New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-03-05
THE XXXIXth CONGRESS.

States Its first step had absolutely refuse adj
mission to the representatives Of those States aud thus 10
assert its right to fix the terms Of reconstruction It's
second step was to devise immediate measures
for the protection OF loyal and freedmen In
those States, and legislation with that object was
embodied In two great laws both OF which were
passed over the veOes Of the President These the
bill to enlarge the powers OF the Freedmens Bureau aid
the Civil Rights bill. third measure, intended to be at
least basis Of reconstruction, the Amendment to
the Constitution OF the United States In these three
the important action Of the Congress in its first
session may be said to have been included and valuable
they were, none OF them solved the problem The
Freedmens Bureau and the Civil Rights bill mainly
OF protection the latter however establishing
impartial conditions Of czenshpbu neither provided for
representation of the Rebel States in Congress The Con
stutonal Amendment went further; it excluded Rebels
from voting for President Congressman till 1870 per
manenty deprived certain classes OF traitors OF the right
to hold office and changed the basis of representation
from population TO the number Of legal voters But 10
did settle the allmpOtant questions Of suffrage and
the method OF state reorganization and Congress adj
journed July 49, leaving the country without plan Of
construction though strongly encouraged by these
and the emphatic assurance that the Presidents
policy would In case DC sustained.
During the great events which rocked the
nation to and fro and deepened and wdened the gulf be-
tween loyalty and treason, Repubicansm and DemOc
racy. Two days after its adjournment convention OF
loyal men, assembled in EewOreans was attackedby
Rebel mob which murdered It's members. melted by
hatred OF their loyalty, and encouraged by the civil au-
thOrities OF NewOrlean who in their turn were pro-
eced and justified by the President OF the United States.
This massacre aroused the indignation OF the North, u
creased by the indifference of the President and only
moderated by the military measures taken by Gen.
Sheridan. Then followed in September the johnson Con-
vention at PHILADELPHIA In which every Southern
State was represented by leading Rebels, aud the
North by members OF the Democratic party
and renegade Republicans. This Convention was
intended as an assurance that the South was willing
TO compromise with the North, and that reason
sted for denying it representation in Congress Bus
though Mr. johnson wept tears Of Joy over the touching
spectacle Of the embraces Of Gov Orr Of South Carolina
and Gen Couch of Massachusetts loyal men Interpreted
them TO mean not that Rebels acknowledged their crimes.
but that Northern forgot their principles.
The Convention failed TO affect the purpose
OF the North, and was Immediately succeeded
by that OF the Southern LOyalsts, in which
the true men OF the South affirmed that though the
Southern States had abandoned rebellion they had not
ceased dsloya and appealed TO the North not to
consent the restoration of civil governments from
which Union excluded and under which the
negro was to be crushed. While this Convention in
session the President attended by several members OK
his Cabinet and officers OF the army making his eel
brated pilgrimage 20 the tomb OF Stephen A. Douglas,
pausng in every the line OF his journey to de-
nounce Congress the of national troubles. to
assert the loyalty OF the South and TO ask for his policy
| the Endorsement OF the people. AT st. Louis
Mr. johnson accused the Radicals in Congress OF
instigating the New-Oreans massacre and nowhere
! was he warmly received by the people. He returned
dspirted to Washington, and the effect Of hts denunci-
Of Congress and apologies for the South soon
evident in the Fall elections Vermont wa. Oyerwhem-
ingly carried by the Republicans; in Maine the Repub
lican party swept the State with gain Of 5000
votes; Pennsylvania in october elected Gen. Geary
! TO the Goyernorship, pledged to extreme oppo-
! sition TO Mr. JObDson's policy; In November New
| York. Michigan, Illinois, New-JerSey and, other
States by decisive votes, sustained the policy Of
Congress- and elected to the XLth Congress wohirds
majority against that Of the President With the excep-
ton OF Maryland and Delaware not single State entitled
representation in Congress approved OF the Presidents
acts and in Maryland the Republican ticket was III
part successful There Is question but that IN heso
elections Congress and the President appealed to tho
people, and popular decision was never given vita
more emphasis.
! Thus when the XXXIXth Congress entered upon its
Second Session, 10 resumed its work under instructions
from the people TO complete inthe spirit in which 1t
had begun majority might be said to have been re-
elected to the XLth Congress. and in fact nearly all tho
more radical members had been again chosen while few
OF the Republicans who had shown desire to compro-
mise with the President had received denomination Ana
no principle had been clearly and powerfully pro-
claimed by the people than that they would accept no
plan Of reconstruction OF which Impartial Suffrage should
not be an element Rebels may not vote in the reorgan-
zation Of the Southern States, but the loyal negro must
This decree fully understood by the majority Of the
Radicals.
The House of Representatives full OF ardor and
struck the first blow. The first day OF the session,
/ December ). it passed the resolution repeating tho
amnesty powers OF the President by vote OF Ill to 3D.
IL did not even wait to the Message OF the PreS
dent drcary document in which his condemned policy
were reiterated, and which possessed little Importance
except as an indication that he did not intend to accept
VVli hp hnl q resSlg
! appealed II was not until January A. that tho
senate passed this resolution, but it did so
/ by the decisive vote OF % 10 7, and 1t finally
became law without any action OF the President, who
detained ii beyond the time in which he required either
to sign bills or return them with his objections. This
measure withdrew the extraordinary power a previous
Congress had conferred the Executive, and whicht
WAS considered Mr.. johnson had abused by pardoAing
leading Rebels before lhcr trial. Tho Senate though
datory gard to this BILL originated another OF equal
Importance The first day OF the session, Mr. sumner
made an attempt call up the bill establishing Impartial
Suffrage in the District OF Columbia but 1t was not
passed TN Dec. IS, when it received 50 votes
TO H. An unavallng effort had been made to estab-
sh an educational test for voters, and the Democrats
sought To complcate the main issue with that OF tue
right OF to vote The Senate however, eonented
itself with aboshing all distinction OF coor in the exer-
else OF the elective franchise in the capital OF the naton'
and the bill passed the House the 18th The PreS-
dent Of course refused 20 sign IT, and January 1t was
passed over his by twohrds votes in both Houses
and became the Supreme law AMID the rjolcnSs OF tue
people. nm -t'sS"- n
! The Reconstruction Committee which, during the Firss
Session. cxer!cd vast mlgcg.e on legislation, was reogaA
Itd bu during the Second Session was Of less import
anc6. Congress its own Committee. In December
numerous bills pending for the representation of tho
Rebel States were introduced in the House, and under
resolution all were referred 70 the Reconstruction Com
mttec in which most OF them buried. Nothing