The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1867-01-16

NAll Talk and NO Cider"

The committee on territories, in the
House. at Washington, have introduced a
hill "a a substitute for the one introduced
nv Thaddeus Stevens, for the reduction OF
the southern states to the condition of ter
ritories. In substance, its provisions are
verv nearly the same as those of Stevens
The fact of its introduction by the COM
mittee is an indication that Thaddeus Ste
yens is not as potential in the house as he
supnosed himself to be when he presented
his bill to a delegation from Arkansas with
an expression Of confidence that it would
be passed by congress. Of the two meas
ures.-the one concocted by the committee
and the Stevens bill,-thc latter is prefera-
BILE. 1t is more liberal, and would be less
miscellaneous and injurious to the interests
of the states it is designed to effect.
The talk Of overthrowing the southern
state governments and instituting terrific
rial ones in their stead began at the COM
mencement of the session of congress in
December, 1865, and has been continued
without intcrmission since. Ii those who
are expanding so much wind on the ques-
ton mean business, why do they not 40
something's Stevens has introduced bill,
which he styles an enabling act, and the
committee on territories have introduced
bill to provide new governments for the
southern states, and some seventeen or
nineteen other members have introduced
bills of similar purport and looking to
the same object, and on all of them there
have been interminable speeches made in
which the southern people have been an
themized with all the ingenuity and venom
which radical brains and rancor could sug-
gcst, and the refrain has been caught by
republican newspapers and echoed all over
the country, and all that has come out of
it has been foul words and propositions to
strike down the federal constitution and
the constitutions of the states which are the
object of assault.
The country has had enough and more
than enough of reports about the intro
'duction of bills of this character. Itwants
to know if the radical majority of congress
intends to pass any of them. 1t wishes to
know if bill Of this kind shall be passed,
how it will be enforced. Stevens was rid
ing this hobby-horse when the reconstruc-
ton committee was concocting the consti-
tutional amendment, aud he now takes the
position that the amendment was not in
tended as plan of reconstruction. In
this he is supported by all the members
who gable Of territorial governments for
the southern states. If they are correct,
the fact is plain that congress has suffered
two years to pass since the overthrow OF
the rebellion without providing lawful
governments for ten states numbering be-
tween eight and nine millions of inhabit.
ants. Accepting the radical theory OF sub
.jugation as correct, congress is convicted OF
contemptible cowardice and criminal neg
lect of duty.
Suppose the president and the supreme
court do stand in the way OF the enforce
ment of bills of the character named, is it
not the assumption of radical leaders and
newspapers that congress is supreme? Is
there any doubt among them of the cor
rectness Of this assumption, or the author
ity of congress to pass and enforce such
bills? If there is not, why has so long
time been permitted 70 elapse without tax
ing the necessary steps to ''place the state
governments in the south on the broad
foundations of freedom and justice p
Are not the people with congress? What
did the last elections mean? Did they not
mean that congress should be sustained?
Are the radical destructionists in doubt as
to what the public sentiment of the country
will sustain congress in enacting?
1t is time that the respective powers of
the executive and legislative departments
of the government in relation to this ques-
ton were determined. How shall they be
determined Will the radicals say they
will obey the decision Of the supreme
court touching the validity Of the southern
state governments? Will they say they
will override the decision Of the court p
If the first, the introduction of enabling
bills and territorial bills is farce. If the
second, let them make good their boasting
and declared intentions by action which
will show them to be in earnest. They
have been frothing and Cabling over the
matter for two years. Let us see how far
they dare go in the execution Of their rev.
dictionary schemes.-Chicago Times.