The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-28

defeat in the Tennessee matter, the in
defatigable chief Of the star chamber
made one more etfortto regain his lost
power, Immediately upon the passage
of the Tennessee resolution, he intro
duced another general reconstruction
bill, containing all the provisions
which characterize his reconstruction
policy. Upon this he forthwith applied
the party lash, by demading the pre-.
vious question. He was deaf to any
appeal for mercy. He would not yield
an inch. He would submit to no
amendment whatever. He intended to
punish the boilers by compelling them
to swallow the matter whole. Their
previous success had, however, made
them fearless. They had tasted OF
freedom from star-chamber despotism,
The crack Of the whip had no longer
terrors for them. The Democratic al
lies came to their assistance. MI. Ste
vens was again signally defeated. The
previous question was refused. Mr.
Bingham offered an amendment similar
to the preamble of the Tennessee rcso-
luton that had just passed so triumph
antly. Other amendments were pro
posed. 1t was apparent that the whole
reconstruction question was about tc
be re opened. Apprehcnsiye Of the re
suit in the then disorganized condition
ofthe majority, Judge Kelley, Of Penn
sylyania, fastened to cover the retreat
of the discounted and defeated chief o
the disunion cabal, by proposing to lay
the whole matter on the table. There
was no prospect that any immediate
good could be effected by a prosecu
ton of the debate, and in this instance
the Democratic phalanx magnanimous
ly came to the support Of the Radicals
to help them smother their own off
spring by tabling the bill by an over
wholming majority.
THE RECESS OF CONGRESS-. ~
Once more the indomitable leader o
the disunion faction, although so sig
nally defeated in every movement ht
had attempted throughout the day
summoned his now greatly reduced
band Of deluded followers to make one
more effort to recover the position anc
prestige that had been lost. With com
pressed lips, and a tone half stern, hal
petulant, and an air Of stubbord deter
minatiOn to strike n more blow be
fore the abdication of his power, he
brought forward his concurrent resolu
ton to take Il recess of Congress ano
delegate authority to the presiding OF
ficers of the Senate and House to re.
convene these bodies at discretion. II
was the intention of Mr.. Stevens to
drive this through under the previous
question without debate, but here
again he was foiled. The Speaker re-
ferred the question of the propriety Of
the reception of the resolution, as q
question Of privilege, to the House,
which threw it open for debate. The
discussion was chiefly OF the Republican
side of the House. The resolution was
opposed by the soundest lawyers on
that side of the House, as either uncon-
stitutional or of very questionable con
stitutionality, while it was supported
by Messrs. Stevens, Orth, and others,
only as expedient, and uponthe ground
that Congress not only may do, but
ought to do whatever the majority
plcases. The result was another defeat
ofthe disunion faction no less decisive
than those which preceded it.
SUMMARY.
1t is apparent from to-doy's proceed
ings that the boosted integrity Of the
Congressional party has been greatly
shaken. The despotism ofthe autocrat
Of the majority in the House is etiec-
tually broken. His power is really
gone His faction is reduced to utter
insigniicancc. The Conservative Re-
publicans have it in their power at any
time, with the aid Of Democratic votes,
to utterly rout the D~ismionists who
have been trying to lead them to des-