Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-01-23
Congressional Summary and
Washington News.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 1867.

concurred IN, and the bills o 60 10
the President.
The vote in the Senate on concur
ring in the House Amendment was
twenty-eight to fourteen, just enough
to pass it over a veto. The vote by
which the bills passed the House yes
terday, was 103 to So, with several alb
sentees IN favor of them. Ten were
absent from the Senate to-day, of whom
six are counted for the bills v e a veto.
The remainder of the day was taken
up in discussing the bill to regulate the
tenure of Office, without reaching any
conclusion.
The House to-day took up Thad. Ste
ven's enabling bill, and will consider it
from day to day,until disposed of. The
bill in effect provides for the calling
of State conventions in the ten insur-
gent States, to which delegates are to
be elected, to form a new State govern
ment on the basis of universal suffrage,
except to rebels. the new State con-
situations are to declare for general
suffrage and be acceptable to Congress.
Mr.. Bingham of Ohio spoke for an
hour and a half against the bill, and
denounced it in severe terms. He
said it was S measure of destruction in
stead Of reconstruction; of disunion in
stead of reunion, aud contemplated
patching up restoration in a manner
almost fatal to the Republic. A me-
mortal from the Cincinnati Soldiers
Union, praying for an equalization OF
Pension laws, was lai1 before the House
Pension Committee.
Gen. Slckles testified before the spec
ial Committee of the House today on
the murder of colored soldiers in South
Carolina. He added that in one por-
ton of the State the outrages on the
freedmen were very extensive. The
Committee. on Banking of the House
held an important meetingto-day, and
virtually decided in favor of what is
known as the Randall bill, which sub
stitutes legal tender notes for the Ma
tional Bank notes, and requires the
banks to give up their bonds and their
notes, and receive in return therefor
greenbacks. An amendment was &C
cepted to the bill giving any indiVid-
ual the right to gather National Bank
notes and present them to the Treasur-
er for redemption in greenbacks.
1t is stated to night that the Presl-
dent has prepared a veto of the bill
providing for universal suffrage in the
territories.
The ways and means committee will
hold a meeting tomorrow on the Gold
Bill. 1t is very evident that they will
do nothing towards sudden contraction.
WASHINGTON, January Is.
In the Senate the bill to regulate the
tenure of Office was then taken up.
The question was then upon Mr.. Sum-
ner's amendment as an additional sec
ton, providing that all officers of the
Government, except clerks of depart
ments whose salaries exceed 81, OOO per
annum, shall be appointed by the Pres
ident, by and with the advice and con
sent Of the Senate.
Mr.. Sumner said !. is now a little
more than a year ag since ! felt 1t my
duty to characterize 4 message OF the
President as white washing. Thatmes-
sage presented the condition of things
in the rebel States as fair and promis-
ing, when prevailing evidence was d.
rectly another way. OF course the
message was white washing, and this
was a mild term for such a document,
and you do not forget how certain Sen
ators, horror struck AZ this plainness,
leaped forward to vindicate the Presi-
dent. Yesterday some of these same
Senators, horror struck again, leaped
forward again to the same task. Time
has shown that l wa right on former
occasions. If anybody doubts that l
was right yesterday ] commend him to
time, and he will not have to wait long.
For myself, I shall insist always upon
complete freedom of debate, and shall
exercise it. Thank God, now that the
slave masters have been driven from
this chamber, such 8: last is the hber-
ty of an American Senator. Of course
there can be no citizen of a republic
too high for exposure, as there can be
none too low for protection. The ex-
posure of the high and protection OF
the weak-these are not only inVulner-
able liberties, but commencing duties.
At last the country is opening its eyes
to the actual condition Of things. Al
ready it sees that Andrew johnson,
who came to suprem power by blood
Y accident, has become the successor
of jefferson Davis in the spirit by
which he is governed and the mischief
he has inflicted on his country sees the
President of the REBELLION released by
the President of the United States. 1t
sees the violence which took the life OF
his ilIustrious predecessor, is now by
perverse completely xtending through
the rebel States and making all who
love the Union its victims, and filling
the land with oppre. sion. 1t sees the
war upon the faith Tul Unionists still
continued under his powerful auspices,
without any distinC ion of color, so
that both black and - aite are sacrificed.
1t sees he is a monsis T of discord and
not q minister of pesce. 1t sees that
so long as his opinion prevails there is
small security OIL tranquility on the
reconciliation or the restoration OF
prosperity in the relsal States, so much
lonped for, must be embarrassed, and
those conditions u, on which rests a
sound currency mu : be postponed.
All these things the %"0untry now sees,
but indignation a umes a form OF
Judgment, when il IS seen that far
reaching mischief, Sc aond to the rebel
lion itself. of which it is a continue.
ton, is i~nvigoratel and extended
through a plain usIrpation. Sir, in
holding up Andrew J jhnson to Judg-
ment, l do not sllude to his exposure
of himself in g state IF bestial intoxica-
ton while he was trking his oath to
Office, nor do 1 allud. to the maudlin
speech by which he mas disgraced the
country as 1t Was never before; nor do
1 hearken to any reports of pardons
sold, or corruption. This is not the
case against him. Ny duty is to present
in this argument th.lse things. They
are very bad; but might not, in the
opinion of some Sen itors, justify US on
the present occasion In other words,
they might not be q sufficient reason
for the amendment | have moved
But there is a reason which is ample.
The President has usurped the power
of Congress on a col <sal scale, and he
has employed these usurped powers in
fomenting a rebel s. irit, and awaken.
ing anew the dying fires of the REBEL.
ion. This is the great and unpardona
bic ofense for YhicL history must con
denim him, if you dc not. He is a usur'
per through whom Infinite wrong has
i H. aao 70 his cO1ntrv He is G