Year: 1867




Our Washington correspondence states
that strong effort will be made at
the next meeting Of Congress to har-
monize matters between the two con-
tending branches of the governmcnt-that a
Congressional committee will be appointed to
wais upon the President for the purpose OF as
certaining what his views are with reference to
reconstruction, and if be has any plans TO SUBJ
nit. tits scarcely possible that such plan is
under serious consideration The Congress of the
people, by doing this, would virtually acknow-
ledge that all their efforts to restore order to the
distracted Southern States have been abortve
and that now, pentent for their inefficiency,
they are willing to acknowledge their mistake
before the President and ask for whatever he
may choose to dictate This is not human ma
ture, and certainly little in accordance with
the spirit which Congress has heretofore mani
tested. Much less would we see ii established
as principle that the representatives of the
people should, as branch OF the government,
be brought to terms by any one Of its other
branches; for that woald be subversive ofall
our republicanism. We may have, by peace
able revolution agreed to by the people, one
branch overruled by the other two divisions of
the government We cannot, however, look
quietly on aud see any one division brought to
terms by another Neither Congress nor the
President have, up to the present time, done
anything but what they have right to do.
The curb is the Supreme Court, and this has
not been brought into action.


Doubtless Congress, watching the political
changes that are assuming a less radical form
in all the States, see the necessity of accommo-
people, and are disposed to narrow the
breach which separates them from the Presi-
dent; but it will not be done in the way
already suggested. It must be effected in
manner worthy the dignity Of the Legislature
of a great people. The President, however, if
he has reconstruction policy, need not be
asked to present it. for it is in his power, by
message in proper form, to state his policy,
and Congress may then act upon it in the
regularly established manner.


The political condition of Virginia, as shown
by our correspondence, must have its in1u-
ence; it is anything but encouraging to the
ultra radicals. Although the negroes carried
a majority in the State Convention, it was by
counting the State by districts. The returns
now show o white majority Of 1868 votes.
These will undoubtedly be conservative, or of
that party which desire return to peace and
prosperity rather than the handling Of politi-
cal power. In view of the condition Of Vir-
gina, it is evident that the radicals cannot
count too certainly upon the power Of the
black element in the South, especially when
we see the opposition which a healthy reaction
is bringing to the front. The President aud
Congress must plainly see that the people are
beginning to take up the question which their
rulers have been unable to settle. If the
Executive and Congressional powers can read
the handwriting on the wall, let them har-
monize. We're either to bow completely to
the authority of the other il would be the
worst phase of our revolution.