New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-12-14

a L
on won defined issue with the President
There was not complete satisfaction with Congress,
but there was complete dissatisfaction with the Presi
dent sad tbe overwhelming victories OF October onl
November were at once ratification of all The best acts
Congress bad done. and demand. an instruction. by
the people that their representatives. should resume ana
continue, and enlarge their efforts TO save the Re-
nnbl, from the Presidential policy IN respect to tho
South. AMI from other threatened usurpationS
We think the Representatives Of at least one House
and most of those in the other we'll understood the les
.on of the elections and we know that as they gathered
in Washington on The first day OF last week there
was a general recognition OF the meaning
Of the popular voice. We remember no
session of the House which opened better
II was hoped the Senate would be equally loyal IN It's
tone but the first day saw the District bill throttled
and the second was witness to the ceremonious post
ponement Of tho first radical measure which had been
passod in the House by vote Of five to one
the bill TO repeal the paTdOning power conferred
on the President by the act of 1852. Then
came four days Of routine work 10 which no
measure Of significance oven debated. and while
the House was daily passing Or considering some Dill
that concerned the public welfare, the Senate dawdled
away its time and took no step. The difference De-
tween the two Houses wa so marked that
tho country took the alarm. by the
time Mr. Morrill, brought forward his
District BILL the ears Of tho Senate had
been reached by the indignant remonStranceS Of the
| Republican press and by many a loud complaint
which the mail bore 10 Washington in private letters
Private protests went up the Senate from the House.
,Io.v into fha
minds of not few of the Radical leaders that they de-
clsrcd publicly their apprehension est the courageous
purpose Of one branch Of Congress might be NULL
| fed By the mid counses Of the other. 1t would be
unjust to tho Radical majority Of the Senate not to
add that most of them fully shared this apprehen-
sion. Nobody questioned the fidelity or the re5ou-
ton Of such men az Sumner, and Wade,
and Chandler; nobody supposed that they or that
many others of the Republican Senator's needed adj
mention in peril of committing political SUI
eide. The names of those whose uncertainty OF pur-
pose invited suspicion and brought odum on the
body Of which they composed minority ncons'der-
able in numbers. were perfectly we'll known. We
presume those Senators not unwilling TO accept
the responsibility which falls upon them by reason Of
their opinions; STILL omit for the present 70 award
TO them the full distinction to which they are entitled
We prefer to hope that they intend TO act Tor the
future, as with single exception they have acted
upon this Suffrage bill, with the majority Of the party
to which they stand pledged.
There will be an easy test OF tho sincerity which
yesterdays vote permits TO imputc for the present,
to the wagering Republicans Of the Senate. Last
week joint caucusof the party was held wherein both
Senate and House were fully Representations if any
body stayed away, be Ocily pledged himself to abide
by the vote which was understood beforehand to be
binding On all who claimed association with true Ro-
pubcans The policy Of the session was clearly
enough marked out. Some specific measures were
agreed upon Of which the following are among the
mos, important:
First: A bill providing that name be placed on
the roll Of the next Congress except from States en-
titled to representation by law.
Second bill providing that no electoral votes Tor
President be counted except from States represented
in Congress at the time Of the election.
Third: To provide for three sessions oil each Con-
Cress instead OF two the first to meet on the AIN OF
March the second the lst of January next, ana
the third on the LIST of October following.
Fourth. The appointment oil a Comnpttee oil thfee
10 investigate the New-Orleans massacre.
Sirth: 10 Investigate the release of three south
Carolina murdere of Union soldiers nom Maine, con-
vcted and sentenced, FIRST to DEATH and Afterwards
These measures, it is affirmed, passed unanimously
and without debate and their scope is even more eS-
tensye than is indicated by the brief description above
given Most Of them are already through the House,
and the fate of no one of them is doubtful in that
body We wait to see what beias them in tho SEN
ate. We wait, also, to see whether in respect to
other measures of defense against Executive warfare
upon the prerogatives Of the Legislature and upon the
liberties Of the country, certain Senators shall yindi-
cate their fidelity TO party and to country, and shall re-
eye themselves from the suspicion which their col
leagues and their constituents alike entertain. Hbey
abide the test, we shall rejoice II they are found
wanting, we think it probable they will be called
upon 20 bear an individual responsibility, and that
the line will be drawn broadly between the Radical
majority on the one side and those who on the other
side shall prefer Ia sustain the President
HHISKY AND REIENIE.