The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-06-28
wENDELL PHILLIPs.
IA. Views Regarding a July session
OF Congress, and it's Results.

We are glad to see the press, in some
! influential quarters, waking up to the
necessity OF an extra session OF Con-
gress in July. Ihe most yigilant mem
bers of Congress are, we know. In favor
of 1t, and all the signs Of the times
show how indispensable 1t Is.
In present circumstances, Congress Is
the great pnblic power of the Govern
ment. As an influential Senator says,
"Congress in session Is equal to a dozen
sitting, Judge Kelly would never have
been assaulted in Mobile.n Atpresent,
the President. overawed- by the fear of
a July session, ventures on no open
DEMONSTRATION against the Military Re-
construction act. What his nnderhand
efforts are, we can easily Judge from
the tone of his friends, and their struE-
giles TO thwart it. 1t will be remem-
bered that Congress ordered a session
/ in July, and one will take place unless
SO many absent themselves as to leave
no quorum. Now, let no quorum ap-
pear-let Mr.. johnson see such indihsr-
ence on the part of Congress and such
trust in himself as will lead its mem
beTs to stay at home-and We
shall, soon have such executive in
terference at the South as will sub.
stantially defeat the whole policy.
of the Military act. No intelli-
gent man can doubt as to the disposi-
| ton of the President. The instances of
his interference hitherto, the opinions
of the Attorney General, furnished to
! order, and intended as the basis of fu-
ture reoperaIiOns-all clearly demonstrate
| where Mr.. Johnson's heart is. Doubt
/ less even these indications of his real
wish would have been withheld, and
the North kept wholly in the dark, had
this been pUssiblei but it was necessary
| to give his friends, North and South,
some clue TO his plan, otherwise they
might so fully cooperate with military
! reconstruction, and be so far committed
| TO 1t, as to make retreat difficult, If not
| impossible.
| We are far from regarding the militia
| ry act as perfect, or a finality. Except
as gain and pledge of future still
more stringent action, we deplored Its
passage. II our object were only to
| prolong the confusion and embarrass
the Republican party, we should rejoice
| in the postponement OF session, sure
that, in that long five months monop-
| oily of power the President would play
such tricks before high heaven and the
people, as would bring their represen-
tatives together in December in such
mood of positive and angry radicalism
as the nation has not yet seen.
Let Mr.. johnson remove Gen. Sheri-
| dan, aud he doubles the chances of con-
tiscation, 10 acres for each labOrer,
and constitutional amendment Sc
| curing suuFdR6 duu universal euuCa-
tion. Jefferson Davis wrote Lincoln's
proclamation of emancipation. South
| ern armies forced the anti-slavery
amendment on the Government. Con-
greSs may meet in July and complete
its own measure, "hiving up wisdom"
as event after event shows its defects;
or members may desert their places,
be recreant to duty, and tempt execu-
| tive violence and usurpation until an
indignant people force them back to
/ their places with orders to sweep the
South, like u IL reshing- floor, clean of
| everything which lifts its head above
the one dead.level OF unuuestioning
submission 10 the sword of the con-
queror.
Tho friend of the South who longs
that she may have rest; the business
man, waiting anxiously for quiet wa
ters, that he may spread his sails; the
| patriot who breads any pEOlOngattOn OF
| this critical state of national affairs
are all pleaders with Congress that it
assemble and watch its own work. Let
not lookers-on sneeringly guess" that
we should have an extra session if
members were paid by the day; but,
paid salary by the year, they mind
their own private affairs, and let the
nation stagger on under its burden of a
| traitor head. The people will note care
fully who report themselves at the Cap
ital on July 4th, and they will hold the
hDseul 10 sLFlCG AccOunt. Leu NO metn-
Der hope for mercy who baulks us.
There is no serving by substitute In
this warfare. Congress can declare
its powers TO no deputy. The great
council of the nation at all times, and
now its great police power, it cannot
safely surrender the Government into
any hands. Charge the delay, the
peril and the blood OF the next four
years, to the loiterers at home, If their
absence defeats the session in July.
The Presidential election grows
nearer and nearer. The two great par
ties in the game are Andrew johnson
and the Republicans. The Democrats
stand aside, biding their time; to sub
NIT in silence If the Republicans know
their opportunity, TO sweep the board
for clean candidate, II, by any chance,
johnson wins-not for himself, but for
| some less known traitor. As the inter-
val sbortens, the President grows more
urgent. His success lies in defeating
Congress at the South. The summer
of 1865 will be repeated II he has WASH
ington to himself from July to Decem-
ber. How near that mistake of 1865
| brought US to grave disaster, we all
know. Every Congressman knows
this, and will be held responsible for
| conduct betitting such knowledge.
There is negligence so gross that the
| law deems it equivalent to dishonesty.
Any member of Congress who. with
! the experience of 1865 behind him, eX.
poses us to another summer, VIII be
guilty of that gross negligence"
which the Roman lawyers define as
"the not knowing IVhdt al men kHoi0."
We hold every loiterer at home who
prevents a July session, guilty of that
fraud, which the law attributes to such
negligence. WENDELL PHILLIPS.
THE Democratic organ in Washing
Il