Year: 1866

Congress and the President in New York
At meeting of the 7th Assembly District
Union Association, held in New York Friday
evening, the following resolution was offered:


Resolced, That it is in the sense of the
Seventh Assembly District Union Association
that the prudence, wisdom and patriotism of
both houses OF Congress, ON the subject of the
reconstruction OF the Union, merit and meet
our hearty appreciation, and have, as we be-
lieve, the approval of the great mass of the
loyal American people of the North and
South. ~ .


An amendment was thereupon offered, to
insert after Congress-" the words "and the
President" The remarks of Mr.. Tousey upon
the proposed amendment, are reported in the
Tribune as follows: ..


When we say the 70 Houses of CONGRESS-
we mean the majority, of course. 1t NAV be.
perhaps, bold proposition for an humble in
llv'dual to oppose proposition announcing
that the American people have faith in the
prudence, wisdom and patriotism of the
President. but / take that position here to-
night. do,not doubt that his motives are
good, but do most positively deny that his
course for the last 90 days has evineed either
prudence or wisdom in the great questions in
volved in the reconstruction of the late rebel
States. II resolution of faith in his "patri-
otism" had been introduced, would not dis
sent but when gentlemen undertake to saw
that the American people have faith in his


prudence and wisdom" then they give rise to
discussion, because the American people to-
night are divided wide apart as the east from
the west on that point. When the President
so far forgets the place he is in as to express
an opinion, and promulgate il by all the facli-
ties that tightening and steam can give him
Of measure pending before the two houses
OF Congress, when it has passed one bral ch of
that body: when he SO tar forgets the proprie-
ties of his office as to express his opinion in
opposition to the opinions of the majority of
the people that passed the bill, then does he
give reason to the people of the United States
to doubt his prudence and wisdom.n That Is
one reason. When the President so far for
gets the amenities OF political courtesy as to.
on national anniversary, haraneue a mob'
we will say his fellow citizens, in front of the
Executive Mansion, and in that haransue ac-
cuse large, influential and respectable ma
jority of Congress, he gives the people of the
United States reason to doubt his swisdom
and prudence" That is number two. When
the Pres esident, in a crisis like the present. saws
that the Representatives Of the Southern
States ought to be admitted at time when
Congress is doing all it can to know whether
they are fit to come back, then he gives the
people reason to doubt his wisdom and pru-
dence." This is the third reason. When the
President so far forgets the courtesy due to
either branch OF Congress as to refuse, after a
demand is made on him three different times
by resolution, to furnish that body with infor-
nation, when he so far forgets his duties as to
deny the courtesy Of even a reply, then he
gives the people reason to doubt his Swisdom
and prudence" That is reason number four.
And when he continues tn do this over and
over again, 1t is good and sufficient reason
that a resolution OF this kind should not be
passed by an assembly like this, and TOR these
reasons oppose the oppose the amendment.