Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-07-25
FROM WASHINGTON.
Exciting Discussion fn the Senate.
NATIONAL INTERESTS ENDANGERED.

NATIONAL INTERESTS ENDANGERED.
WASHINGTON, July sl.-Quite an excite.
ment sprang up this afternoon when the
Senate came out of Executive Session, and
the question to fix upon tho time for an ad.
Journment came up, when Mr.. Hendricks,
speaking for tae President, announced in a
semi official Manner the determination not
to submit to the election of Grant by colored
votes, and determination not to recognize
the new Southern governments. or 20 act
upon the new military bill at present if sent
to him.
This aroused Mr.. Wilson, who made one
OF tho most eloquent replies he ever made in
the Senate. He was followed by Mr.. John
Sherman in q passionate manner, who por-
trayed the outrages daily being perpetrated
In the South, and stated that If Mr. Heu-
dricks did speak by the authority of the
President, Congress could not adjourn now,
and he would not now press his motion. Ii
we, said Mr.. Wilson, have ia the seven re.
constructed States au honest election, ex-
pect every one of them to vote the Republi-
can ticket, and Governor Wise had said he
would vote for the Democratic candidates,
not because he liked the platform, but be-
cause Blair promised, if placed in power, to
| overthrow the reconstructed States. Now,
the way to preserve the public peace is to
| uphold law and order, and this is all that is
| intended by the bill. He was amazed that
any man should rise up in opposition to it.
Mr. Wilson then referred to the New Or.
leans and other riots, and asked who it was
that had striven to provoke collisions be-
tween the white and black races. There
was not a repentant traitor in that couvcn-
tion; not man who was not as much a
traitor as when he was warning in behalf of
the rebellion in the Southern States. The
Senator from Indiana had said Republicans
had pardoned traitors. This was true; but
those whom they had pardoned showed their
repentance by their daily lives and conver-
sation. The Democratic party was the au-
thor OF the rebellion. Every drop of blood
shed in the war was owing to that organiza.
tiou. Every soldier who was wounded owes
his misfortune to the opposition Of the
Democratic party to liberty.
Mr.. Conness also attacked him, and in
conclusion said:
take it for granted that the speech was
deliberately made, and for political reasons
1t is plain to me the messages that we have
been receiving from the President of the
United States for the last two weeks, and
those proclamations which he has issued,
are of such a character as to justify this con-
cluson. They are incendiary; they arc
violative of his public duty; they are q
scandal, in my judgment before the civilized
world, and, sir, in place of discussing the
question of ADJOURNMENT, at this time, they
would justify rather the impeachment OF
that official by the other House of Congress
and his trial by this, and his expulsion from
the place that he fills.
Sir, it is not long since he escaped convic
tion and expulsion from that place by the
merest chance in the world. The character
OF his conduct in connection with these pro.
clamations the character of the communi.
cations that have come from the first minis.
ter of his cabinet; the character of the politi.
cal convention that he has joined his interest
with its uttcrances; the class of men who
compose it; tho letter of one of the candi-
dates of that party, and the emanation of
that convention threatening rebellion again
in this country, all justify what say, and it
will become in all probability, tho duty OF
Congress to stay here until they shall be
able by their action to guarantee peace to
this nation.
l say to the Senator from Indiana, for one,
that the threats he has made here | would
meet upon the threshold. Let any party dis.
satisfied with the result of popular election
in this country again, as they we're dissa.
tistied when Mr.. Lincoln was first elected,
renew rebellion, and that rebellion will be
met in the same manner in which we met
the last. The Honorable Senator, in discus.
sing the utterances of General Grant, in ac-
cepting the national nomination for the
Presidency, quoted him az saying, LET us
have peace. Ne oil re echo that sentiment,
and say, "Lct US have peace" We want
peace. We ask and beg and plead for peace
But we can have peace only upon condition
of obedience TO law. Bat the President OF
the United States, who is amenable to law,
sets the example here by his communica.
tions and utteranccs of disorder in the coun.
try and, in my humble judgment, if we
shall adjourn and leave the capitol, it will
not be long before we shall have disorder
re established in the country. Ihope, sir
that VIC shall seriously consider the pro
position, and am glad that the question
of adjournment is, at least, temporarily
brought up.
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