The weekly union record., 1866-03-03
Stewards Speech at the Cooper Institute

-" L oHA- coEuaIN >-o--SSp~A A1SNF
tute crowded ton night, to indorse the President
F. B. Cutting vas in the chair. David Dud
ley Field offered written address and resolu
tions declaring that the FIRST question before
the people is the paci6caiion OF the country.
The conflict of passion should cease. All will
agree that the freedmen must be given all The
civil rights enjoyed by other citizens, viz
equality before the law. Whether they shall
have the suffrage is the dividing question. and
this belongs exclusively to the States. The
address commeuds the Presidents veto. and
expresses the belief that the exclusion of eleven
States from Congress is manifest usurpation.
Secretary Seward said " am not here as
an alarmist. | am not here TO say that the
patton Is 10 peril, or that it would be in peril
if you adopt or reject the views of the majority
in Congress. The country is not in.peril any
way; dor DO l think the progress of amel
Grafton or civilization in peril whether you
adopt one set of political opinions or another.
The only difference is that one pilot says We
may steer directly through the difficulties of
reconstruction without delaying the progress
OF the old ship Of state, while the other says
we must take soundings. proceed cautiously.
and 60 around these difficulties. We should
not practice the usual charity if we did no,
think them both honest.
Congress agonizes over the question OF
reconstruction, not because the war has not
come out right, but because they have not
Individually had hand in bringing it to
happy termination. l hoped there would be
no serious difficulty, from the conviction that
there was not, and never can be- any success
ful process for restoring the UIion and bar.
mony among the States except the one with
which the President has avowed himself salts
fed. The President is 10 harmony with all the
States that were in rebellion o., aud the Exc
cutive and Judicial Departments are resumIng
their functions. Loyal representatives, more
or less, from these States are now standing
there for three months, asking to be admitted
Meanwhile Congress passes law after law, i'm.
poses burden after burden. and duty after duty,
upon States which, against their earnest
desire, are left unrepresented. Say what you
will the States are already organized in bar
mony with our amended Constitution, and are
10 earnest CO operation with the Federal
Government. 1t is impossible to reduce the
States to Territorial condition. Ccngrs.s
has had Reconstruction Committee of fifteen
members, who have stopped the wheels Of
legislation for three mouths to enable them TO
submit plan different from that which is now
on the eve OF happy consummaton. And
what have they given US? A proposed
amendment TO the Constitution to compel the
excluded States TO eqlaize the suffr age on
penalty of abridgment OF representation This
was no plan OF reconstruction, but obstruction.
The conflict OF opinion between the President
and Congress 10 reference TO the Freedmen s
Bureau Is, III It's consequences, comparatively
unmportant. 1t would excite little interest
| II ii stood alone. Both agree that this Bureau
was created for the transition period between
war aud peace. aud should cease at the end of
that period. The President thinks that the
period is nearly passed, and that the original
provision is sufficient. while Congress thinks
the original provision needs enlargng. | agree
with the President, and hope that any ex-
traordinary provision is not necessary Ought
the President 10 be denounced in the house Of
his enemies; much more. ought he to be
denounced in the house of his friends for refus
ing, in the absence of any necessity, TO receive
or refuse to exercise powers greater than those
which are exercised by any imperial masis
trate in the world ? Judge We. | trust this
fault of declining imperial powers, too hastily
rendered by too confdng Congress, may be
forgiven by generous people 1t will be
sad hour for the republic when the refusal of
unnecessary powers and patronage by the
President shall be held crime When it shall
be so considered, the time will have arrived for
setting up at the White House an imperial |
throne and surrounding the Executive with
imperial legioDs"
The meeting was also addressed by Post
master General Denusou, Henry j. RAYMOND.
Francis b. Cutting, Daniel s. Dickinson and
George Opdyke, and dispersed at a late hour