New-York tribune., 1867-02-21
RECONSTRUCTION.
the CONTEST IN CONGRESS.


strprtion 10 give an explanation Of the political Sit
uatOn.
The one great comprehensive difficulty, aud the
ooe which has resulted in tho disagreement of the
two Houses this subject is the fact that the recon-
stncton question is too large to allow itself TO be
disposed of in provisO to police bill THIS Is the
fundamental difficulty Reconstruction is large
question: . very large question. Ii is 10y no means
the simple thing that it is sometimes thought TO be
by men Of ardent minds, who see very clearly within
the range of their vision, but unfortunately see but
avery short distance. Perhaps We are moi making a
very rccondte remark in observing that there are
number of such people in the world. and possibly a
few such in Congress
When this body assembled in December, they had
just issued from hotly contested canvass. The Re
publicauS had fought great fight against the Pres
dental policy" and had won a triumphant victory
They had previously set forth their principles in the
clear and powerful report from the Joint Committee
on Reconstruction and in the accompanying pro-
posed Constitutional Amendment The issue was
thus presented in a perfectly distinct form between
the Presidents policy and the Congressional policy
The one proposed TO admit the Rebel States just as
they are. without restriction without diStIan-
chi,cmcnt. without a limitation their old
slave rcprcsentaton-n short, without condi-
tionS The Congressional policy, on the CON
trlry proposed diSlanchsement of the Rebel
leaders and restriction on the representation of
the Rebel States, to conform TO the represented
population beside other conditions which we need
not recapitulate further. The canvass was but re
cent The issues are widely known and clearly un-
dcrstood.
The Republicans achieved an impregnable position
by their victory. Their principles were voted to be
sound; their measures were pronounced wise. 80
wise that thoughtful of all sides since the cleo
ton instead of complaining of the result and chafng
against the popular verdict, have We'd with ono
another in commencing their good sense and modcra
ton. But the settlement proposed to the Rebel
States was under bad advice rejected by them.
Such was the position of affairs the assem-
bling of Congress. The question was not long
in arising in that body, What next What
more ought to be dOneT The response oil
some judicous Republicans was, What more
have we to do' We have put down the slave
holders Rebellion, and we have destroyed its cause
We have proposed moderate terms to the vanqulShed
party and they following pernicious counSels have
declined to accept them. What more, then, have we
to do, Shall we abate any of our demands,
and offer yet more moderate conditions
We know no reason for doing so. we
have already been temperate and justly mid and
reasonable IN our requirements. Wecannot 90 DacK Oh
orr mopositions though may yet advance upon
them AT present we stand upon our offer. II tho
Rebel States persist in their refusal of our terms the
worst is their own. This government VIII neither DO
arrested nor embarrassed in its operation by their
standing ont II they afford to forego represen
taton in Congress and participation IN the National
Coyernncnt we can. Let them debate the question
umong themselves and settle it for themselves. Let
them review their position and, when they choose
reconsider their action. Meantime. sustained by
good conscience. and supported by strong, healthy
public sentiment wait the development oil
events
Such was the response of judiciOus men Ill Con-
Cres, when it had been asked what more should be
done But there arose a question which might or
might not belong to that of Reconstruction. The
Rebel States have fdcO civil in opera
zion, and these governments do not, from some
cause from inability or from unwillngness dis
charge the duties of civil governments. They dc
moi defend loyal men, white or black, from out
ragcS perpctmied by Rebels. So mOnstrOus have
been some of these Outrages, witness the
massacre at New Orleans. that the evil demands a
remedy What shall it be {! The answer twofOld
1st Reconstruct the Rebel States in the interests and
under the control of the injured persons. Put the
Rebel State governments into the hands of the loyal
white aud the negroes with prudent admx-
ture of the rebel element, taking that it be not
too great 10 be controlled by the loyal voice I'd.
Place a military police over all the States with power
% say to the de tacto State governments. Now, do
your duty: repress violence. punish crime, protect
loyal men, black and white. If you do not do il, we
shall" This is the substance of what is known AS
the Military Reconstruction bill, in its original form.
Now observe what comes of these two propositions
Mr. Stevens who with all his violent utterances and
cxtreme views. is in many things reasonable, jul
diciOus. and temperate worked patiently for weeks
aud even months a reconstruction measure, nOm-
nally for North Carolina, but really for other States
as well. when proper adaptations suited to the cir
rum4anccS of each could he added. This was, at
least, pr;SewOrthy and statesmanike undertaking,
whatever the measure Of success attained, how
ever difficult the problem TO be solved, however
Improbable its solution This hill was altered and
amended and amended and altered from time TO
time. II was changed and rechanged. 1t mo di-
fled and rectifed, but it could be made
to suit the majority of Congress; and after all
lis vexatOus and weariSOme labOrs, Mr.. Stevens
despaired of recOnciling the cOntTariety of views
which prevailed in the House. and the bill finally
dropped. This was example number of u Re
construction bill, designed to protect loyal men in
the Southern States and as experimental guide TO
reconstruction. Then Mr. Shcllabarger of Ohio, a
most excellent. and able, and fair-mnded man, with
Mr.. Eliot and other gentlemen, were sent down TO
ew-()rleans 10 investigate the massacre. They
r,me back and Mr. Shellabarger presented Recon-
.tuction bill for louisiana also devised in the inter
sS'S OF the loyal whites and negroes and excluding
rebels to she extent Of taking from them the power
they alye 10 shamefully abused, and transferring
il 10 the LOYAL men, white and black, Of that State.
Mr Shcllabargers bill commended itself to the
House At this point of time Mr.. Stevens moved by
his own impulses and under the direction of the old
Joint Committee on Reconstruction, presented his
Military Police bill. such as we have already de
hot ba of pctti