Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-29
The American Congress
VTT-The War Congresses
Bv Frederic j. Haskin

| in December, 1868. Lincoln had not
called a special session, even in that
mighty crisis of the history of the ma
| ton. Congress was not always in SYM
pathy with Lincoln, and the house Of
representatives chosen at the elections
| in 1862 contained a respectable element
opposed to the administration, and q
small section opposed even to the war;
The war Democrats were always under
suspicion. But Mr.. Lincoln always ac-
corded them full faith and credit, for
he knew that the Union could not be
saved unless the north was united. His
policy was severely condemned by some
Of those Republicans in congress who
believed that a Democrat was a rebel,
wherever he might be found, or what
ever he might say or do to the con-
trary. The disloyalty of the Copper
heads" lent color to this view. The
position OF the war Democrat was most
uncomfortable, especially IL he was
member of congress. And it Is interest
ing to note that Pennsylvania, Ohio,
New Jersey Illinois, Michigan and
other states of the north sent many
more Democrats to congress in the
election of 1862 than they did in thu
election of 1908.
Speaker Grow was retired to private
life in that election, and he was sue
ceeded as speaker of the house by
Schuyler Colfax of Indiana, who was
completely under the domination of
Stevens During the sessions OF the
thirty-eighth congress opposition to
Lincoln's views concerning the treat
ment of the south became more pro-
nounced, and Stevens opposed the re-
nomination of Lincoln for the pres-
dency. But the congressional party
could not stand against the influence
In the north of the great victories be-
ing gained by the Federal army. Vic
tory united the north as it had not
been united before. But Lincoln feared
he would be defeated, and an appeal
was made to the war Democrats by
nominating for vice president Andrew
Johnson of Tennessee. Stevens at the
convention complained that he didn't
see why the party had to go down
into those damned rebel provinces" for
candidate.
The thirty-ninth congress was elected
in November, 1864, at the same time
Lincoln and Johnson were elected. But
1t did not meet until the regular ses-
sion beginning in December 1866. Then
the war was over, Lincoln had been
assassinated and there was a Demo-
cratic president in the White House.
The congress-, under the leadership of
Stevens in the house and Benjamin +.
Wade Of Ohio in the stnate, already
had manifested strong opposition to
the restoration of the southern states.
With n liberal policy shorn Of tho
great prestige of Lincoln's name and
weighted with personal and partisan
unpopularity of Johnson, it was In
evitable that the radical policy would
be adopted. Even had Lincoln lived 1t
is to be doubted whether he would have
been able to oppose the radical senti-
ment which pervaded the thirty-ninth
congress.
Johnson could neither persuade nor
intimidate the congress, and the battle
was on. The struggle to maintain the
Union had been victorious; now came
the struggle to maintain the supremacy
of the Republican party. However
much one may feel constrained to con-
denim the bitterness of Thaddeus Ste
Vens, he can but admit that in those
days OF strife 1t was difficult for the
men who had fought for the Union to
witness with equanimity the return of
the southern states into the Union on
basis of equality, bringing a certain
Democratic section into congress which
would, with the northern Democrats,
drive the Republicans from power.
Aside from the measures growing out
of the war, the chief accomplishment
of the war congresses was the enact
ment, in the thirty-seventh congress.
of the homestead law, by which the
public domain was opened up to settle
ment, in small tracts, by actual farm
ers. 1t is perhaps one OF the greatest
benefits of the rule of the Republican
party I'm the nation.
The last OF the war congresses, elect
ed during the war but which did not
meet until after It was over, took up
the task of restoring the Union. Tho
results of its 1abors still control the
political destinies of the country.
TomorrOw-The American Congress.
VIII johnson VS.. Congress.