The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-14

evening OF ms 6oconQ apOfEV0 aIteHpI W profluo
for the military government of the South. 1t was
essy to see last evening, as the hour approached,
according TO previous understanding, when vote
would be demanded, that GOLD THAD" was
bound up in it's success, and neryed to pitch
Of anxiety, that could scarcely be refrained
from breaking forth in vehement sneers upon the
cowardice Of his political FLOWS. And when he
did come to- trust himself to close the debate, il
was painfully apparent that the most deviish Of
that old mans passions were warrng upon his dis
cretion, and causing the wan frame to twitoh and
tremples like an aspen. On the whole, this occa-
sion was not the least impressive scene Of the
House, and many, both occupants Of the floor and
the galleries. who initiated their observation Of the
National Congress with the beginning Of the S9th
session. regard it as the most solemn and SEEM
inRly portentoIs moment Of these very troublous
councils. Imagine 'sold .THADn choking with pas
sion, and in the full realization that his last scheme
for yoking the South is foiled by members Of his
own party, who have not straw's care, in the pre-
misses, beyond Ia desire to break down the STE-
vxHs' leadership and substitute their own. Filled
with considerations like these, and smarting with
the knowledge that whatever he dictated in the
fore the 4th Of March ne1 5f else be scattered to
fh fhs winds by the ipes16ing Radical chieftains, Lo-
GAN and B6MKR, STEVENS rose to demand the
fpreviouB question: and the voice that
followed .ssltered and shook as Il said
ST have seen enough Of this House, and, as Ihave
sratoire noticed it is demoraliaed so far laugh
teri that there s not enough the spirit that sent
s here to carry out the will of the people, and per-
5sst tie Legislation which the people expect. I
have, therefore, no sanguine hope that this bill is
to be forced upon the country or upon gentlemen.
There ara words and letters in the bill, [aluding
toMr. BMaHAng criticism Of i'll, nom the first
through the whole alphabet, which some friends
object to and carp at and make an excuse for their
attacking it. Iwas quite sure, when the last bill
for reconstruction was before the House, that it's
commitment to the committee to which it was sent
would be it's death. know not whether it
is shs desire Of the House to pass any such
bill, or to disperse, go home, and leave the Pre-
aident triumphant. lam quite sure that much OF
the oppoeiticn on both sides Of the House comes
from q odiacation Of views coinciding with the
Presidents views, and that his arguments have
convinced many gentlemen that his theory is the
true one. [Great excitement among members,
most OF whom were stsnding, inorder the better
to hear and witness what was going on.l lam un-
able to learn to what extent that has prevailed,
but after the previous question shall have been
voted upon shall be better satisfied ss to whether
It is worth while to proceed farther in any attempt
byCongress to resist the power Of the President,
OF. whether it is our duty, like humble Christians,
to submit to the power that has conquered rs,
and allow the Southern people to remain in their
present condition. hope the previous question
win be sustained, and now move it."
You have already noted how the House hereto
fore refused to second the demand Of the previous
question by q vote Of sixty-one to ninety-eigh
and later, how RAYMOND and BANKs, each for him
self, declared, with very popular effect, that they
we're not to be driven, nor implicitly led, by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania To-day the Repre-
sentative Chamber has been thronged to note the
next phase in the discussion, and to see whether
sold THAD" had really, as it seemed, fred his last
shot and given up the battle, when brought to
grief last evening The result has been the recon-
uitment Of the Bill with the sundry amendments
and substitutes called out during the last day or
two, to the Committee on Reconstruction, or, as
Mr.. STEVENS himself remarks, consigns it to ''the
tomb OF the Capulets.'' And STEyENs, poor old
man. who had but to command at the commence
ment of the session, and it done, is now shorn
OF his strength, and with few Of the poorest tacti
clans of his party that will do him reverence. al
together, it must be conceded that there is God
like fatality attending the efforts Of this Congress,
which, Of surety, must bring the country nearer
TO regeneration and the grace Of the olden time if
made properly available by the President and his
advisers.
TIE STATE AND FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENTs OFFERED THE SOUTH.
7 do not know how you will regard the new
policy Of the Administration, which had been first
to South Carolina and her adjacent
sisters in the guise of an amendment to the Con-
at;tntion Of the State. Practically, however, the
main proposition is to allow your negroes to vote
~ cee them in the basis of representation, and
.h;s done look to cordil welcome in the balls OF
ConoressI Upon this feature of the subject,
have but one opinion, and that resolves itself INTO
,omethfne like this,:; II you care to concede the
,ro,oa,ition for itself alone, do SO, by all means
sntr.ncise the darkies, and point JOY fully to the
Isct that having complied with the terms proposed
pon are. therefore, nominally possessed OF oasas
- national representation founded upon unVer-
-, connt.. But never, amid any such fehcitauons'
,onceive the idea that Congress will live up to
of such an agreement, however, 1t may
,o,d ont the snare to it's embrace on the part OF
ba south. To that complexion have they come
y these Congressional haunts, that neither the
,ord OF bond of either branch Of the Government
legislature is Of the estimation OF hair In plno-
no them to an honorable fulhlment of any portion
= r the agreement to which Congress becomes |