, 1867-08-23
-Thad. s,eren. on ths sl,untlon.

as taken down by the visitor and submitted to
him, are published:
STEVENS DECLARES rHE FORMER SOUTHERN STATES
TO BE OUT OF TIE UNION.
'tThis being the case," continued Mr.. Stevens
10 substance, ''as soon as the war was closed by
the triumph Of the Union arms, the Rebel States
became nothing more nor less than the conquer.
ed territory of the. United States. 10 every re.
spect' they were just as much subject TO their
eonquerors as though they had been previously
aforeign country. The C0ustitution, which i
the basis, of our own Government, bad nothinp
to do With them. We bad the power-I mean
Congress had toe power-to make such laws as
might seem proper for their temporary govern.
ment and such laws were not to be measured by
%hs test OF the Constitution. In like manner,
there being no longer any States in existence in
the conquered territory, Congress alone had the
power 10 reconstruct it into States for admission
to the Union, and for that purpose could cut it
up in any manner that might appear desirable,
without regard to former divisions. No other
power than Congress had authority to recon
struct this conquered territory or to make laws
for its government; and any exercise of such
authority by any other branch of the Governs
ment was usurpation the functions and pow
ers of Congress. Viewed by this light the whole
work OF reconstruction was simple enough, and
if the majority in Congress had honestly and
firmly carried out this principle in all their eg>
islatiou, there would have been no complication
or difficulty about it,"
WHAT THE MILITARY BILL REALLY WAS.
"When the.bill became law, it was therefore
simply the instructions of Congress to FIVE mill
tary agents, Generals in the Army of the United
States, who should be named BY the President
as to how they were to go on and do certain
work IN the conquered territory, laid down by
Congress. We never thought of delegating the
rlght 10 the President, or any other person,
Judge, Attorney y-General, or any one else to inS
terPret the law or to order the military COM
mande-E whatto do. Neither had the conquered
people any right to appeal to the Courts to test
the 'Constitutionality' OF the law. The Const>
tuition had nothing to do with them, nor they
with it. They were outside the pale of the Con-
stitution. The President had no sight to inter-
fere in the execution of the law by the military
commanders. The Attorney General had no
right to give any opinion about what Congress
had done or was doing. Congress had not asked
him for any opinion
STEVENS THINKS NEW YORK STATE WILL GO AGAINST
RADIcALlsM THIS YEAR.
n think you Radicals will be killed by con-
servatism in New York. Your republicans are
what the Indian would call mighty uncertain
They have no boldness or settled principle.
Your last years platform was one of the most
aosurd and cowardly that could be adopted IN a
country running rapidly to radicalism. Greeley
has generally spit upon such platforms but /
suppose be will be for a still more diluted one
next year. Your representatives are not reliaN
BILE. look upon Latin as an entirely demoral-
lied man. Most of the others are no better than
he. Conkling has hitherto been true, and hope
he will continue so in his new position. be-
lieve New York will be lost this wear by want of
earnestDess in the cause, and by the dishwater
which has been thrown around by Greeley R1d
Gerrit Smith"
HE ALSO THINKS PENNSYLVANIA WILL DESoUNcE
RADICALIsM.
QuesHon.-Is the Republican party well united
in Pennsylvania
Mr.. Stepens.-I fear that we shall lose Penn
sylvania this next election. l do not think we
have earnestness enough in the State to unite
and draw out the republican strength. while the
republican portion of our Legislature has been
SO openly, not3riously, and shamefully corrupt,
that all the honest people in the State are dis
heartened aud disgusted.
Question.-You do not suppose you can beat
New York in corruption do you?
Mr., StevenS.-I think we could. Cameron had
his men with their handfuls OF green backs
working in the Legislature. He had not four
teen votes in his favor at the close of the cleo
lion, but soon after he had forty. One man now
claims $50, 900 for services, and they refuse to
pay him. This corruption will certainly beat as
here next election, unless we draw out the res
publican strength by getting up a Juror and ex,
element on impeachment. Geary, too, hurts US
very much. He is an unhappy failure, and his
nomination was an unfortunate thing for the
party.