Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-01-24
Congressional.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.

4 uOuI w VII. IIiAOt. reg--wT TEEAFg
/ Mr.. Elliot said he could entertain
no doubt whatever to the full, incon-
trovertible power Of the House, un.
der the Constitution, to legislate in
the line of the pending bill, or to pass
into law its provisions. He deemed
it useless to occupy che time of the
House discussing the principles OF the
| bill in order to convince members of
the party with which he was associat-
ed, as; they entertained no doubt on
the subject, and were not faltering in
purpose, and as to the other side of
the House, they would not be per-
suaded though one should rise from
the dead. The exact principle Of the
bill had been consented to by the
House of last Congress in the pas
sage of the bill reported from the Sc
lect Committee on the New Orleans
Riot, on which, however, the Senate
had not acted. He believed that the
Reconstruction measures, if properly
executed, would have been sufficient
for the purpose, but the great OBJ
struction was in the White House.
Mr.. Butler asked his colleague
whose fault that was.
Mr.. Elliot replied that the House
had refused to impeach the President,
not because he did not deserve i'm
parchment, but because there were
other measures that demanded atten
ton. The nation was burdened by
mountain of taxation which ought
to be lifted off, and he told his col
league that the debt of the nation
would be liquidated, dollar for dollar,
in good, solid coin, and the faith Of
government thus maintained. Con-
gress had something else to do besides
stopping to impeach the President
If that failure to impeach were attri-
buted to any lack of political firmness
or to any timidity on the part Of the
House, he could say to those who so
believed that they would find them
selves in error. The Republicans in
Congress meant that the late rebel
States should never come back except
as loyal States, and they would eight
it out on that line if it took all sum.
mer" If distractions were placed
in the way of the Republican party
those distractions would be, with the
blessing of God, removed.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Bingham
it was ordered that the House take a
recess today from halfpast four till
seven o'clock-the evening session to
be devoted to debate on the bill, and
q the speeches be limited to half al
hour, he giving notice that at the ex
piration of the morning hour to-mor
l. row he would move the previous ques
J. ton.
Mr.. Paine yielded twenty minute;
of his hour to Mr., Loughridge. wht
I" supported the Dill and defended it.
u constitutionality. Mr.. Paine proceed
ed to indicate the points which h,
proposed to discuss at greater length
:" than it was possible for him to do il
'0 the brief time allowed HIM. He hel'
that the only principle on which Con
d gress could justify itself against tn
f President was, that the Constitution
of the United States was opera tiv
in the late rebel States just as it wa
Id operative in the Territories. If TIL
ly Constitution was not operative il
those districts at all, then he was III
able to see how the course of tn
he President could be said to be a ran
ut usurpation, and how it could be sal
that the action of Congress was |,
Ultimate. 1t seemed to him that i
AZ the Constitution had no force there q
III all, the President had just the sam
right to exercise the power involve
IN in reconstruction as Congress ha(
It on the principle, which he held to b
# the true one, that those district
should be regarded as mere Territ
ries, or as Territories conquered j
,h- war. ....
nd Mr.. Kerr addressed the House
ill opposition to the bill. The convi
ton of his mind was that it was u
terly vicious and unfit to become
mt law-was so great as to excite pai
ng full apprehensions for the welfare {
the country. He looked upon it as i
volving the very life of fundament
SC- principles of the Government. {
VI trembled when be reflected that
ief was proposed by this kind of law
wipe out of existence every limitati'
rod of the power of Congress, and to g
ba sumo almost the power to establish
hv king-at least a dictator. He u
not envy members of the majority t
position which history would ASST,
ite- to them or if that distinguished &c
be- tleman who seemed to be the prede
en- tined candidate of the Republics
party for the Presidency should ele
to make this bill his platform, then
rye his humble Judgment the people
ne this country would furnish anoth
the illustrious example Of the engine
''hoist by his own petard."
vol Mr.. Boutwell, asked Mr.. Kerr
fist state what government in any of
tho late rebel States was to be recogniz
A under the Constitution-the one
lsting prior to the rebellion ? tt
1853 created during the rebellion =? or tt
De- established since the rebellion?
Olu- Mr.. Kerr said his answer was ca
in He recognized not one particle
validity in any single act Of the
>. bellion. He held that the governm