Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1866-02-08
THE SITUATION.

The long looked tor "break between the
President and the Radicals, may be pro.
nouuced as substantially at hand. Recent
interviews with members of Congress have
drawn from Mr.. JOHNSON the strongest ex.
pressions of adherence to his adopted poll.
cy, and regret at the partisan legislation Of
Congress. In recent conference with
members of the Pennsylvania delegation,
he is reported to have Gre. asserted in the
| clearest manner, the principles which have
governed him upon the question of recon-
struction, and declared that it was his IN
alterable purpose to stand by them. The
Representatives of the South, he said, should
be admitted, and the action of the majority
in denying them representation was dwelt
upon as wrong and dangerous. They should
have been admitted immediately, he con-
tiDued, on the presentation of their proper
credentials. The President was, as usual,
very pleasant in the expression of his opin.
ions, but be was, at the same time, as i'm
movable as Gibralter."
The result of these declarations, is an
disguised hostility to the administration. A
war is begun which must end in the over.
throw of one, and the triumph of the other.
The Constitutional amendment reported
from the Committee on Reconstruction, and
recommitted to it some days ago, came up
again in the House last week for adoption.
This proposed amendment provides that rep
resentation shall henceforth be apportioned
by taking the whole number of voters (not
population as formerly together with taxa
ton, as the basis of representation. Thia
amendments intended to exclude the three
6fths vote of the South for negro popula-
ton, or to force negro suffrage upon the
country.
The debate upon the passage of this re-
por in the House, gave further evidence Of
the determined hostility of the ultras.-
STEVENS declared that "the position taken
by the President, in recent conversation
with members of Congress, would few
years since, have cost British King his
head. 1t was in direct contradiction with
the privileges of Congress. That body was,
however, tolerant of the abuses of privilege
and power"
The vote by which the amendment passed
the House of Representatives, shows a
backing down on the part of few of the
ultras, but no substantial change of front
by them as party. RAYMoND's speech
offered fine argument in favor of the Pres
ident's policy, but was mere "whistle to
the Winds" in its effect upon that body.
The general impression amoug the news
writers, is that no Constitutional Amend.
ment whatever, can be agreed upon by
both Houses and if by chance sach an a.
greement can be had, that the States will
refuse to ratify it.
The Bill for establishing the Freedmen's
Bureau, which seemed to glide through
Congress with 80 much ease, has encounter
I cd IT. nd vurru ffuru t,u-Hvu5e has ubex.
pectedly stumbled over some of the Senate
amendments, and there remains a vague
probability that the quarrel may result in
the final overthrow of the measure. 1t is
stated confidently, that the Presidents veto
Yif it should pass, is fixed upon as certain.
There is yet hope that this odious piece of
legislation may be averted.
The Reconstruction Committee discusses
its vast enterprise in secret session, and no
clue as to the result of it's labors has come
to light except the amendment ushered
through by STEVENS. What general plan
of restoration it will recommend, if any, is
scrupulously kept in the secret recesses of
the Committee room.
A special dispatch from Washington on
the 30th ultimo, renews the old "proclama-
ton" story that started it's rounds several
weeks ago. Another authority says, how
ever, that the President has deferred issuing
the formal proclamation declaring the res
toration of the Union, until the opinions Of
Gems. Grant, Sherman, Meade, Thomas,
Sheridan, Sickles and others, could be OBJ
tanned relative to the submission of the
Southern States to the constitutional au-
thorities.
The Bill intended to operate to the dis.
franchisement of ex-Confederate soldiers,
and others in the District of Columbia, who