Congress
which Is undoubtedly one of the ablest that
was ever assembled has quietly allowed it.
eelf TO be almost puppet in the hands Of
such man and at such time. The conse-
quencc is that Mr.. Stevens's crude and rash
talk Is supposed to be the voice Of Congress.
A legislator who undertakes to regulate the
price Of gold by Jaw, is the tacitly acknowl-
edged chief of a body Of practical business
men. 4 representive who sneers at the press
is a permitted leader in party created and
triumph mt by free discussion
The evident mischief of allowing Mr.. Ste
vens t. be the exponent of the House is, that
his WORDS and ways are naturally supposed
by the people Of the late rebel States to in
dictate the disposition Of the dominant party
of the country Those people at once con-
ceIye that vndictive or unreasonable hostili-
ty is the handspring Of the Union policy.
They instinctively resist Seeing the Presi-
dent and Mr.. Stevens at issue, they strenu-
ously support the President That support
again puts the President in false position,
Of which be and all honest men are fully
conscious, and he naturally does not feel
pleasantly toward the agencies which have
placed him there. We insist that Mr.. John
son has reason to be hurt and indignant
when he is represented as the friend and ally
of red-handcd rebels. Has be given no proof
of fidelity TO the Government? Because he
holds views of reorganization which may APP
pear TO be very hazardous to the welfare Of
the Union, is he therefore to be accused of
treachery? Because the President expresses
his opinion, is he to be charged with usur-
patton Yet Mr. Stevens makes the charge,
and the House is silent.
1t is one OF the marvels Of time that no
man known as Il radical has INDICATED the
party and the country against Mr.. Stevens.
The opposition of gentlemen like Mr.. Ray
mond aud Mr. Davis of this State does not
avail In public estimation they stand
where 1.-The Kings friends stood in the
carly days Of George Third. Yet nothing lie
more certain than that tie calm good sense
of The great Union party has strongly con-
demned tie views and policy Of Mr.. Stevens.
His own instinct assured him Of it IN ad-
vance, and be said 30 in the first speech be
made during the session, when he declared
that he spoke for himself alone. 1t Is as
true now as it was then. The work Of re-
organization is blended OF frmness and
iorbearnnce, Of prudence and Cancellation, of
faith and patience; and those are words
Will aie not found in the dictionary Of
II I'D, 90 Stevens.