The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-05-17

ulullOllS. Illul MuS lllc uliSMtl SANth
me when ] proposed an amendment, as
it was the answer given when other
amendments introducing regulations
into the administration of this system
were offered. Described, then, in general
terms and according to the plain and
unquestiOnahle fact, this section of coun-
try Is under absolute military rule and
this whole proceeding for the reorgani-
zatiOn of civil governments according
to the wishes and according to the plea
sure of Congress is to be absolutely and
entirely under the control of the mill
tary power. There is not one jot of ju-
diCial power orauthority to be exercised
through any court or magistrate i'll or
about the whole proceeding from begin
ming to end. Well, then, and truly did
the Senator from Massachusetts de-
scribe these prospective states as States
to be born into existence and to take
their places among our States by virtue
of the bayonet; or, to abandon the fig
ure of speech and to use palmer Ian
guage, by military power. That he
should be called to account for this Ian
guage that the accuracy, the propriety,
! fitness and timeliness of this descrip-
tion should be impeached, is most sur
| prising.
rose, sir, in behalf of common rea-
son and fairness to protest in his behalf
although | am volunteer upon the
occasion-against the Justice of the criti-
cisms which have been leveled against
him, or rather against his remarks.
Mr.. STEWART. l wish to say to
the gentleman that his apology in. be-
half of the Senator from Massachusetts,
is entirely satisfactory.
Mr.. BUCKALEW. Then, sir, will
proceed to the other point; and | pro-
pose TO make that equally plain, and l
hope equally satisfactory. 1t has been
objected to the Senator from Massachu-
setts that he comes forward here near
the close of the debate, at late hour in
the evening, with a new proposition (;
with 4 condition, or a guarantee, or a
provision, lhowever you may describe
it, which looks to something further,
which looks to something beyond what
has heretofore been proposed. Now,
sir, | Justify the Senator from Massa-
chusctts for this as we'll as for his descrip-
tiOn of these new States or of the man.
ncr in which they are to come into cX-
istcnce. The Senator from MasSachu-
sets is the pioneer of agitation upon
this floor, and he has filled that position
for years. / have not been an inatten-
tive observer of the general course of
debate and of the general succession OF
events in this Chamber and in this Coy
ernment during the last five or six
years. And, sir, the propositions which
the Senator from Massachusetts makes
one year, and which are criticised by his
colleagues as extreme, inappropriate,
and untimely, are precisely the propo-
stions which those colleagues support
: with greater zeal and vehemence, if pos
sible, than he, the year following. In
short, sir, we can foresec at one session
of Congress the character Of the prOpO-
stions and of the arguments with which
we are to be favored at the next in this
Chamber, by looking to the pioneer
: man, who goes forward in advance, his
banner thrown out, his cause an
! nounced, the means by which it shall
! be carried on and the objects in view
! proclaimed with force and frankncss.
Now, sir, the Senator from Massachu
sctt, sees rs clearly as | see, and rs 9th
er rejecting men see, that this measure
of reconstruction, as it is facetiouslS
- termed, adopted at the late session, t
: which the present bill is Il supplement
is not the conclusion Mr.. SUMNER. Oh
course not. of our agitatiOns in thi'
country upon this subject Of reconstruc
; ton and upon the relations of the two
y
G that caution which sagacious man Il
l bound to exercise, or at least may wei
4 exercise, he gives us notice in advance
= that this gulf is not closed up, that there
\ are debates and difficulties and question
: in the future, and that warm passion
u will be abroad. When the recOnstruc
/; ton bill, SO-called, was passed near th
1 close Of the late session, | endeaVOreC
; then, stating my views upon that sub
icct, to give reasons for believing that i
: was not measure of adjustment. | d'
: not believe that Congress alone will ev
= cr settle this question, this sectional dit
II iiculty about which we have had war
II and about which we are now passing
y laWs--l mean the relations of race-anC
;, il never will be settled until it is set
?, tied by the sovereign people thcmselve
a at their popular elections, when the,
e shall choose TO somewhat reOrganiz
: and "rccOnstruct' our political parties
o when it shall be dccrccd by them tina
l. there shall be Il settlement; when the,
: shall begin to choose agents to repre-
" sent them pledged to end our sectiona
l. disputes with all the troubles which al
le tend them.
n say, then, that in my opinion tn
D. Senator from Massachusetts, stands ju,
al titled by the necessities Of his positio
$. ~ the pioneer man Of his political ol
= ganizatiOn in saving the point of homo
is for himself for the future, in preparin
himself to point back in future times
II this very debate and to other debates {
rs the present session, in which he has il
n dicated clearly that your cOntrivanc'
II for patching up a hollow treaty of peat
nj between the North and South did NJ
le deceive or bind him, and that he shoul
le he ut perfect liberty to resume or eol
ne tinuc that career of agitation which |
N doubt his friends think useful, b
a. which those who differ from him
m opinion must be permitted to think pc
r niciOus.n
OF 1t is scarcely necessary to rema
%. that Mr.. Buckalew's declarations Il
or rapidly approaching fultillment. I
lg quietncss or apathy with which t
y, Southern people have accepted t
an grinding provisions of the despotis
or bills, has already brought almostall
of Radical leaders over.to Summers po
p- tion that those bills shall not be cons
~ ~, cred finality. Although his subs
ro- tute for the military bill was defeat
by vote of 20 to 20, there is not nov
re- single Radical leader except Sena
M M Wilson who contends for Southern r.
IN resentation upon the acceptance Of
Sc odious and tyranical conditions of
zen military bill, and, for so doing, he
an subjected to the indignity of being
ed, ken to task by Thad. Stevens as an
nd authorized peddler of amnesty.
viii Senator Buckalew's remarks are
lla- portant as showing how completely
to understands the Radical party and h
.pi .,..,,v,t,I,, Ia hn. ,,nn-ural its lp1It