The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-02-26
CONGRE ssIONAL.
WASHINGTON. Feb 2l

Il W L u. -.
HoUsE.--The House went into com
mittee of the Whole -
Mr. Clark of Ohio, submitted his views
on the subject Of reconstruction He
did not consider it important to argue
the question of dead or living States, but
| to look forward tolsuch measures as are
requisite to restore, at the earliest prae.
| ticable period, these States to their orig
inal harmonious relations as faithful and
loyal States of the Union, with all the
rights and immuSities of the most ia
vored States, insisting upon such as de-
manded admission, that they establish
unquestionable loyalty in thtir repre-,
sentation and constituency He was
| willing to vote for the admission of Ten
nessee and Arkansas at any time when
the committee shall submit the question
te the House, unless unexpected devel-
| spements should show those States I'M
qualified for such admission. He pro-
ceeded in liberal and temperate yet
firm manner to advocate distinct man
Hesitation of loyalty as the chief requisite
of the reconstruction of the States, and
said the representatives sent here must
be loyal men who can take the oath re-
quired of members of Congress. VI
Mr.. Plants of Ohio next addressed the
House. In the opening of his remarks
he alluded to the amendments of the
constitution. The constitution was the
result Of the ideas of fmen eighty years
ago, while the constitution OF England
was the outgrowth of thousand years,
While tie Democrats were In power they
deliberately perverted the constitution
to uphold the interest OF slavery, He
yielded to no one in his admiration OF
the constitution but he did not submit to
every Interpretation OF 1t.
Mr., Beaman, of Michigan, was the next
speaker. He said that Ia April last the
country was electrified by the declara'
tion Of Andrew Johnson that treason was
a crime and must be made odious, and
that mercy to the individual was treason
to the States This sentiment met the
APPRECIATION ofall the loyal North, but for
expressing the same sentiment now we
are decried as fanatical, and even as
traitors There was nothing he so we'll
desired as the admission Of the Southern
States, but he was not willing to effect
that without receiving a guarantee OF
the good faith and loyalty OF their peo'
pie to this government The Democrats
who were SO lately villifying and traduc'
ing the President were now his champi-
ons and admirers
Dlr. Bromwell, of Illinois, next ad-
dressed the House. All loyal men, he
said, agreed that there should be some
guarantee obtained from the insurrec-
tionary districts who had been overcome
by the Union armies. He contended that
the whole question OF reconstruction be,
longed in the hands of Congress. The
naked question before this Congress was,
whether these States were living actual
States, or whether they were territories
subject to the control of the United
States The issue was, il 1.-The compact
had been violated, could the violators
OF that compact retain all their rights
under it. He contended that Alabama
and other Southern States had violated
the compact and thereby forfeited their
rights under it.
Mr., Mckee, of Kentucky, then obtain
ed the floor, and at a o'clock the House