The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-19
The situatson.

! -. The, sitration. =.
The following extract is from i a
Washington letter to the New York
7sasss. signed r., fMr. Raymond)
It is in relation to the, respective po-
sitions Of the President and the Re.
construction Committee;
But one point of of$difsrence remains.
The President insists that the South.
ern States, being States In the Union,
are entitled to representation in
Congress, upon only one condition,
viz: that they present themselves in
an attitude Of loyalty, and In the per-
sons of loyal representatives. This
condition is imposed by the 7Consti-
tuition itself, and is TO be enforced by
Congress, under the authority of the
Constitution, which expressly ASSIGNS
to each House the right to decide
upon the elections, returns and
qualifications Of it's own members"
and, under this clause, Congress may
test, by an oath, or In any other WAY,
the loyalty OF the members who may
present themselves for admission to
seats. This is the Presidents view of
the question of representation. That
struction Committee) differs from it
IN denying The right Of States lately in
rebellion to representation at att, except
upon conditions to be- prescribed by
Congress at its discretion. 1t asserts
over these States plenary, absolute,
unrestricted power And it proposes
TO assert this power by requiring from
these States assent to certain amend
ments Of Che Constitution, as the
condition Of being admitted to repre-
sentation in Congress. Theoretically,
this dlffernce between the President
and Congress is radical. 1t touches
the principles which he at the founda-
tlon OF the Government. Tho COM
mittee have embodied it in a bill.
which is now pending in the House.
II passed, as it probably win be, by
both Houses, it goes to the President
Tor his signature. I hear members
expressing the hope that he will sign
lt-that, as Congress has surrendered
so much. he will surrender this for the
sake of harmony.
They forget that, in matter of fun
damental principle, neither he nor
any other man in his position. could
possibly sanction, by his signature,
what he believes to be e distinct and
clear departure from the express re-
qulrements of the Constitution.
10 do SO, would be to sacrifice con-
sistency, conscience and character to
desire for harmony; and this, Pre-
sident Johnston, certainly. ia not
likely to do. If the bill is sent TO
him, it will, beyond all question, be
returned, with his objections. Pos
sibly it may be passed, notwithstand
ing his objections; but this renews the
conflict, divides the Union party and
the country, places the President, of
necessity, in an attitude of opposi
ton, and introduces, with the fall
canvass, an abstract issue, upon which
Union candidates, who deny the right
OF representation. cannot possibly
gam any new strength, and are quite
likely to lose some of that they have
already.
1t seems to me that, under these
circumstances, the only way to secure
harmony, if sentiment cannot be ex-
pected, is to avoid the issue altoge-
ther. It is not necessary, for any
practical purpose, that it should be
made. So far as the admission of
members from the Southern States ia
concerned, the result will not be
affected by it. Without denying or
asserting their right to representa-
tlon: Congress can admit or exclude
thelr representatives by its own ac-
ton. The Constitution gives it this
authority in explicit terms. The Pre-
sident has never claimed any rights
to intervene in its decision. In his
annual message, he expressly declares
that, it is for Congress alone to pro-
nounce upon the admission of mem
bers cit is for you, -citizens
of the Senate, and for you, fellow
citizens of the House of Representa-
tives, to Judge, for yourselves, of the
elections, returns and qualifications
of yonr own members" No member
from any Southern State can come
into Congress until he is roted in.
The FENIASs. The army of the
Irish republic has not entirely dis