New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-12

MIC 10 which refer was drawn by the hand Of one OF the
most cautious and circumspect anu pIoionu ton NJ
auer Of Vermont who is understood to have been lhe
author of that act He by means inserted any clause
in that statute authorizing the President OF llo oco
| States to declare that peace has returned.
| ar. SuMNER-He was the author OF that act.
Mr. HowARD-But the Presidents message assumes
that il is within the constitutional competency az the
President Of the Uuited States to make peace win he IN
sunectonary States and it assumes, Sir, all TINS wnous
TIE slightest recognition on any OF It's pages or III any Vi
its paragraphs Of the power duty Of Congress 10 ees
late on these Inomentous and important subjects Noth
ing Sir. The message ignores completely Congress sha
its authority and treats the Executive as the only source %
power over the Rebel States II does not propose 10 con-
suit Congress at all the subject Of reconstruction, ana
takes little pains to refer this subject TO any oInci
branch of it or Congress as if there was 10 COMPRESS
| and with singular GOODNESS asks the two Houses
TO judge each for itself OF the election returns M,
and qualifications of its own members; MI.
Howard after quoting from Inc message ,so dna rns
dent Johnson) had presumed TO appoint WITHOUT law,
Provisional Governors for the Southern states ana 10 I'M
part the power TO call conventions for the purpose Oh AZ
lowing those States to remodel their constitutions and 10
enact laws to cover the whole field Of State egsaton
and he had said, after having done ms very eooiy anu
very condescendngy to Congress, 1t now remains lor
you to Judge OF what-of the fitness of the states
for rcadmission into the Union! No, SIT 10 JUDGE
! OF ANYTHING else No. Sir! But simply and
solely Judge the elections qualifications and returns
If the Senators and Representatives who might happen 10
be elected to represent the Southern States reconstructed
under the Executive decree There was total abIegaon
on the part of the Executive of any authority whatever
interfere intermedde to regulate in any
| manner whatever the status of the Rebel States
Mr. Howard said he would not assert that Provisional Gov
ought not to have been appointed but the question
was "What power had the President over the subject
il for Congress and not for the President TO have a
thozed these appointments The power exercised by the
President in this matter one OF the most enormous
gsurPations Of the power Of Congress ever Attempted
wink 81 this assumption OF power they should not stand
up here 90 assert their constitutional power over s most
important branch OF their Duties then he Howard looked
|
tive Of this nation shall become the law OF the land.
Mr.. Howard continued: The President should have
called Congress together at the close Of the war instead
of claiming the ght say that he, Andrew johnson the
Lucky say how the work of reconstruction was TO
be conducted. Referring 10 Mr. Lncolns pan or recon-
sir!oon, Mr.. Howard said; Now, Sir, let the name OF
Mr. Lincoln be longer quoted here as being the author
Of this most enormous policy by which the laN-poYer or
Congress the subject OF reconsrGctlon IL SAID 10 De
absorbed the hand othe Executive Of the United
States DO desccratc the of 80 great and good
man President Lincoln by mpung to nm snoh gT s
attempt usurp the powers ofCongess. MI President the
Honorable Secretary Of State IN the prepared speech de-
iveref by him ut the Cooper Institute in New-fork on
the d day # February, simultaneously with me deVeTy
Of the Presidents own speech, to which have Already
ded peakingo the restoration Of the rebel States uses tho
following language which 10 Ire IS very s,ransS ,Gucsu
plan of President Johnson Is going TO succeed. mat ID
the plan of the immediate rcadmisson Of the Southern
Safes ino Congress. 81 dm sure OF IT, says me Sec E.
tary of State because some plan must succeed Ie Is
perfectly particular plan one TO succeed because
some plan must when was a boy at school studying
IL. "A
logic think the professor would have told me 1t was
a non scgpitur. And because continues the Sccre
tay this is the only plan which had been or
! ottr will be attempted &c. The only plan had the
honorable Secretary forgotten The plan OF MI Lineoin'
plan different from that Of Mr. johnson as hight Is ron
darkness. Certainly, ho says that is the only ono
issue, MIR. President make no boasts tLro" ONT no
aud Defiance but say with confidence here 10
the friends II this policy will Try that issue before the
country and know nothing in 1t which would deter an
honest man from esponsng the negative; and tell you
that when IS fully and fy presented To TIE people
the United Staeswh they come 10 understand what IL
is In lis length In It's breadth, IN lie designs and pupoles
IN iis enormous dangers, IN US injustice ana cruelty
and in all It's monstrosues, SIR 90 no,
uho have done much To preserve the GovernDent to
maintain IT. dignity, It's honor will give lasting ana on
the Secretary of State. He says is nearly executed al
ready The States he says, hearken to this The States
/ state Conventions, and powers, and faculties,
\ rs the State Of New-York is at Albany to.
day. What is the logical consequence Of thsi
If'he II Rebel States are al The present time, A. egI
maely and contitutioDay in the exercise of their
proper functions and loyal and obeden 10 the laws
Of The United States, aud If as much enti to be repre-
scntcd IN the House # Congress as il the State of New
/ York and il Congress wantonly and wckedy reuse To
them the privileges II representation hat Il enjoyed
/ l. the State OF NesYOrk, wha, is 10 bo aplrehehdedf
What the logical result Of the assertion Of The Secretary
of State that they perfectly rehabiaied and III pos
Of State rights members Of this Unon a. Is me
State of NcwYork Sir would not iinpue 10 the sec
rotary Of State any unlawful wicked intention do
not. But cannot read this language and lot draw some
inference from it, that II at least squnts az e possipy
of armed interference future time, and the eslab-
shuent by means Of executive power of these recon-
struoted States in Congress- with full quota OF Repre-
sentaves and Senator'S lfhey are eonstitnuonaiy en-
titled 20 this Representations and much NeSYork,
il is wholly unconstitutional TO keep them out; and ae-
cong the idea Of the Secretary of State, the conduct
of Congress this subject IL usurpatory revolutionary,
am almost reasonable. Sir there Is but one step more
after such declaatlon that Is, ON advising OF the EN-
ploymen of military force to carry out this purpose In
| cnpcI Mr.
Of the South argued that the spirit OF the rebel.
lion still existed there, and that under fTeslient
like Buchanan 1t would break out AGAIN he ,i IN
he had spoken, while he had seat IN tins Doty ii Con-
gress be expelled by the point OF the bayonet as
recommended BY newspapers IN The interest o, 1e res
courage he Mr. Howard would say, Come on, ask no
favors. The first hand of violence laid upon member OF
this body the other body will be the signal for such an
uprising among the Northern loyal as shall teach
whoever he may be that puts himself at the head of such
movement, tina, the people Of the United States have
not forgotten they still free people, and that they
are and intend forever TO be represented by
free American Congress. Applause in the galleries
Mr.. CowAH said tho speech OF Mr. Howard waS an ad
forces They took the Southern States out OF the union
according TO his Mr. Howards idea, and they were now
subugsted Provinces What authority Is inc H1norabie
Senator clothed with 10 make conquest OF his fellow o-
zenst He Ar Cowan thought object OF the war was
to compel the Southern people to fulfill Their constitutional
obligations II had failed according to the Senator from
Michigan Isir Howard. But IT, on the other hand, tho
war was the purpose Of conqueng these people, treat
ing them sers and slaves then It was an Outrage upon
ton anywhere. II act unworthy OF enlightened
men, especially those descended from the sgners of the
Declaration Of Independence. lie did not know where
the right OF conquest was vested III any part
of this Government We of the American nation had abb
ncgatcd the right Of conquest and of subjugaon. How
did we Justify ourselves in the first Revolution Was II
not by asserting that every community every people, had
the right choose their own form OF government He
had heard the Declaration of Independence quoted in the