The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-05-12
BY TELEGRAPH.
TO THE DAILY PRESS.
Saturday Morning, May 10. 1866.
xxx CONGRESS---1st Session.
WASHINGTON, May IL.

.l.- WASHINGTON, MAY IL.
SENATE.
The joint resolution providing for CARRYING
into immediate effect the bill for the better
organization of the Pay Department OF the
Navy, was passed.
The joint resolution to prevent the intro
duction of the cholera into the United States
was discussed by Messrs. Sumner, johnson
and Morrill,, until the expiration of the morn.
ing hour.
The Post Office Appropriation bill was then
taken up and Mr.. Howard took the floor.
Mr.. Conness offered resolution instructins
the Committee on Printing to report upon
the expediency of providing against the sup
preston or alteration of speeches in the
Globe. Laid over for the mover to make re-
marks upon it.
Friday next was assigned for the considera-
tion of bills and reports from the Committee
on Invalid Pensions.
Mr.. Howard opposed the policy of the
President, contending that instead of being
identical with that of Mr.. Lincoln, they were
as wide apart as the poles. President John
son claimed absolute power as the Executive,
to interfere for the restoration of the rebel
States, while MIR. Lincoln ever repudiated that
idea. The President has no power under the
Constitution to make war or peace, nor has
any power been conferred upon him by Con-
gress, 10 declare peace in regard to the rebel
States. MIR. Howard also denied the power OF
the President to appoint provisional Govern
ors, and such appointments were an enor-
nous usurpation OF the powers of Congress.
How Is the logical result of the assertion of
the Secretary of State that eleven rebel States
are perfectly rehabilitated and in possession of
State rights as members of this Union, as is
the State of New York. Sir, / would not
impute to the Secretary of State any unlawful
or wicked intention. l do not-but l cannot
read this language and not draw some infer
ence from it, that it at least squints at the
possibility of armed interference at some flu
ture time, and the establishment OF Execu-
tive power Of those reconstructed States and
Congress with full quota of Representatives
and Senators. If they are. constitutionally
entitled to this representation and as much so
as New York, it is wholly unconstitutional to
to keep them out, and according to the idea
of the Secretary of State, the conduct OF Con-
gress on the subject, is usuIpationary, revolu-
tionary and almost reasonable. There is but
one step more after such declaration and
that is the advising of employment of military
orce to carry out his purpose.
In conclusion, Mr.. Howard, referring to the
condition of the South, argued that the spirit
Of rebellion still existed there, and that under
President like Buchanan, it would break
out again. He intended to resist the Execu.
tive intentions, of which he had spoken, while
he had seat in that body. If Congress is to
be expelled at the point of the bayonet, as
recommended by the newspapers in the inter
est of the President, he would resist it; not
boasting of peculiar courage, he, (Howard)
would say, come on, l ask no fayors. The
first hand of violence laid upon this body or
the body will be the signal for such an upris-
ing among Northern loyal masses as Shall
teach whoever he may be, who puts himself
at the head OF such movement, that the peo-
pie of the United States have not forgotten
that they are free people, and that they are
represented, and intend forever to be repre-
sented, by free American Congress.
Mr.. Cowan replied that neither the Pres-
dent nor Congress could restore the States /;
the States must do that for themselves. He
sustained the right of the President to ap-
point Governors, obtained from his power as
Commander-in-chief Of the army, and from
his duties to see that the laws were executed
He had the right to arrest rebels as traitors
and to appoint persons to watch over the peo-
pie that had been untaithful. President Lin
coin chose the latter alternative. Mr.. Howard
had asked where the President had power to
confer political rights? Nobody ever pretend
ed that the President conferred political rights
ON anybody. He (Cowan) would go further,
and fling back into the teeth of the advocates
of this doctrine, that Congress cannot confer
political rights upon anybody. What power
has Congress to confer political rights p
Thank God, the citizens OF the States hold
their rights from higher source than Con-
ress !!
At the conclusion of Mr.. Cowan's speech,
the question was taken upon the following
amendment:
"That no person exercising or performing, or
undertaking to exercise or perform, any of
the duties Of any office which by law are re-
quired to be filled by the advice and consent
OF the Senate, shall, before confirmation, re-
ceive any compensation for his services, unless
commissioned by the President, to fill va
cancy occasioned by death, resignation or ex-
piration of term, during the recess of the
Senate and since its last adjournment" - q
The vote stood as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Anthony, Chandler, Clarke,
Harris, Henderson, Howard, Howe, Lane of
In.iana, Morrill,, Nye, Pomeroy, Ramsey,
Sprague, Sumner, Trumbull and Wade. 16.
Ndys-MeSsrs. Buckalew, Cowan, Davis,
Dixon, Doolittle, Edmonds, Fessenden, Fos-
ter Guthrie, johnson, Lane of Kansas, Nc
DoCgal, Morgan, Nesmith, Norton, Poland,
Riddle, Salisbury Sherman, Stewart, Van
Wrinkle, Wiley, Wilson. %. staI
Absent or not U0ting-Messrs. Brown, Con-
ners, Cragin, Cresswel, Grimes, Hendricks,
Kirkwood, Williams, Wright and Yates. 10.
So the amendment was disagreed to and
the bill passed.
The Senate went into executive session, af-
ter which adjourned. sese
1ofrorcnn norric Trdio+od fnr