The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-03-12
RECONSTRUCTION.

SrEEcu OF Hon. +. L. WoopnRDdr IL
TIE Ilousn or REPRESENTATIVES,
FFp'Y IS, 1867.
The House having under consideration
the bill or. r. No. ll43) to provide for
the more efficient government Of the lately
rebcious States. Mr.. Woodbridg' said
Mr.. Speaker: | think tt will be admit
ted by all that when we adopted the con-
situtional amendments at the last session
Of Congress it was with the understanding
that upon their ratification by the rebel
lious States, restoration to the Union and
representation in Congress would naturally
and perhaps necessarily follow. We went
to the country upon that ground and made
it an issue in the elections last autumn.
( A triumphant and overwhelming majority
Of the loyal people sustained us. The
South instead of accepting our reasonable
and generous propositions, hurled them
back upon us with derision AMI scOrn and
regardless of all law, either human or di
vine. and with rccklcssness and hate
worthy only Of demons, have oppressed
loyal men; refused to protect Their persons
nr,roo.r,y. dr;,on ,be,, (rom ,Le,r hnmos
ami tL,ir St,tcs for no other reason than
hsco,,.c ,l,.,. .,ood hv fine GRAND old Gao
anil ir .rrn,,uts are iruo tbev have beat
en- and scuurged and murdered the poor
freedm1n. AMI never in a single instance
has the offender been punished.
+, rim. con li,;,n of thing, An additional
driy !. ,,r,,.cI unon Conrre.s. and that
i Gr., ri nj, to nrovide so,nc means
yhorohv I,yo, mon !, tho Smith shall b..
,,a,oo,''l ~ +ho;,. ,,or,ons orJ nronorty
/ I-.,1,.,Ii, ,,n,...,,.,,,,,t olli,,o,in, nr tho
/ r,nyor,,,oo, to ali ;ts l,vol cit;z,ns the
IN ;n,r,Jncc1 tho o.b,,, l,v hv the dis
,;nrn;.l,ol nonil,r,ar from i,crnsvlv,nia
/ rNfr Sterens I callsl the military hill
,Yas iu.,;,i,hle and met with INV snnnort
I1n,ro,,r inconsistent with q Ronnblic
,nor,i,I l,v, ,n,,. ho or hovcvcr onerous
- r,;i;,,r,, ,-ovc,,,,ant NAV hc. Conrress
"a tho .nnremc lcc;-l,tiva b,dv of the ma
lion. NAV establish either or both when
,,e s,fotv of the Government or of the
ncorle demand it I was not particularlv
nlenscd with the bill. and Greatly pref'r
,I,,,o,,,l,,,n, ,.li,,h L,s n,.ssI rho S.n-
o,e and x now un1cr consideration. |
Greatly d,uh,.1 tha coustitutionnlitv Of
tbc nrovi.i,n directinr the General of the
Armv to detail officers not below the
RAM! or b-j.ralier generals. TO command
,hc ,l;.tricts int, vii; in tho ten reh,llious
state, were Jiyj led. upon the crounl that
C,nore.s has NO nu,h6rjtY 70 Grant 10 onv
one = nor,r III, exercise. of which directly
incing.s npon that clause in the Constitn
tion which makes the President OF tbe
United States the Commander in. Chief of
tbe Army and Navy.
Somewhat distru,tino nv own iud...
mcn,, however. and differing with several
gentlemen. for whose opinions entertain
the proiounde,t respect. supported the
hill b,lieyinr that tine Senate wopll re-.
li,ve il of any unco,.titutiunal provi>ion.
II seemed that fine Senate agreed with
M, and n the smendm,n. have riyen TO
the President tine mower which in the
oriuusl hill was conferred upon the Tenc.
raj of the Army. The country demand
of ths present Congress two tbincs rcspcct-
inc the rebellion, States one is such leg
i,i'i;o, ,s will nrotect lov,I mon. hl,rL
and white. in their lives, liberty. and
nroncrtv the other i, some well defined
nlon or platform bv which the loval nco.
nile of the South NAV reorcaniz, anil re-.
establish State Governments. republican
in form, which may be recognized and
accepted by Congress, and they thereby
become entitled 10 representation as States
in the Union. Thi. Congress, sir, will be
untrue TO itself and untrue 10 the country
if it a@journs without accomplishing these
two results, and doubt whether the par
ty can sustain self which fails to do So.
Mr.. Speaker, | will briefly examine
the proposed amendment for the purpose
Of convincing gentlemen, if possible, that
it will meet the eXgencies of the times
and the demands of the country. | con-
fesS, sir, that it does not entirely suit me.
Willie, in my Judgement, the purposes
which we seek may be fairly attained un-
der its provisions, | would prefer such
alterations AS would leave nothing to in