Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-03-06
COngreSA.

It has been held in more than instance thatt"e
old Congress does not die, its term expire oy Inn
itation. until 10 o'clock al noon on the 4th day OF
March; and therefore, both branches may yet be IN
session at the date of this present writing that is,
about ten o'clock, although they must, per force,
have adjourned before paper goes to press. We
arc without mails from as far North Washington
and the arrangement of the telegraph between that
point and Richmond, leaves in complete darkness
with respect to the closing of the 34h Con-
gress-a Congress which, we fear, Will be long re-
membered, having certainly achieved notofle'Y II 1t
has not won fame.
1t is dead now and peace be with It's ashes May
thew never be disturbed be the means OF disturb
ing others Born of strange conVulslon-the on
sprjng half of fanatcism and half of intrlgue-the
anti.democratic majority in the House was looFey
cemented and heterogeneo mass hardly party 1oF
It's members had too little in common, to entltie
it to that designation-less a faction than con
geries of factions, it no sooner attempted any
joint action than the inherent weakness OF lie
organization became apparent. Nor'hein anu
Southern men, shareholders and abohhonlsts, Free
Traders and Protectioniss, might be ranked un
der the magic banner of SAM" but they could moi
be made to fight for the objects, when their rea
ends and aims were antagonisiic. The Northern
Sam was in fact Sambo-the Southern Sam
was forced TO acknowledge that constitutional Dem
ocrat whether of native foreign birth, was nearer
to him. politically than such brethren of the order
as Banks and Burlipgame, and Sumner, and Camp
bell and such like all elected to this Congress as
Know No1hings, as were Gilbert and Matteson and
Edwards, the Hon. gentlemen from New York, whom
even this Congress was forced to expel North
and South Americans became the deslgnat tons
of distinct organizations, and the nationality OF
the " Third or Union Degree" became mere BY
word-a thing of the past only to dwell in the re-
veres of some half crazed devotee of mistaken amb
tion like Mr.. Rayner, to be used as sort OF raj
lying-cry in remote localities, by whose bitter
ness against Democracy would lead them to prefer
the banner of Pandemonium itself, to that Of the
Democratic arty.
But a new Congress- will take the place of that
whose last sands are now rapidly escaping-a new
Executive will occupy the chair IN which Franklin
Pierce has sat for four years-new men will preside
over the departments now illustrated by the ability
of a Marcy, the combined urbanity and business
talent of a Dobbin or the legal acumen of Cushing
The new Congress and the new administration must
be Judged by their acts-they have yet their own his
tories to write. Well indeede may the incoming
President and his Cabinet set up for model, the ex
ample of their immediate predecessors, who retIr
without the thought or suspicion of peculation ad
herring to them, directly or indrectly-no Ga phln o
Gardner claims such as gave to some members OF
former cabinet nnPnviabIe no1Oriety-HU suSpcio
of interested motives, care but for the pIeserva
ton of the constitution and the furtherance of tn
highest interests of the country. 10 Franklin Pierce
as much as any man living must he awarded III
praise of rigid adherence TO principle, and cor
scentious discharge Of duty not without errors an
mistakes, but these always of the head and never {
the heart To him We may farl, assign the merit {
being good man and true patriot
DAILY journal of 4th INST.