Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-09-06
Letter from Thaddeus Stcyens-RecOnstruc
ton and the Military RESPONSIBILITIES
esffn1 CorreSnonhence

Letter from Thatdeus stevens Reconstruc-
ton and the Military Removals-Inter.
esting Correspondence.
LANCASTER, Pa, Aug 27.-The follow
ing correspondence will appear tomorrow
in the Herald and Examiner :
PHILADELPHIA, PA, Aug. o. 1S64.-Hon.
Thaddeus Stevens, Lancaster, Pa.-Dear
Sir Several of your intelligent constitu-
ents in this region, no doubt from want of
proper information, are complaining Of
mistakes made by Congress i'll not passing
laws at the last session restraining the
removal of certain officers engaged in re-
construction. | commended that you had
passed an act at the very close providing
for that very contingency, but which is not
executed. Will you be SO good as to in
form me how far our representation is re-
sponsible for this omission, if omission it
be ? You know we are in the habit of
dealing Familiarity with the member from
the ninth district. A brief answer will
much oblige your friend,
SAMUEL SCHoCH.
LANCASTER, Pa, August 90 1867-Col.
Samuel Schoch, Columbia, Pa.-Dear Sir :
You are right in supposing that Congress
made mistakes, as is the inevitable lot of
man, but you mistake in snpposing that
there is any law to prohibit the removal of
district commanders without the consent of
the Senate. Soon after the commencement
of the last session of Congress [ reported
bill from the committee of the House of
Representatives, which contained pro-
vision prohibiting removal without the
consent of the Senate. It passed the House
and was sent to the Senate. The Senate
struck it out and returned it to the House,
who refused to concur in the amendment.
The result was @ committee of conference,
where an animated contest ensued
There were several other questions in
controversy between the houses, which the
House offered to yield if this could be
granted. The Senate persistentenly refused,
declaring that they would sooner lose the
bill. AS that would Illustrate all our legis-
lation it could not be allowed. The House
yielded, with O. warming of the evils it
would infict upon the country. Some of
the members of the Senate seemed to
doubt their power under the constitution,
which they had just repudiated, and out
side of which all agreed that we were act
ing, else our whole work of reconstruction
was usurpation; or perhaps they had de-
sire to be thought grayely conservative and
magnanimous.
These ideas seemed to control the action
of some half dozen Senators, who preferred
trusting the President. My dear Colonel,
few Senators of great ability, undoubted
patriotism and purity, have become so sat.
urated with what they were pleased to call
Sc conservatism, Whose meaning [ confess
[ am unable to understand that [ fear
they will forget the monster that was slain
in 1776, and again in 1861, and will thus
do great damage to the creation of gov
eminent now SO capable of being convert
ed into political paradise. This is liable
to happen, not so much by direct and pal
pable attack upon its framework as by
gradually forgetting the vital principles of
the Declaration of Independence.
Strike out one of the living sparks
which give life to our Goddess of Liberty,
and the mysterious and intense heat whose
welding fires, nearly a century ago, and at
present are fusing principles of freedom
and reducing despotism to cinders, will
gradually cool, until the most conservative
despot could thrust his sword into it with
out affecting its temper. I have said above
that [ did not know the meaning of the
word conservatism. I have since
seen the report of a speech said to
have been made by an Ohio Senator at
Canton, Ohio, which, if it be truly report
ed and is to be considered definition of
that doctrine, then it to me is very alarm
ing-worse than apprehension. It is le-
gislation without authority, and reconstruct
ton by usurpation.
am very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,