The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-02-12
Tie Proscriptive and the Confederate Ele-
ments in the Composition Of Congress.

ments In the Composition Of Congress.
We make the following extract from the
Washington correspondence of the New York
Herald: ,.: ..... via.
Your correspondents attention was invited
during a late conversation with prominent
man in public life, and as marked feature of
Mr.. Cushing's unsuccessful race for the Chief
Justiceship, to the manifest revival, of pro-
scriptive spirit in Congress toward those who
took the wrong side in the late war, as we'll as
those who were tardy in cutting loose from the
leaders of secession before the outbreak OF
hostilities. This gentleman takes the ground
that, though the opposition to MIR. Cushings
nomination began and was protracted IN base
ness and treachery, it was the letter to Jefferson
Davis that secured his actual overthrow, by
calling up bitter feeling of partisanship, or
affording pretext for it, on the part of Sena-
tors who otherwise would have voluntarily, or
in fear of Presidential displeasure, voted for
confirmation, and 80 have made Mr.. Gushing
the Chief Justice. In the course of the same
interview reference was made to the ill-con-
cealed disfavor with which the Confederate
delegation in Congress are looked upon by their
fellow members of the more radical type, and
to the stage whisperings in Congressional cir
cles of calamity to the nation, the party, and
the freedmen if the rebel army element in
Congress is to 60 on increasing in the way it
threatens to do.
Two remarks of Senator Gordon in his late
speech on reduction of salaries were mention
ed as having been the theme of much private
comment about the Capitol: the first, his COM
plant that late adherent of the Confederacy
in Congress was in danger of having his re-
bellion record thrown into his face as often as
he took issue in matters of public policy with
any whose loyalty was of the iron-clad sort;
and the other, that if the settlement of the
war had been left to the men who confronted
each other on the battle field for the four years
of its continuance the country would have
been spared the misfortunes that have since
overtaken the South. These two chance re-
marks have been applied to- the composition Of
the present Congress, wherein are thirty mem
bers, in both houses, with rebellion record
available for use against their present fealty
whenever it shall so please the iron-clad mem
bers to stop their mouths or break the force of
their arguments against pending legislation,
while the thirty are confronted by sixty-nlne
of the men whom Senator Gordon believes
could have made an honorable and prosperous
restoration of the Union at Appomattox Court
House. ,., ..rs. ... =. las !. /,
It is to be noticed, however, that while the
Confederate army element has grown stronger,
the Union army element has been largely re-
placed by men who took no direct part in the
war, and this very fact is suggested as partial
explanation of the temperance of the old
spirit of prescription that Immediately follow
ed the war, and was first renewed when An
drew Johnson's rupture with his party set the
North and South at variance again. 1t is!
manifest, however, that the President has no
share in the smouldering hostility in Congress
to the present results of reconstruction, and is,
from all appearances, better pleased with the
advent of real representatives of the Southern
people, whatever their politics. than grieyed at
the thinning out of the carpet-baggers, for
whom this present administration has no fur
ther use nor affection. The conservative ten
denotes lately attributed to the President are
not regarded by the better Informed class of
politicians, who discern clearer evidences of a
tendency among the radicals to get up another
ralying cry O: danger to the constitutional
amendments and the results of the war for SER
vice in the next Presidential campaign. 1t is
an opinion very freely expressed here, in quar-
ters entitled to attentive hearing, that the re-
publican party, as now constituted, will have
nothing on which to 60 before the country in
1876, except third term for Grant or fresh
crusade against the ''lost cause" The third
term has an unlikely look since the events of
the present session, and as the alternative sug:
gested may be the only one two years hence,
and has been lately strengthened by indiscreet
utterances in some parts of the South, it looks
as If it were to be kept before the country
against the day of need. '~f