The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-04-26

The Mountain I'm Labor-Congress and
Its Expected Bantling OF Reconstruct
| ton.
| For some days past rumors have thickened
Of a forthcoming report from the Reconstruc-
magnificent plan for the restoration of the late
rebel States to full communion in the govern.
ment. What this plan is to be is probably
| given in the Washington editorial letter on the
subject to the Chicago Tribune, which, for the
information of all parties and sections, we pub
fish to-day. We attach some importance to 1t
from the intrinsic evidence Of the letter that its
writer is in the confidence Of the Western radi-
GALS and that they are power in Congress.
The writer in question says that among the
radicals "the two favorite schemes of recon-
struction are known as Stewards plan and
Owens plan"-the former embracing the con-
stiiutional amendment compromise of universal
suffrage for universal amnesty; and the latter
proposing the constitutional, civil and political
equality of all races and colors, and suffrage
10 the negroes after the year 1876, the black
race meantime only to be counted for repre-
sentation in Congress to the extent to which
they are or may be by the several States adj
mitted to the right Of suffrage From our
Washington correspondence of yesterday, how
ever, it appears that third project has been
brought upon the carpet-that of the famous
| General Ben Butler--a very precise and
lawyer-lke plan, The starting point Of which is
a reconstruction of the Cabinet, which is not
bad idea.
Now, Congress has been in session since the
first Monday in December last, and though we
! have had in the two houses q thousand windy
speeches and a hundred constitutional amend
ments more or less proposed, the only measure
established by Congress, in the way Of recon
sruction, is the Civil Rights bill. This, says
the ultra-radical of the Chicago Tribune, lays
"the foundations deep and strong for the
scheme of reconstruction. All men are now
equal before the law in their civil rights II
only remains for Congress to secure all their po-
litical rights And the people must not become
impatient" And then we are told that "the
johnson policy has no supporters in Congress
except the few copperheads and a little con-
temptible squad Of bought-up apostates from
the republican party, who are held in equal
scorn and contempt by all honest men of what
ever party"
We all know, however, that the Johnson
policy has been working admirably; that it has
resulted IN making the abolition and prohbi-
ton of slavery a part and parcel Of the
suprem Il W of the land; that under this policy
the late rebel States have been quietly re-
organized on the basis Of loyalty and submis-
sion to the sovereign authority of the United
States, and that the public sentiment Of the
North is becoming stronger and stronger from
day to day in favor Of the restoration to Con-
| o . a, = c."t~. .i-s -ao-uon;ysd M Ia- tho
johnson policy. Let the tree be judged by its
fruits II is this Judgment of the country
that has been stirring up the reconstructionists
Of Congress to the necessity of doing some
thing
Thad Stevens and his committee appear TO
have exhausted their strength in vain. Sum-
ncr has Jailed to meet the requirements of the
case. All the great guns Of the radical camp,
with all their firing, have fallen short OF the
mark. SO We find them first resorting to Sem
ator Stewart, of Nevada new man from a
new county, supposed to be full of new ideas.
!
but on INSPECTION he thinks he can do still
better, and then he brings in another plan, and
very likely after another consultation or two
with Governor Footc. late of the rebel Congress,
he will be able to bring in something that will
surprise ecn McDougall, of California. But
while the venerable Thad Stevens is rumnat-
ing on Stwarts plan in walks member. of
the committee with Ovens plan. And who is
this Owen! II is that extraordinary genius,
Robert Dile Owen, who came over TO this
country some thirty years ago as the trum-
peter ofFanny Wright and her nfdel, radical
and agnran doctrines. II il the same Owen
who net turned up in Indiana rs q shining
liqht the democracy, figuring next rs such
in Congress- for several terms. Next we find
him tansferred by poor Pierce as our Minister
to Neles, and there, under the smoke of yesu-
vius, he begins to see ghosts and talks with
then and believes in them, and becomes an ex-
pourer OF spirtualism, TO the establishment
alik, Of the in6del, the Christian, the Bour-
bonnie democracy poor Pierce and the Pope
Tbs, it will be observed, Mr. Owen Is not
the ,rmaton OF one great change, but Of sew
eral transition epocbs. Always philanthro-
pist he entered into the late war o spirtualist,
} an has come out radical with all the modern
improvements and more too. Such man at
srh time is hailed as q godsend by "Old
had" Owen, therefore, brings in his plan Of
construction, and from present appearances
} tewart, of Nevada, will have to stand aside.
! our judgment, oil things considered, General
l,en ButIers plan Of reconstruction. in one
} .sscntia, at least, is the very thing-we refer
} his proposed reconstruction Of the Cabinet
, i've us this, AMI next reconstruction Of Con-
ress, and We shall soon finish the work.
feanvtle the upuntain In in labor and from