New-York tribune., 1867-02-08

without why or wherefore. This bin the exercise
the consfit1tion states could be exsEessd
BY the s haste St 'e soRy He thought at ali
events it should allow amendments TO be offered and 70
u Continuous record Of the great body Of free
men represented on this floor wh9 under Sou hau en-
acted the laws hfQSgn s d TSn Sot strive to have this bin
amended He challenged any statue 10 De poSSu o1,, W.
mpcatoa or otherwise by direction or indirection in
tImated the dogma Of the Chairman OF the
states were foreign CONQUERED tsFr,or
Every statute passed for the last SIX years ~
vfy % GIpRbsE ens asked Mr. Bingham BY what
authority he would, while proeaimng tnat tDe stshsh t
military government over them to be administered there
The unlimited and underlined will Of the eoIg1eror or Civil
laws TO be administered by military authority -,
Mr.: BINGHAM said he would answer the question: Oo-
Mr. BOUTWELL, Rep Mass asked Mr. Bingham hoy he
could reconcile the declaration In his preamble that lh4e
re S sass gsFe saes N he ts d no Give them
their rights as States and Citizens the same as ne "ouo
M BINGHAM M NV would on @ his pa part inquire Of MI
we'll how he reconced with his oath that ne voted iTr
nbected every one Of those States 10 ts until
they should be TO their constitutional reIations
in the Freedmens Bureau bin that they states
Mr. BINGHAM asserted that there was such distinct
Mr.. BOUTWELL, suggested that that bin recognized
Mr LRWRESCE rep, ohio remarked that they
Mr.. BINGHAM added-"Yes, and political States"
and quoted the lIh section OF the Freedmens bureau
bill TO bear ont his views.
Mr. HIsE Dem Ky) protested against the bill as one
finding no shade of warrant authority In the C0nstitu
tion and intimated his Willingness to yield the loOr
this evening If he should have an hour allowed hm too
Mr. ELDRIDGE again begged to remind Mr. Bingham
that his question remained unanswered. -,
Mr. BINGHAM said that the amount OF u was 'nls; ms
That those States having entered INTO tine kepe1n and
broken off their constitutional relations with the Gehes
Government. the unlimited power for tile common 1e-
ne throughout the states was aSS
intendment Of the Constitution ana that power eohIuo"
Mr. Mr. MAYNARD inquired of Mr. Bingham what effect
the bill would have on the existing state ofKanzonS VI
n Mr. BINGHAM replied that the State Governments
would exercise their functions under this Dill Dy tne sur
erance the nation and only 10 the extent tnat tnose
commanding officers might permit He did not suppose
that IL intended to deny by this Dill 10 those oIBn
Contracts betw sen man and man. He did not suppose
thst IL intended TO enforce contracts or the law M
marriages and divorces through eourtsnSrun vi ih'
| tary commissions .,S.,4
NJ NAYNARp Rep Tenn inquired 1gaeI wi, %hehsG = sG
tar 70 the recognition OF those State organizations as to
embarass hereafter If it thought proper 10 set tnem
MI BINGHAM did not suppose il would, because Con-
ress might require those States 70 go stii fnftner
.he bi There were two sorts Of
states and political States The late ts
states geographical States but were not Under te
Constitution political States in the Union There vas no
middle ground possible They were either stas IoT , an
ever He held that States having gone into rebellion
had destroyed all their civil governments under tne & on
sttuton and that when the National arms preVaed tney
became territory Of the United States The recognllO
OF the Southern Confederacy as de faeto Government
challenged any one show such historical parallel
when Rebel power was recognzsd by te oa
lie drew the inference that the territory covered
/ by the Rebellion became conquered territory =,
| Mr. RANDALL Dem, Pa, referring TO remarE on
Mr ineersoll about .reenbacs asked him whether he
regarded the law declaring them legal tender an eAer
/ A
Mr.. IYGERs6LL admitted that if such thing had
| been attempted when there was other great
National exicency II would have been unconstitutional
He Illustrated the position OF the southern stas W
aeIdD tsst te IN war It's territory was held
by the United States until there treaty OF peace
peaee wth @ he states The
not given the military possession Of those states @ anu
ton Of the civil and political rights OF all the people In
Mr. NGERsoLL held, nevertheless, that when
| a State hnd gone TO work and destroyed
its constitutions, ORGANIZATION, ~ ~ tho soStb
were reconstructed 70 loyalty the states would tG
had proved failure and as for this bin, no might
hesitate To vote for II lest IL might make matters worse
be- They should therefore try the bill He had fear
of trusting the power in this hill 10 Gen. Grant He was
confident that they would be exercised firmly wisely ana
judcously as he had always exercised his powers IL
| might be said that the President as COmmanderill.
issue lie admitted that the President might do so but
| he would do on his own responsibility.
Presidents authority, which had been In this bill origin
! ally had been struck out OF II. 81,
| Mr.. INGERsOLIl-It because the people, rs well
as Congress, dare not trust him with such powers
Nh. RANDALL remarked that the Constitution trusted
| such powers tO the President.
Mr. INGERSOIL went 10 that II the selectloh OF
general officers To command districts were eft TO the
President, he would not select such men as Grant or
sherman, Sheridan, or Hentzelman, or Howard, or
Thomas but would select thofe VINO wouiu Sieiu VIII
| subserviency Ia him. -
Mr. HIsE sked whether, IL the President could set
aside any orders Issued by Gen. Grant, there was any Use
! In passing this bill - -
| Mr.. INGERsOIL replied that he did not think the
President would have the pluck 10 do IT, andf e refused
20 execute the laws OF Congress 1t would be good ground
| Of impeachment 80,
MIR. sTROUsE Dem, Pa)-The only ground you will
| ever have.
that Congress might we'll stop the consideration OF the
question OF the reconstruction OF the Southern states aud
O the Southern people and turn their attention TO the
reconstruction of the President He Thought IL neccs
saIy for Congress 10 consider whether would continue
this effort for years longer with that paramount OBJ
structon In the way Of rCcOnsructiontho President o
| the United States.
Mr.. TRIMBLE Dem. RyJ inquired whether the exer-
else by the President his constitutional power To revoke
the order of subordinate officer could be regarded as
| good ground Of Impeachment.
| Mr.. lNGERS0LL answered that the President might
have the constitutional power TO resend the orders o
Gen. Grant but Congress would have the right 10 inquire
! for what purpose he did so.
! Mr. TRfMBLE inquired further whether Congress had
the power 10 pass bill overriding the constitutional
MIR INGERSOLL declined to admit that the bill did so.
10 left the Presidents power where the Constitution left
IT, neither diminishing nor augmentng T. IL simply as
signed 10 the commanding General Of the army To ds-
charge certain duties He discuss the general
bearing OF the bill, until his honr expired.
Mr.. SHANkIdN Dem, Ky) obtained the floor.
Mr. TRIIBIE gave notice OF an amendment which he
proposed 20 offer; that should he held for
captalpr otherwise Infamous crime except by the pre-
adletbg@d