The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-10

Congress re-assembled on Friday last. The
holidays are over, the committees have been
appointed, and some of them have been at
work and we may, therefore, expect that
the business of legislation will be begun in
earnest.
The most absorbing of all questions which
will be before Congress will be that of recon-
struction. The members who are in that
body, and those who are ont, have awaited
themselves of the holidays to visit their con-
stituents end interchange views with them;
and it is to be supposed that all have return
ed to Washington with thorough knowl-
edge of what is desired by the whole people
of the country. It is impossible to foresee
what will be the action Of Congress in rela-
ton to the insurgent States. 1t is the opin-
ion of some that all the members from the
South will be admitted in the course of a
few weeks; Others think that only those
will be admitted who can take the prescribed
oath; others think that the oath will be so
modified that portion of the Southern
members can take it, and that new elections
will be ordered to fill the places of those
who cannot .whileothers believe that, adopt.
ing the general plan of the President, Con-
gress will decide that the work of re-organi-
cation shall be commenced anew.
As public journalist and friend to the adj
ministration of President johnson, we have
no right to go beyond his late message to con-
lecture what his course will be- His course
has been fully developed in that document
He is not in the habit of changing his opin-
ions suddenly, and frmness is his leading
characteristic. He will stand by his PLAN
He has performed his part Of the work of
restoration to the best of his ability, with the
materials he had to deal with and it remains
for the Congress to concur with him in his
policy, or to suggest such deviations from it
as may seem to that body to be just and pro-
per. We anticipate no serious difference or
collision between the President and the great
body Of the Republican party, which at pres
ent holds in its hands the destinies of the
country.
Sooner or later the Union will be fully re-
stored, and we believe it will be done sub
stantially in accordance with the plan of the
President. 1t should always be borne in
mind, in considering this subject, that at no
time has the President entered any objection
to the Congressional test oath. He was very
careful to make no suggestion in his message
with reference to this oath. Neither was it
for him to say to the insurgent States that
they must elect only such members as could
take this oath. He has suggested, in tele-
| gram, we believe, the importance of electirg
as possible to Congress but he has not gone
| beyond this. Whilehe has constantly striyen
to perform his own duty, and while he mas
done so with equal frmness and wisdom, he
has not sought to dictate to Congress or to
unduly influence the people of the insurgent
States in their choice of members. If the
latter should be set back and shculd suffer
on account of the peculiar character of many
of their members, they will have rome to
blame for it but themselves
We repeat, the Union will be fully restored
and whatever may be the action Of Congress
as to plans or details in effecting this great
end, President johnson will be known in
history = the GR2Ar RgecNsTRuCTIoNIsE
and IS such will be re sardeG as s,rond only
to WASHINGTON himself. The President has
hiseye upon the great end to be accomplished
and he is going steadily forward to the con
summation of his purpose. 1t is not claimed
for him by his real friends that he is devoted
to the South or to the North; nor is it adj
mitted by them that he is governed by a wish
to render himself popular with any particu
lar section; but he is looking to the grand
result, and is endeavoring to reach it in &
spirit of fairness and justice towards all por
tions of the country.