Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1867-02-08
From Washington.
We copy the following from The Wash
hg on correspondence OF the Springfield
Republican

Republican
MR.. sTEyENs's ENABLING BILL.
The Stevens reconstruction bill has
broken down. call it the Stevens bill"
because he was the leader in the movement
in the House for further legislation. Ash
ley Of Ohio had bill of his own and fol-
lowed closely after Thad Stevens, and
Shellabarger of Ohio, one of the ablest of
the extremists in the House, added amend.
ments 10 the Stevens bill, or substitute
for an important section of it. The House
wouldn't take the subject up for serious
consideration. 1t did not object to any
amount of debate, but when Mr.. Stevens
said. Now, gentlemen, let us go to work
and perfect this bill and pass it in some
shape" the House refused, and sent the
whole subj"ct back to the joint committee
on reconstruction. / find many persons
who do not comprehend this action of the
House. They ask, !" Have the republi-
cans, part of them at least, joined the
copperheads in postponing all further leg
isla'ion for the South, and thus playing
into the hands. of the PRESIDENT" No,
that is not true. A majority of the House
believe that it will do very well to rest
upon the constitutional amendment for
little while longer. The South is obstinate
and rejects even that moderate proposition
with contempt She is shut out from the
halls of Congress. Can't we endure it, if
she can? Let her stay out in the cold and
suik till she gets sick of it, or if there is
no chance for her return to reason, then
let Congress mature a measure for com
pelling compliance to our wishes in the
rebellious States. To show that haste will
have no good practical result, l have but
to call attention to the fact that we can
hope for nothing so long as Andrew John
son remains president. This is the reply
to the question, +" Are you in favor of de-
serting the freedmen" What can be done
so long as Mr.. johnson is president? To
pass a law is not worth much. 1t must be
executed.
THE SUPREME COURT.
And then there is the supreme court.
Suppose the Stevens territorial bill passed.
The court will unquestionably declare the
law unconstitutional and the president can
act upon its decision. / take it, therefore,
that Congress must have patience; that
there is sort of deadlock between the
executive and Cnngress and that CnngrAss
and the country must wait till after the
presidential election, or impeach Mr.. John
son at once. This is sensible it is not SEN
sible to pile law upon law which are of no
value unless thoroughly executed. Then,
too, with most Of these cases the RESPONSE
bility rests not with the president but with
The people of the States. Take the civil
rights law for instance. Southern courts
declare it unconstitutional, and no friend
of the freedmen seems to care enough
What has the president to do in such a
case ? The fact il Gen. Thomas is right.
He testified the other day that the south.
ern States needed depressing military
power for some time yet. He stated under
oath that in his opinion the freedmen had
no rights in many parts of the rebellious
states which he could maintain. If this
be true, then the war is not over and the
South needs a military government.
THE HOUSE DEBATE.
| In the debate in the House upon Mr..
Stevens bill, some very clever speeches
were made. Raymond made an ingenious
argument. Shelabarger spoke with his
accustomed eloquence. Scofeld of Pa,
made a very forcible reply to Ross, and
other copperheads who growl because the
republicans have grown in grace during
the last few years and are, therefore,
guilty of Inconsistency" This is the
way Scofiield put it,
"A gentleman who had witnessed the
great fire in Pittsburg some years ago. by
which large portion of that city was de-
stroyed, was entertaining me some time
afterward with little incident of the ca
lamity illustrating the conduct of men
under peculiar circumstances. He said
he noticed builder as the flames were
flying rapidly from block to block, coolly
standing upon the pavement and watching
their progress. As they passed into a
block in which my friend was largely in
trrested, the builder approached him and
said: :" Will you rebuild this year," " No,
sir" said my friend. I" hope 10 save my
block with a little repair" But the flames
ragged on, and in little while they were
bursting from the roof. The builder ap-
preached him again and said, 4" Will you
use the walls in rebuilding 49, Certainly"
said my friend; intend to use the walls
if l can possibly save them" But soon
the walls began to fall one by one, and
those that did not fall by the flames were
demolished by the tiremen. The builder
once more approached my fri nd a, d said,
viii you rebuild on the old foundations p
And the man gave an affirmative answer.