The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-06-16

| the polls; bad faith with men who re-
fused to avail themselves of the prIvl-
lege and rightof voting for or against
the constitution; bad faith with men
who used their social, moral, and
physical influence to deter honest, sim
ple-minded Union men from casting
their votes in favor of this constitu-
tion2 Sir, if there was any obligation
of good faith on the part OF Congress to
those men, we are absolved from 1t by
the bad faith of the other party in at
! tempting to prevent fair election,
which they did prevent, and which
every member of the Senate must ac-
knowledge they did prevent. Therefore,
1 am in favor of the amendment OF the
Senator from Massachusetts; and am
ready and anxious to!recognize Ala
| bama as again entitled to representa-
ton here, and TO all the rights and
privileges of one of the United States.
Now, sir, while 1 am up, L propose,
II the Senate will indulge me, to sub
nit a few remarks in regard to the
principle of the bill generally. 1 am
aware that every Senator's opinion Is
made up upon it, but there have been
some objections made to it, and there
are some considerations connected with
1t that I propose to detain the Senate u
! few moments in noticing.
Mr.. President, several Senators have
deemed il proper, as they had right
| to do, to go back into the records OF the
past TO bring up In judgment against
other Senators the opinions and express
sions of opinions entertained and
made in times past. two, or three, or
five years ago. Sir, there is in one of
the inimitable romnnces of Sir Walter
Scott-Guy Mannering, think 1t is-a
most admirable character called the
Pedagogue. 1t so happened that while
he had charge OF the young child of a
Scottish nnhlnn1nn gnn1n SDnRRlefA
along the coast abducted the child and
carried him away, and he was lost
among the gypsies, and eventually got
over 10 the Fist Indies and into the
British army. In The arrangements Of
Provldence-the providence of the tale
at least-some twenty-five years after
ward he found himself in the vicinity
of Ills old home. he was recognized
by his friends and the remaining mem.
| beers of the family, and at last by this
onest-hearted, supplemented old
pedagogue, who had taught him his
letters In his infancy; The manifesto
ton of his Joy WAS little remarkable.
After the truth had gradually revealed
itself to him that this stalwart man,
this sunburnt soldier from the Indies
wRs the veritable little boy that he used
to lead by the hand, he drew him again
to his knee, and opening the primer at
the very place where he left of twenty
AANe St4LS lJEShIbho hLLCGAPNNA ~ hS$ASAA
him his lesson as OF old. ..a. ..
And now sir, after the revolution of
the past few years. we have good
many pedagogues. The foundations OF
society, as they existed six years ago,
have been utterly broken up, and there
is a new surface OF political affairs, re-
curing new adaptations OF our poll
cies; and It would be just as foolish
and as ludicrous 10 attempt to apply
now policies that were proper and right
| five Years ago aS II was for that simple.
minded sChoolmnster 10 attempt to
teach the young man of thirty years his
a abs. Sir, we must have new poll
cies. There must be- new adaptation
OF fittings. There is great wisdom in the
old maxim that circumstances alter
cases." and what was proper q year ago
Is highly improper now, highly impol-
itic now, and IL would be unWlse TO
embarrass ourselves with foolish
sense of consistency In adherins to OBJ
solete and impractical ideas, when, in
point of fact, we would only be incon-
sistent il we did so under the different
state of circumstances that surround
US.
The debate for q few days past, the
remarks of the honorable Senator from
Maryland Mr.. Vickersl yesterday,
and the remarks of my friend. from
Delaware [ Mr., Salisbury have revived
the questions of the constitutional au-
thority and propriety of the Recon-
struCtiou Bills upon which the pending
bill is predica.ed. shall not enter into
an argument on those questions, but l
desire to submit few facts as illus
trative of the state OF the case i'll refer
ence TO them, if not for the Senate, mt
| least for the country.
Mr.. President, The issue to day In
volyed in this bill and dividing the
Senate is between the reconsideration
-, Il .,F ct 4 NVNHf n1
States and that OF Congress. That is
the real antRgonism oil this debate. Let
us look at the facts surrounding the
cnse. / suppOSe, though do not know
whether 1 should not err in the suppo-
sition, that there is hardly a Senator
here who would say that the confeder-
ate governments in the Southern States
existing Mt the time OF Lees surrender
and of the overthrow of the rebellion
had any legal validity; and yet doubt
whether Senators can make their argu-
guments thoroughly logical unless
they trace them back to the acknowl-
edgment of the fact that these govern
ments existing at the time OF the col
lapse of the rebellion were in some
form or sort legal governments, to be
recognized at least as deJdctO. To such
Senators who are disposed to follow the
lead of Mr.. Johnson, few facts from
his record ought to settle that question,
anu Sudll Ithu AheA1 "ALLOuI my
commentary. refer first to an eSecu-
tive order, dated Executive Chamber,
Washington city, May 9, 1865" 1t will
give the Senate and the country
the views which the Executive
! at that time entertained OF the validity
of these southern State governments:
."Ordered,l That all acts and proceedings
of the political, military and civil organiza-
lions which have been In a state OF 1nsur-
Tectton and rebellion, within the state OF
Virginia, against the authority and laws OF
the United states, and of which Jefferson
Davis, John Letcher, and William Smith
were late The respective chiefs. are declared
null aud void, "&c. 70 -.Et-
So much for Virginia.
And again. carrying out the same
views, we have the following dispatch
from Major General Candy TO Major
General Warren, commanding the De-
pertinent of Mississippi, dated May 81,
1865:
.By direction of the President, you Will
not recognize any officer of the Confederate
Your command, as authorized TO exercise In
any manner whnteVer the functions OF their
late offices. You Will prevent, by force II
necessary, any attempt of any OF the LeglS-
latures of the States In tnsuTreotion 10 as
sembIe for legislative purposes and VIII Inn
prison any members or other persons VINO
may attempt to exercise these functions IN
opposition 10 your orders - n ~
Here is n complete reputation OF the
legal validity OF all the confederate
State authorities existing at that time.
But, sir, as L said just now, the real
question at issue is between Mr.. john
sons system Of reconstruction in the
Southern States and the Congressional
plan of RECONSTRUCTION; and-the Con-
gressional policy is objected TO by SEN
atorS because they believe,aS suppose,
that the existing State governments in
the South as reOFganiZed by Mr.. john