Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-19

TO The welfare Of the nation. 1t was the
duty OF Congress to comgaence at the very
bottom and build upward. Slavery having
ceased the blacks had become part Of the
people, and Congress should recognize no
attempt at reconstruction which ignored
them. Sooner or later the American
people would reach the reconstruction Of
Rebel States on a basis Of impartial justice
and equal rights and all attempts at a re-
organization on a different basis would be
bat temporary and destructive The Union
people would not long tolerate this carnival
Of violence and murder nov raging in the
Rebel States.
Mr.. Eldridge spoke in opposition to the
bill. He knew it was of little avail to offer
any resistance to the settled decree Of the
majority of the House, but il Wal sad to sit
silent and see the republic go 20 ruin with
the passage of this bill; it must die, every
vestige Of a constitutional government, if
the bill itself did not proclaim the facts Of
its author. Mr.. Stevens had boldly pro-
claimed that it was revolutionary and sab
massive, and as Mr. Stevens bill appeared
to be law TO this House, but would Congress,
and would the people submit to such
dietation 10 constitutional power or auth
ority for this bill Absolutely none of its
| principles were false in the theory, and in
| fact as destructive Of the Federal power as
| Of the States. There never was a more
/ abominable doctrine than that which as
serted the right Of the government to hold
| the rebellious States as conquered territory.
| If persisted ia and acquised in BY the peo-
! pie it would oyerthraw the republic and
establish a daspotism on its ruins.
A bill was reported to the House to-day
by Mr.. Randall, providing that after the
passage il shall be unlawful to issue as
money any notes or bills. 1t authorizes
the Secretary Of the Treasury to issue
notes not exceeding three hundred million
dollars in United States notes not bearing
interest, of such denomination as be
may deem expedient. Said notes to be
used only in exchange for national bank
issues and fo= the purchase Of such amount
of United States lands as may be necessary
to carry out the true interest of this act
messrs. Warner and Henderson spoke il
favor Of the reconstruction bill.
! Mr.. Clark, of Ohio, made a speech OF
the financial question, arguing against the
contraction Of currency. he professeC
himself an enemy to national banks, bu
he held that instead of the government
paying eighteen millions year in gold t.
those banks for the use of their papel
money, the government should itself ISSUE
paper currency, and continue to do so un
til the national debt is eKtinguished. l
the government we're to issue one THOUSAND
million dollars in currency and redeem it
interest bearing bonds to the amount, TIL
interestwould be reduced sixty millions
Of dollarsin gold and the debt would be il
rapid progress Of extinction.
Mr.. Kuykendall spoke on the same sub
ject contending that the Treasury Depart
ment should be reorganized by the appoint
ment Of Board of Central Of four or fyr
members, including the Secretary of tn
Treasury, and that all banks, State ant
national, should be abolished.
On motion, the House adjourned.