The New York herald., 1867-03-04
The Great Settiemcnt-Presidenf Johnson
The Old and tho Now Congress.


No greater days work was ever done by the
two houses Of Congress than that of Saturday
last. The passage over the Presidents vetoes
of the Southern Reconstruction bill and the
bill regulating the tenure Of Office by both
houses seemed to be impossibilities on Satur-
day morning but in addition to these impor-
tant bills the Bankrupt bill, great and
benefcent measure, and little tariff bill on
wool, and variety of other things were
| pushed through. The great settlement Of the
| Southern difficulty, however, in connection
with other measures previously added to the
general statutes Of the United States, will give
to the expiring Thirty-ninth Congress its dis
tinguishing place in our national history.
On the 1st of December, 1865, when this
Congress first assembled, President Johnson
was master of the situation, and might have
remained SO but for the busy, buzzing outside
politicians that were beginning with their
batteries to catch his ear, to the exclusion Of
better advisers. The experiments of Southern
reconstruction upon which he had ventured
during the long Congressional recess Of nine
months were submitted to the discretion of
Congress; but IN the famous 22d of February
speech the beginning of a rupture was pro-
claimed from the White House. From that
day, cautiously, for some time proceeding by
gradual approaches in pursuit of q new party,
Mr. Johnson at length took bold and decided
position against Congress in his celebrated
Philadelphia National Convention .fasco of
August last. In the succeeding autumnal
State elections his corporal's guard of repub-
lican followers and the Northern democracy
coalesced in support of the Presidents policy,
with the Presidents bread and butter to back
them, against the policy of Congress embodied
in the pending constitutional amendment and
the Civil Rights bill, passed over veto.
The people, from Maine to California, to
whom Mr.. Johnson. had appealed pronounced
heavy judgment against him. Had he re-
spected that judgment he might still have ac-
complished an advantageous compromise for
himself and the South with Congress. But
with all the odds against him he stiIl persisted
in his rejected and exploded policy, going on
from bad to worse, until by vote exceeding
two-thirds Of each house his whole system of
Southern restoration and Executive patronage
is cut out by the roots and law Of Southern
reorganization is established, transcending the
most sanguine hopes even of /" Old Thad Ste
vens twelve months ago.
Universal suffrage Csexcepting Indians not
taxed y is established in all the Territories
and likewise in the District of Columbia,
where at the first broadside radical Mayor
for Georgetown was elected the other day by
the balance OF power held by the negro vote.
Next comes this sweeping bill of Soothern re-
construction, re-establishing martial law over
the ten excluded rebel States,. providing for
universal negro suffrage in the work Of State
reorganization, for the exclusioa of lead
ing rebels, and for the ratification Of the pend
ing constitutional amendment by each State
concerned and by the great majority Of three
fourths Of the States required to make 1t part
Of the supreme law. This is the grand result
Of Mr.. Johnson's Southern policy and these
are the conditions of restoration for which his
Southern friends and followers have to thank
him. Had he yielded in season little to
Congress and Northern opinion he might have
gained much for himself and The South; in
conceding nothing he has lost all He must
now surrender or resign or be will be re-
moved. The conflict with Congress has been
narrowed down to this final test.
The Thrty-ninth Congress has done its ap-
pointed work and II rctires from the field, but
the Fortieth Congress, Of the same materials,
Immediately takes its place. II is the Long
Parliament against Charles the First; 1t is the
irresistible revolution against James the
Second. The thing is fixed that the war for the,
Union shall not turn ont failure. Now, what
will President Johnson dof According to the
custom from the beginning he must submit his
budget on the state Of the country and his sug-
gesions for the public welfare to this new Con-
gress, after its organization, as the FIRST essen
tial TO business. He Is, therefore, required to
meet this bill of reconstruction face to face as
law OF the land. His policy is swept away
every vestgc of it. A revolution has been ac-
complshed in the course of day, and the new
order of things is law Of the land. Will Mr..
Johnson so recognize il and hravely face the
| music? That is the question. The election Of
| the terrible Ben Wade as President of the
Senate embodies purpose and warning
| which Mr. Johnson would do well to bear
in mind. Moreover, the omihous figure of
General Ben Butler begins already to loom up
| in the other House.
What party arrangements will now avail Mr.
johnson in still standing out against Congress
The Northern democracy, with the loss Of their
Southern balance Of power in 1850, lost sight
of everything else, and have not since seen any
thing else in their efforts to recover it. But
where is now that Southern balance Of power,
and where will II be for the future? In the
Southern negro vote. Who would have believed
IL possible even six months agos Yet so il is.
And, then, all the old democratic fire-cating
leaders of the South are cast out What existing
party arrangements on either side will answer to
/ meet this state of thincs9 What can Andrew