The daily union., 1846-09-03
PO TIC AL.
From the Portland (Me,) Eastern Argus.
THE 29TH CONGRESS.


federal press throughout the Urion-Truy, Blanche
and Sweetheart, the little dogs and all--are bark
ing al the present Congress for doing loo much
hhe--and nobody knows which Why this COM
plalntt Is II not notorious fact, that no session
Of Congress for the last thirty years has accom-
plshed so much for the lasting benefit and happiness
Of the country, as the session just closed' And yet
.he federal ours are yelpIng though Congress had
been turned into slaughter-hOuse TO butcher them
all.
Let US fora moment compare what the present
Congress has done, with what was enacted at the
hard cider Congress OF l84l-'42 The comparison
may be odiOus TO the federasts but it will be graft
fylng to every true democrat who thinks for him.
self
TnE PRESENT CONGRESS has settled the all-impor-
lanl Oregon question, which has been, for half
century bone of contention betwixt us and Eng
land-a controversy that has heretofore batfled the
abest dplomatists Of both countries, and which
had nearly involved the civilized world in a long
and bloody war Ii has given the country better
tariff than that Of 1924, '2S AZ law that is cal
cuated TO extend equal rights to all classes Of labor,
preventing one class from expressing all other
classes, by Withholding special tariff privileges. 1t
mas re-enacted, with important notifications, the
sub-treasury law for the safekeepng and disburse-
ment OF the public moneys law which was the
erownng glory Of Mr.. Van Buren's administration
but. was repealed by the wings. II has established
the "Smlthsonian Institution" for the increase and
" hnoWltuSc among men, an institution
destined to be of great and permanent benefit TO
every common school and seminary in New Eng
land IL has proved To the world, by the passage
ofIhe Mexican war bill, that we "knOw our rights
and knowing, dare maintain them"
IL Is true, that for want of time, few unimpor-
tant public acts failed of passage but these were
not Of urgent necessity, and can be better acted on
at the next session. Among them are bills estab.
lshing territorial government IN Oregon, for the
reorganization Of the State, Treasury, Navy, and
Post Once Departments to provide for the sale Of
mineral lands in Michigan and Wisconsin; TO estab-
llsh board Of commissioners 10 examine claims
against the United States; Ior the construction off
dry-dock at Philadelphia and certain fortihcatons
In Connecticut, Massachusetts,, and Rhode Island
and 10 provide Tor completing at the expense Of the
United States, the everlasting Cumberland road ,
which passes from Ohio TO Missouri, through Indi-
ana and Illinois. Besides these, and few others
Of like character the private bills to remit duties on
certain goods destroyed by fire in New York,
and for the purchase Of the manuscript writings Of
Hamilton and Madison, failed of passage for want
oil ume. Atthe next session of Congress these mat
ters (none OF them Of pressing importance) can be
properly disposed Of We should rather, however,
that every one OF these measures should be indeh-
nltely postponed, if need be- than that one Of them
THE bill for completing the Cumberland road)
should be passed. Often has Congress decided
against these internal improvements by the general
government and even at the present session, Presi
dent Polk peioed the river and harbor bill on the sim
pie ground that these rivers and harbors lay within
the western States and were such works of internal
improvement the States benefited should con-
struet at their own expense. Enough has already
been accomplished by the present Congress to
tort the thanks of every well wisher of his country
and trust the coming elections will prove that the
people are fully satisfied. But let us compare notes
with the hard cider Congress Of ls4l-42, better
known as the
IL into h,,
fraud and deception, was composed of the most in
congruous materials, and continued IN session too
long by six monthsl During its existence, ca
amlty after calamity befel it,; and nobody has ever
attempted to explain the reason, for nobody could.
For instance, il lost, by the hand Of DEATH Pres-
dent in Harrison, acting Vice President in South
ard and thirteen of its members; by resignation, il
lost senator's, several heads Of departments,
and twelve representatives! One whg member had
his leg broken, another received a Gaming, and yet
another had his bit off! At the close Of the
sion, those who survived the "wreck of matter, "
went into private life, TO emerge from IT,
Compare the doings of the Harrison Congress
with those of the 29th Congress, and what do we
find but shameful extravaganza in the one, and pru-
dent economy and patriotism in the other Let US
see what the wings did in Congress.
]. They voted 'funeral benefit" to Gen. Harr-
sons friends or relatives Of $4,000.
2. They voted pension to his heirs Of S25 900
3. They voted to furnish the White House
(though well enough for Van BUREN, with furniture
worth $4,000.
4. They passed United States bank bill, which
President Tyler promptly rstoed
5. They promised "s2 day and roast beef" and
thus coaxed thousands of ofce-seekers to assemble
at Washington, TO beg or to starve.
6. They passed distribution law, and afterwards
strangled it. ....
T. They passed a tariff bill, for which nine of
their senators and hty-six Of their representatives
refused to vote!
8. They passed bankrupt law--afterwards re-
peaed it-and reduced the country in two years, to
the verge of bankruptcy, ruin, and disgrace.
The whole history of the country cannot point to
democratic Congress so imbseiie and ,oeak as the
coon Congress of lS4l-'42. 1t sought distinction,
but it acquired notoriety only; and happy will it be
for the country if the lessons of lS40 never for
gotten. Whgery then had full sweep, having a
President, Senate, and House, of its own choice;
and with all these appliances, it proved itself by
word and reproach. Even the wings themselves
admit that disaster marked their progress. But to
escape the indignant voice of the people, the whole
blame is thrown upon President Tyler, who, seeing
their corruption, vetoed the bank BILL and left them
to their own destruction. 1t was to his frmness
that the country is indebted for its narrow escape
from mammoth bank--one Of the most corrupt
institutions that ever invented to control the
ballot-box and overawe the people.