New-York tribune., 1868-07-28
THE XLrH CONGRESS.

e., its successor TO do 10 employ II wen io % ,t
ious months The First session oIo'ou a. ~ Do' o
.bof March 1867. The principal questions 'O'ou - II
sarilv those growing out OF the ne" Io"tio"'
-, between the Government and the southern
60 The Reconstruction Act had Deen 'H'""' az
.-,ed nv the South and the prospect loi Io'' , o.
,,r,snerity was Frightening, but circumstance
change necessary, and supplemental go al
ma we're introduced by Nj. Wilson ln tho 0e'.C' "''
Mr. KeYy I'm the House. These oIis "e'o 'NOio
- az 80. -, s,perseded by the bin reported TO the
t{orse nv the Judiciary Committee on the 4l'n VI i' "a
- s.ad the House and the Senate buJ was Ne'oou "
&c president who feared that the DHl gave TOO uO'
49, w - enc military commanders, who were directly
onsihle 20 himself, and he doubted whether acting
,bout his permission they could be inrusted with Ihe
col Of the Southern people His veto was disregaroed'
and the twohrd vote Of Congress, made the Dh Ia" Oh
e land Attic beginning of the session the loyal hear ol
M North was beating high with hope that the dawn OF per
sse neace was about to break for news came h'' oo'
ina had taken her stand the broad generous
- rp Of Universal Amnesty with Impartial suffrage
n, tl,e same stage in the capital Of the first seeded
slt. Wade Hampton, her fayore soldier ana with MN
,-o orco slave. had enuuciated tho sefSame doc
>r.f 20 an orderly multitude Of blacks ana whites IL
ss ,en hoped that every Rebel state would promptly
nd cordially reorganze the Congressional basis Be
s,re the adjournment it made sufficiently evident
.,t the hone was delusive one-that the ObStinacy OF
IN resident had produced effect upon the seeded
:. swhicl it would require much legislation to neu-
ne.
e extra session Of the XLth Congress began on the
M y Of July 1867, and was adjourned on the l'th OF
ts same month until the 21st day Of November follow
..g Although the session was short one it was dis
suQushed for the transaction Of large amount OF bus
ness prominent among which was the passage or the
Reconstruction measures and bill annuling the laws
INST caste and color in the District Of Columbia. On
a. Sd the day when the extra session opened, no
s than five bills introduced into the Senate ana
3 into the House Of Representatives touching the re-
obstruction of the states lately in rebellion, and all IN
.ded to explain the true intent and meaning Of the
obstruction acts previously passed Senator wilson
~ Massachusetts led of by the introduction
of an act amendatory Of the Reconstruction bill
passed al the former session Of Congress. His
niu proposed to abolish all the provisional State govern
,oens then existing in the Rebel states, and empowered
me military commanders appointed TO the districts
~ which these States located to appoint such per
us as theymcht deem fit TO carry on the business per
tanning TO ose governments Senator sumner Of Massa
cnusets Introduced bill TO enforce the several pro
visions Of e Constitution abolshng Slavery and which
reverted the late rebeous States to the condition
they wer in when the closed, putting them under
military control Senator Drake Of Missouri introduced
an act setting aside the provisional state governments IN
te Rebel States, and authorizing the military command
OF the districts to I'LL the Offices thus made vacant
with appOnteos OF their selection to serve in such ca
pacy unt the loyalty Of the people of those States was
made fully apparent and conclusive. Senator Edmuuds
vi Vermont offered a similar b though in some respects
much stronger than the others 1t declared that the
military authority OF the United States paramount
90 any civil government therein and in terms conferred
on the military commanders OF the district the power TO
substitute for the State officials their acting in proy
sOnal capacity such persons they deemed proper TO
carry under their supervision, the governmental in
terests Of the States which they presided as District
Commanders 4 like bill was also offered by Senator
Frelnghuysen Of New Jersey. AL these referred TO
Ina Conn m ~ m
been appointed at previous session, ard Congress
and the country anxousy awaited the result OF that Com
ttees deliberations. In the House of Representatives,
the day, Mr. Baker introduced an act eXpana-
tory Of the Reconstruction acts the general puTport Of
which similar to that Of the bin introduced by Sena-
tor Edmuuds. This referred to the Committee
Reconstruction. On the 9Th OF July bill introduced
into the by Mr. Spaudng having the same general
features as others relating TO the subject of Recon
sruotion, and u also referred. The matter rested
snt the sh Of July when Mr. Stevens Of Pennsylvania,
from the House Committee Reconstruction reported
e. the House bill which declared that the State Govern
rnents then existing In the late Rebel States were void
not having the sanction Of the Congress Of the United
States, and that the carrying on Of Governments in
those States should be vested in the commanders OF the
military districts until proper measures were taken by
the people of the States 20 bring back their common
weahs into fun harmony with their sister States of the
Union by eectng their Representatives to Congress
such could take the necessary oaths OF loyalty
and fealty 10 the General Government The bill reported
by Stevens also provided that measures be taken TO
effect a registration of in the nsurrectonary
States and empowered the registrars TO be appointed
by the military commanders TO allow only such
persons TO should evidence OF their being
fully entitled exercise the franchise The intent OF the
acts passed at former session to allow the lately
emapcipated slaves to vote when these States came 70
frame their Constitutions; and this intent, which
owing TO the action Of President Johnson had been rem
dered of comparatively little effect was more explicitly
defined by tins act The reported bill also provided that
the civil courts should have no jurisdiction over
the actions Of military commanders in these districts
On the 9th Of July reconstruction bill offered IN the
Senate by Senator Trumbu OF Illinois, was passed IN the
House after being amended therein and sent back TO the
Senate for concurrence In the amendments made The
Senate however, did not concur, and thereupon, the
House having the time refused TO reeede from its
amendments a Committee Of Conference appointed
snd tine whole subject passed into their hands On the
lsth this Committee reported to the Senate
and that body agreed the report by vote OF 81 TO c.
sxteen Senators being absent Senator Johnson Of Mary
and, although a Democrat and thought TO be an up
older OF the Presidents policy In opposition 20 that OF
congress voted TO sustain this report, remarng that
was liberal in its provisions than he had supposed
At would be that II the offered by the Committee
were accepted those which would be hereafter pro
posed might much stringent. He expressed the
belief too that bi from the hands Of the
Conference Committee would have the effect Of efectu-
ally restoring the States lately In rebellion full frater
nifty in the Union On the day July ls Mr. Stevens
o. Pennsylvania presented the report OF the Conference
Committee TO the House OF Representatives. remarkng
that the House amendments had been agreed upon IN
Committee, with a modification that he considered i'm
y0rtant viz declaration that the authority Of Congress
as paramount over the whole subject Of reconstruction
"A the late Rebel States This biz passed tho House. and
awaited the Presidents signature 70 become law. IL