The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-19
LETTER rHoM wAsrrIsaToN.
spondsnee Of the Richmond Dispatch.

! Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.
TIE stevens Enabling Act-A FortniRhfs Dis
cusaion Prebabls-Sisns OF Disaaectton In
che Camp Radicais BECOMING Weak'kneed
: su the Impeachmens Qaestion-Sumner's
Display orClassics, etc.
tes WAsHINoroS, January II, 1867.
S;nce the great defeat at Harrisburg Of
rorney and the "Grest Commoner," his
friend Stevens, daily evidences are Wit
messed In the House Of Representatives OF
the waning power Of the latter. II Is fully
exemplified in the debate which was COM
mcnced on his bill TO reduce the South 70
territorial condition. He Is startled, anS
Indignant at the opposition 10 mas $500. ~ -.
in the two days discussion mas 80 TAI
hean noticed with. and Is particularly
sn~;o,. 80 h.ve n vote upon 1t at an early
Az 90 .. TO keep the public in the
G:.,h unaware Of the insanity Of its
.svsral propositions. He cannot get It.,
however. Twenty members will have
spceches to make on the subject; and
its dishonored end will most likely
be a reference to his own Committee
on Reconstruction, where, like oil things
else referred to consideration in that cabal,
Il will be buried forevcrmore. His friends,
however, have signifed their intention to
fight for him andhis bill, and If they carry
out their expressions, we may expect some
lively sets-to in the House within the next
fortnight. Thad. is unsparing in bis anger
and sarcasm, and hits friend and foe alike
when any Of his fayorite revolutionary
schemes are attacked. 1t is much 10 be
hoped that he will be brave enough not to
Weld a point of what he has undertaken.
The result of his vindictiye partisan spite
will most assuredly work 70 the benent OF
the country. One truth is clear: the Re
nubIicans arc not so thoroughly united
nnder his lash as heretofore, and for that
reason the willy old politician is determined
to make trouble in the party. He will
meet his match in some respects when
Cameron takes his seat in the Senate.
There is no love between the two, aud
much Of the influence Of the latter will be
used to show the folly of too implicit a
trust in Stevens's political prowess. 1t
will not be needed, however, as, judging
from the present indications, there will be
widespread opposition TO him in his own
ranks before the adjournment of Congress.
Another straw which shows the way the
wind is blowing is the comparative silence
u
most bitter partisans outside of Congress
have but little to say regarding it. That
il must fail is as evident as the shining OF
the MONDAY sun. The only question seems
to be whether it will be tried or not. Upon
that there is . variety of opinions. Ash
ley thinks it will, and so does his friend
and fellow partisan Mr.. Loan, who only a
day or two ago committed the indiscretion-
using very wild tcrm-of charging the
President with completely in the death of
Lincoln. Boutwell, thinks it will be COM
menced also, and so does Ben Butler; but
the two latter will not have it begun until
the meeting of the next Congress. A cor
poral's guard will not be mustered TO back
them, as before that time two-thirds OF the
present devotees to that "dlteTndtiee "
will retire from consideration at the sub
ject. Congress is somewhat in the condi-
ton the opening of the last session found
it, aud that was perfectly at sea with re-
spect to a policy. No one seems to know
what is best to be done. Doubts and fears
Of popular approval appear on all sides,
and as the present members OF the Radical
party in Congress prate most largely on
what the people have done for them, they
are somewhat chary of stepping outside o
the present bounds. Stevens, OF course
will whip as many Of them into his harness
as possible, and the greater number Of
thorough converts he makes to attempted
revolution the better it will be for the con-
servative issues OF the day.
Sumner sometimes endeavors to get up q
sensation, and occasionally meets with a
little success, though the great majority OF
his efforts are failures. His illusions are
generally attic, and he invokes the gods in
unpassioned strains when anything extra
ordinary is intended. To-day, however
he was not so choice in his eloquence du.
ring the weary and stale debate which has
been progressing with regard to regulating
the tenure of office. That individual, who
is anxious to have the Senate appoint rs
well as confirm and reject all appoint.
ments, came out plain and square, without
any NEUROLOGICAL illusions, and charged
the President with being an enemy to his
country. Such o remark three years ago
would have transported its author from the
place Of its utterance to the Dry T0rtugas,
or some other place of durance vile, in the
shortest time possible for an officer of the
War Department to perform a special or
der commanding that disposition of the Of
fender. Now there is a difference, how
ever. A senator may say what he pleases
of the President, $50 may any one else,)
the Chair decides the remark within the
limits of general debate, and Radical
Senate, on an appeal from the decision Of
the Chair, vote to sustain that decision.
Verify, the times change.
The Republicans are making extensive
preparation for their spring campaign and
elections. 1t is not impossible that Ste
yens may break the organization into many
parts by then. TIMoN.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.