Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-10
FROM wAsI1INGTOS.
WASHINGTON. December 80.



PROPOSED REPEAL OF RESOLUTIONS RATIFY-
ING TIE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
It has transpired that movement is be-
ing made which will have an important
effect on the work Of reconstruction. A
number of leading spirits in the Conserva-
tive party are endeavoring to prevail upon
the Legislatures of those States which have
passed resolutions ratifying the constitu-
tional amendment known as article four
teenth, and which Legislatures have OBJ
tanned an anti-republican majority by the
late elections to repeal the resolutions Of
ratification. This, it is believed, they have
clearly the right to do, as the proposed
amendment, not having been ratified by
the requisite number Of States three
fourths-is not yet portion of the consti-
tuition. 1t is claimed that If New Jersey,
Ohio and California should repeal the ratl-
fication resolutions the effect would surely
be to prevent the proposed amendment
from ever becoming engrafted upon the
constitution Of the United States.
TESTING THE CoNsTITUTIoNALITY OF THE RE
CONSTRUCTION ACTS IN THE SUPREME COURT. I
There are several highly important cases
about to come before the Supreme Court
of the United States, each of which will
test the constitutionality Of the Recon
Struction acts. One case, the trial OF which
is expected to begin very shortly, will de-
eide the question as to whether Virginia is
in or out of the Union. 1T is confidently
believed that the decision Of the Court
will be that Virginia is not now and never
has been out of the Union, in which case
the situation in the Southern States will be
materially changed. The President, it is
said, will then instruct the Military District
commanders to act in strict accordance
with the decision Of the highest tribunal of
the nation, and permit the civil governments
to resume their functions untrammelled by
the military power. Ii is the belief OF d
prominent Senator here that majority of
the Judges Of the Supreme Court, when
the McArdle case comes up, will decide
that the Reconstruction HciS arc uncon
stitutional, that Chief Justice Chase will
deliver the minority report and make the
most of the opportunity to champion the
acts and identify himself yet more earn
estly with the Radical party North and
South. If the bottom should thus fell out
of the scheme for Africanizing the South
ern States it is believed Gen. Grant will re-
ject any nomination coming from the Re
publican party.
RELIEF FOR THE DESTITUTE PEOPLE OF TIE
SOUTH.
General Howard proposes to meet the
cases of distress IN the South by u liberal
application of the surplus funds under his |
control as head Of the Freedmen's Bureau.
An uneXpended balance of over, IS, Co., |
900 still remains uneXpended in the eXche |
quer of the Bureau. In the case Of some
South Carolina planters who had no money
to commence operations for raising cotton
last year, General Howard, though not
legally authorized to make such disposition
of the Bureau funds, advanced a sum Of
$50, 900, taking q lien on the crops for the |
of the money. When the plan
tiers sold their crops the entire amount was
liquidated, and General Howards benef-
cent course was gratefully appreciated. In !
the case of the Mississippi planters, who
lost everything by the river inundations, it |
is proposed to adopt q similar considerate
and polite plan of action; and to relieve
immediate distress among the working peo- !
pie it is suggested to establish depOts Of
provisions at points convenient to the dis |
tricts in which the greatest want pre-
walls.
GNNERAL GRANT ON THE RECENT REMOVALS.
It is among tho on dts that Gen. Grant
earnestly objected to the removal of Gen.
Pope ais commander of the Third Military |
District and that several ''private' letters |
relating to the removal passed between the |
President and General Grant. 1t has been |
stated that General Grant strongly urged |
the removal of Gen. Ord, commander Of |
the Fourth District, on the ground of dis
satisfaction with the conduct of General
Ord since he has been in command of that |
district. There is no foundation for thi S
rumor, we have reason to believe. The !
removal of General o. was at his own re-
quest, and General Grant made no obiec-
ton thereto,
THE PUBLICATION OF THE LETTER LIST.
The Postmaster General in view of the |
fact that SO few of the advertised letters are
delivered, had decided that from and after
January LIST, 1865, no payment will be made
for inserting the lists, provided, "any pub |
Usher of newspaper can be found willing
to do the work without charge. Also, that
all newspaper men offering to publish with
out charge shall have the privilege of copy
ing the same simultaneously
PAINT -NGs AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
The large portraits of Ex-Presidents
Polk, Tyler, Fillmore, Van Buren,, Pierce, |
and John Quincy Adams were to-day
placed in position at the Executive Man
sion on the walls of the large anto-room or
hall at the main entrance. These paintings
for some time past have been IN the mp
stairs hall at the Presidents house, but
nave nOW been placed where they can be
seen by the public.
EUROPEAN MoNARcHIEs AND THE MONROE
DOCTRINE.
Information has been received here that
the Stockholm newspaper, the Volksblatt, |
advises the Swedish government to follow
the example of Denmark by selling to the
United States its West India island of ST. |
Bartholomew. This is regarded here in
official circles another indication that Eu-
ropean monarchies are retiring from this |
continent under the influence of the Mon
roe doctrine.
SPEECH OF SENATOR MORTON ON THE ISSUES
OF 1865.
United States Senator Morton, of In
diana, in response to the invitation of the !
Soldiers and Sailors Union, addressed a |
large audience tonight, in the hall Of that
association, his subject being the issues of
1868. He said that among them would be
the complete restoration of the Southern
State governments into the hands of the
rebels by the defeat of the congressional
plan of reconstruction, and that the sue
cess of the Democratic party directly in
volved compensation for slaves, the as
sumption of the rebel war debt, and pen