Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-03-09
REOONSTRUO7ION


REMARKS OF SENATOR FEsSENDEN,
On the concurrent resolution, Marcl 2.
The PENDING resolution is a mere legisla-
tive declaration and nothing more. II does
not touch the question of the election, the
qualifications, or the returns Of members OF
eih her branch of congress. The credentials
Of each of the gentlemen elected 20 this body
from States lately in rebellion, are now ly-
ing on the table. The joint committee on re-
construction has had nothing TO do with
them. Senators may talk about the rights Of
the House and the rights Of the Senate, and
grow very eloquent over what they called the
usurpation OF those rights by congress.
There is 10 such usurpation. The question
of admission to either House is always in the
hands of the members Of that House We
have, rs have sad, laid the credentials Of
certain gentlemen on the table. Nobody pre-
tends to deny our right to do that. Every
body comedies our power to that extent
/ Well, now, il we can lay these credentials on
the table for one day, or for any time at oil,
is it any great stretch of power for us to say
we will not take themu pill specified time
has arrived till, lor instance, Congress has
decided that the States from which they come
are 10 condition to bo represented in this
chamber This is just what we propose TO
say ley this concurrent resolution, 1t Is
mere legislative declaration as to the time
when we will begin to look at their creden-
tiais and qualifications. My ground is that
here having been great war, one result of
which was that these States lost their rep
resentation here, it is now eminenty fit and
proper that before they are restored thereto,
there should be an investigation with view
to seeing if they are in such condition as war
rants their readmission TO the privileges Of
legislation. 1t would produce a serious com
plcAtion Of affairs il gentlemen from these
States were admitted to one branch and ex
cuded from the other, and therefore it was
thought best that the interrogation should be
by Joint committee, rather than by sep
crate committee in each branch. This is all
that is proposed, all that we have proposed
doing How is this simple proposition met ?
why the senator from Conneciicut and he
senator from Wisconsin charge shat we are
refusing to act at all, that We have bound our
hands, and that we are RENTING to some
one else the work we should do ourselves.
We are doing nothing Of the sort. We only
intrust the settlement of the preliminary ques-
ton to Congress, and then il il proposed that
each body shall examine as TO the credentials,
t qualifications and returns Of its members, as
provided for in the Constitution. 1t seemed
: to a majority of the two Houses that this was
81 ,he proper thing to do, and have no doubt
of the correctness of this conclusion.
! Now, Mr.. President what are the objec-
tions to this course The senators from
: Wisconsin, Doolttle, and Maryland, john
e son, and Connecticut, Dixon, attack it on the
G ground that we have no constitutional power
r. TO pass such resolution. Let us see how
/, long these gentlemen have been Of this opin-
a ion. Mr.. Fessenden then read from the act
of July, 1864, being the recons1uc ion bill
o which Mr. Lincoln did not sign, and which
@ brought out the Wsde-Davis manifesto,
T showing that the Senate had then voted that
e none of these eleven rebellious States should
+ be admitted to representation till the Presi-
dent, by a proclamation issued in pursuance
d of an act of Congress, should declare them
i entitled thereto. He read the list of yeas
Il and nays on the passage of the bill and
Messrs. Doolittle, Dixon, Morgan, Johnson
c McDougal, and Van Winkle were found tC
t have voted for the bill. There was much
e laughter in the galleries and on the floor a
It this singular revelation.
n M. NanWinkle explained that then he sup
II posed The proposition was introduced in good
h faith, aud so he voted for it. Now he be-
: lieged 10 only stepping stone to negro suf
d rage, and he should vote against it.
- Mr. Fessenden thought senator, mar
+ who was found fit for high office, ought tC
a have pluck and courage enough TO vote fol
measures on their merits ought to be abl'
e to distinguish between what is good ant
o what is bad, and vote accordingly
M VIM Winkle rh qrged that Tho inin
Is committee on reconstruction WAS delaying tin,
J. admission OF the Southern States, in order tC
II play into the hands Of the radicals with jus
70 such p propositions an this. "a w0uid 11t b,
d accessory, in any way, to thSir proceedings
+, Mr. Fesscndon said the senator was affaiI
< OF being trapped into doing something b.
{, would regret and so he always votes "No"
y he shields himself in inaction All the tain
y about the unconstilutionality Of this resolu
= ton is mere subleInge. These gentlemen
l. profess TO fear as legislative declaration
h what they were not afraid TO enact ss Law
G, less than two years ago. Mr.. Fesseudel
l. then proceeded TO defence Of the joint com
Re miuee on reconslruction from the charge mad
1T directly by Mr. Van Wrinkle, and indirectly b.
l. several other senators and various presses
that they were delaying tae work OF recon
4 struction. lie showed that the resolution or
D. derng the formation Of the committee wa
10 passed by the senate Dec, l3; that the sen
al ate part Of the committee was appointed OF
D. the 2lst; that the Congress then took re
y cess to Jan. 5, during which, Of course, Ia
committee could do nothing. lmmediatel
er on the rcassembing, M Sumner had oHere
a. and the senate had passed a resolution calin
le on the President for all orders, letters, dis
n patches, instructions. commissions proceed
il inRs OF conyenhons, ordinances, acts OF legis
y, atures, &c, bearing upon the subject Of re
~ construction. A resolution OF similar mpor
is was offered in the House, January t2lh, b
Mr.. Raymond, and at once passed Thes
in papers the committee urgently desire to have
Is They necessarily lay at the foundation Of tn
le investi gauon which they we're ordered to un
dertake The Fresiden, had all these papers
re He could have given them TO US at any time
le Did he do toi No, sir. He did nothing a
10 all. He did not tell us that Il was deeme
incompatible with the interests OF the countr
0. to make them public. He did not tell US tina