The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-02-05

number required for It's adoption; but IN hl
proclamation he chose TO omit from bis coun
portion Of these States and seven con
federate communities to make the numbe
required by his construction. There is
precedent for his Judge. So he submitted
without authority to these same communi
ties the amendment now under considera
tion to be acted on by them in the capac
! ity of States. There Is another precedent
The Interior is prompted to issue. agricul
tnral land scrip which can only be given tC
States to the Union, and the Treasury and
/ Post Office Departments are ordered out O
their line Of duties to make some small rec
ogntion of these communities as States
These will make so many more precedents
for his Judge.
The Secretary first declares they are
States, treats them as States, procures other
Executive Departments to do likewise, and
then cites his acts and declarations to ena-
ble willing Judge to decide that they are
States, and thus launch into the heart of
the Republic a confederate shell with fuse
still burning by single twitch of his
gown.
Mr.. COOPER. Mr.. Speaker,t simply wish
to ask the honorable gentleman from Penn
sylyania, whether this House did not adopt
a resolution making it the duty of Mr.. Nc
PHERsoN, its Clerk, to forward the very
constitutional amendment about which he
is arguing to the different States lately in
rebellion before he knew the Secretary of
State had forwarded it?
Mr.. SCoFIELD. | do not recollect any
such action of the House. But If sent to
them by US 1t was only to allow them an
opportunity TO prove their loyalty by Civ
ing 1t their assent. In the preamble to the
bill readmitting Tennessee their assent to
this amendment is recited, among other
things, as evidence of the loyalty of the
government de facto, and as reason for
legtlmatizng it and admitting it into the
Union For this purpose we of course de-
sired them to have a copy, but, unlike the
Secretary of State, we did not expect that
the assent of these communities would
fasten this amendment upon the country
without the concurrence of three fourths of
the adhering States, nor that their dissent
would defeat II il that concurrence was
had
The Secretary Is clever in work of this
kind An English nobleman was at one
time exhibiting his kennel to an American
friend, and passing by many Of his show
lest bIoods they came upon one that seem
ed nearly used up. "This," said the noble
NAH, "is the most valuable animal Id the
pack although he is old, lame, blind, and
deaf" "How is that" inquired the visi-
tor. The nobleman expIainedi "His ed
ucatiOn was good, to begin with, and his
wonderful sense of smell is still unimpaired
We only take him out to catch the scent
and put the puppies on the track and then
return him to the kennel" Do not sups
pose that intend any comparison between
the Secretary Of State and that veteran
hunter Such a comparison would be nei-
ther dicuifed nor truthful, because the
Englishmah went on to sayi Il hate
owned that dog for thirteen years, and hard
as he looks he never bit the hand that fed
him, nor barked on false trail" Laugh.
ter and applause on the floor and in the
galleries, promptly checked by the Speak
er | mistook the fall of the hammer for
a notice to quit. However, | have but
little more to add The charge is often
made here all elsewhere that the Rcpub=
licau policy of reconstruction leads to disin-
tegration rather than re0niUn. In reply
to that charge [ am eudeayoring to show
that It's tendency is to harmonize and ce-
ment the Union. follow this narrow line
Of argument because it has fallen to Others
to discuss that policy in connec ton with
the abstract principles of republican gov
ernment justice, religion, humanity, and
civilization already.
When Interrupted I was going on to say
that the Secretary, in his efforts to battle
lhe Union policy Of the Republican party,
will even claim that his guerrilla govern
nents have the implied sanction OF Con
5ress. For more than a year these oreani-
cations have usurped the control of public
affairs in their several localities and system
itlcalIy oppressed and prosecuted the Union
people there. For more than year we
nave teen inactive, if not silent witnesses Of.
-hese usurpalions. We have taken no steps
o suppress them nor to provide the people
With constitutional governments. The ex-
sting ones are orty the confederate govern
merits tevived-m0re oppressive, ma ignant,
md reseutful; under the feeble restraints of.
cowed opponent than under The iron rule
If the confederate president himself The
lespotism and barbarities Of Davis were not
vantou. They had a purpose-the sue
ess Of the confederate cause. The 'sterD
allowed no further license; but
nder the Seward dynasty lyuching and
murder has become a pastime. Better by
ar for the Union men Of the South .fther
0yarnu1apfs yrarh arair, yiaooJ ,,r,-I.r H.