The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-10

and should at the same time have pend
ing measure to establish governments
in the Southern States by giving the
elective franchise to the freedmen what
would their people at home think
of such rank and radical measureSE
They had not yet had their vote on that
subject. If Congress be not content
with exercising its constitutional pow
ers and passing laws by two-thlrds
vote over the executive Veto-if we are
not content to rest ourselves on this !
exercise of power, but at the same time |
seek violently to throw the President
from his seat and dispossess the social /
ed State governments of the South, |
what are we to expect from our consult
uents at home? Will not this matter |
react !? Will not the President by-and- !
by beget sympathy with them, and Will
not such measures do far more towards
throwing the great Union party out OF
power at the next election than any
thing they will do against it? throw
out these suggestions for the considera-
ton of my friends. In continue
ton OF his remarks, Mr.. Spald-
ing said that the same at
tempt to coerce the action of the Repub-
lican members of Congress applied to
other subjects, including those of the
tariff, of internal revenue, and of the
currency. No man was acknowledged
to be Radical, unless he was in favor OF
putting such tariff on certain goods as
would amount to their exclusion, and
| in favor of allowing a circulation OF pa
per currency without Limitation. That
/ he understood to be Radicalism in the
State of Pennsylvania. While he ad-
vocated a reasonable tariff to protect
American industry, he was not prepar-
| ed TO denouuce every officer OF the gov
| ernment who thought that a portion OF
the revenue should be derived from
duty on imports. While he would
| disapprove of the curtailment of
the currency SO as to affect
| injuriously the legitimate business OF
the country, he was with the Secretary
| of the Treasury when he said We should
gradually feel our way to specie pay
] ment. -.-- -r.--.H-
Mr.. Kelley inquired whether an assu-
rance that the country could resume
specie payment within two years were
u proposition to do it gradually.
Mr.. Spalding-It occurs to me that 1t
! would be proposition TO do 1t within
two years. (Laughter.) If that is not
gradual enough tor the gentleman,
why, of course, it is not gradual
] I(Laughter.) 1 do not profess TO believe
that specie payments can be brought
about in two years. / only claim that
I an officer of the government, whom 1
believe to be endeavoring to discharge
faithfully his duty as the principal IL
nancier of the government, should not
be subjected to the tar bucket and
N.
policy to this House. That is all, do
believe, barring his political opinions
in reference to reconstruction, that the
present head of the Treasury Depart
ment, in connection with Alexander
Hamilton and Salmon p. Chase, will
; read in history as the great financial
officer in America. 1 was ready to say
that he was the proper man for the
place when Mr.. Lincoln appointed him
; 10 it. 1 believe he was appointing moi
l "A politician, but business man TO 8
business position, and my experience
with his administration of the revenue
; service at that time has served to con
: firm my Judgment in that particular
1 do not agree with the Secretary OF the
; Navy in his views of reconstruction, ol
with the Secretary of the Treasury, ol
with any of the Cabinet; but, setting
, that aside, 1 may state that all thos'
: officers discharge their duties with higt
4 integrity, and, instead OF being censur
I ed by the House of Representatives
5 they ought to be commended.
:, SPEECH OF MR.. STEVENS ON RECoSsTRUC
: TON.
: Mr.. Stevens said, in reply, that wheI
4 doctrines were advanced in the Hous
!, they became public property, and wer
;. to be dealt with by each member &C
q Ecording TO his sense of their soundnes
:, or unsoundnesS; and so, in commentinl
4 on the gentleman's (Mr. Spalding' S
- views, he had done so with no purpos
-. of offence. He had given it rs his opin
. ing that the gentleman's declaration
were wrong and mischievous, and b
= held the same doctrine to-day. 1t wa
- the entering wedge for the sanction c
II an idea; and when the constitutions
- amendment was sent forth 1t was give
= out that its adoption by the States nov
= in rebellion should be entitled to ad
- | mission of representation. He kney
that the doctrine had been assumed i
. some of the States, and was the Repu
~ Iican platform in some OF them. II
~ knew that it had been argued, not onl
~ ! in the gentleulan's MIR. Spaldlng's
"a district, but in other districts of Ohit
W " that the constitutional amendment wa
- the final action of Congress in the aC
10 mission OF these States; but in his judL
~ ment a more pernicious heresy Wa
~ never promulgated
II II Mr.. Spaulding-WilI the gentlema
have the goodness to state, whether,
% his Judgment, the adoption of the col
- stitutiOnal amendment has any bearin
- whatever on the reconstruction of thos
a States?
u, Mr.. Steyens-Not the least, excel
that when we find them fit to be admi
as ted they shall not overwhelm US by
- representation from those States, repr
40 senting negroes, who are not voter
ri That, in my Judgment, is the who
no force and effect of 1t. There are 9TH
L
Mt the great virtue OF it is that it Gu
- down their representation and tax
Ia away their power to overrule US whe
they shall form constitutions fit to
IA, represented. But the idea that there
~ ANYTHING in the constitutional amen
20 ment looking to its being included
he the constitution of the other States
be idle. 1t need not go there. If we on
Nh ratify il, why ask them to ratity i
ne They come in as any other States wou
Ira come in, under the constitution
tes amended. Asking them to vote up'
ha il is stultifying ourselves, as the edit
a., OF the Chronicle has properly said; I
Id it is calling them States and askiI
he them to take State action. How can '
ba after that say to the Executive: IS
nj YOU are wrong; these are not States
he That astute gentleman would say, IN
81 States? You have sent them an invit
~ ton to indorse the amendment to I
10 constitution, and here it comes ba
o5d Endorsed or rejected" He would sa
, il "If not States, what are they? w
on are they? Are they disorganized col
III munities, lying about as you Preten
bid Why, yon have soiemniy asked tht
No to unite with every loyal State in acti
70 which none but a loyal State can takC
in Will the gentleman (Mr. Spaldir
'nd tell US whether that is not stultifyi
M ourselves. --I.i
S 1io Mr.. SpaIding-I ask the gentIem
- whether his own bill does not conte
OF plate recognizing them as States?
I'll Mr.. SteVens-It does by the act
md Congress
@ 'iiS MI. Spalding-Exactly; and that
ami my idea, too.
+ upon the present organization to q
. = We rrOT,OSa IN ranudi te than OursRl {