Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-10-30
WILMINGTON, N. O., FRIDAY, OCT. 80. 1857.
The Meeting of Congress.

q
This new Congress will meet under peculiar crcum-
stance and much will be expected of it, while in reality
its power is extremely limited and the extent to which
that power be prudenty exered is still more So
We need hardly say that the main interest of the
opening session will be concentrated upon the financial
condition of the countthat the portions OF the Pre-
sdents Message which refer to this point will be the first
read-that the figures and the estimates Of the Treasury
Report will be more thoughtfully scanned than those
e1nanating from any other Executive department. We
think that Mr. Cobb will present report worthy Of the
attention it will receive and calculated to increase
his already welearned reputation for practical admins
tratve ability If rumor speaks the TRUTH his report
will embody the results of careful investigation into the
present condition and future prospects of the commercial
world in which investigation he has sought and received
the counsel of the mUrUuutile community ITSELF
In thus seeming to attach the highest immediate inter-
est tn the financial reports calculations and recommen
dations we would not be understood Ignoring other
questions or undertaking the Importance of other depart
mens but it is not to be denied that the pocketnerVe
is the most sensitive and while that vbraes SO painful
y all others are felt with but slight force and receive
for the time but little attention.
1t will call for the exertion of high order of rmness
and ability on the part of Congress to maintain its
postionto resist the pressure of schemes and exped
ents which will be forced upon its attention. to noby
resist will be to achieve moral triumph equal to that
won by the hero who bravely does To realize and to
act upon the conviction that little nothing be
done by Congress- and to rest satisfied when that little
has been done-o disturb not the action of the recrea
tive powers of nature by empirical amperng with the
patient this is the province and the only province of
Congress- or of any other Legislative body
1t is doubtful question whether not there will be
deficit in the income of the fiscal year. compared
with the necessary disbursements during that period Of
time Acting upon the supposton that under existing
laws and in of the present exceptional state
of trade deficit will arise it will be for Congress to
consider how that deficit best be supplied, and to
act neutrality-suspicious. by increase of the rates of
duty upon importations temporary loan Or by the
issue of Treasury notes bearing interest.
No Tariff that has yet been devised in this any
other country has been perfect and if the most care
fully arranged and abOrousy prepared schemes of reven
ue are felt to be detective how much greater is the risk
of error and mpercOn in those that have been hurried
through at the close of session. without the Opporn
ty of careful examination and critical dissection The
Tariff of 1857 was thus hurried through and we do not
it by many who voted for it choice of evils. That
may be revised and amended believe and we think
it ought to be- Some of its parts are erroneous in prn
ciple Ru1ty dctoii We never believed IN
the Justice of admitting the materials of manufac
lures free of duty and imposing the burdens thus removed
from the shoulders of the manufacturer upon those of the
agrcuuralist A good deal of revision is necessary
with regard to the Free List many of the exemp-
Of
are as we have said erroneous principle and wrong in
practice. We think proper revision will result in at
fordng full revenue without resortng to any increase
in the scale of duties any approach towards that ys
tenn of partiality known the protective policy. o.
course no one would think of measuring the average
revenue of years by the rate of the receipts during the
ntensest moment of depression produced by financial de
rangement. 1t would be far better to meet any tempo
rary deficit by small issue Of treasury notes. than by
increasing the rate Of duties to render inevitable the
currence of surplus in the Treasury inviting to pecu
lation and speculation and soaring the timd into thu
adoption of doubtful measures to get rid of it.
Other matters WILL of course, attract and receive at
tention but there is thing pretty certain The pub
lie mind is not in a state to relish much squabblng O.
delay over the organzation-litef fuses about
be laid aside The storm has been violent enough
to beat down. for time the waves of party violence
sectional agitation. 1t will PROSTATE any merely
personal asprant who seeks to stir his little tempest
teapot
No doubt the changes will be rung on Kansas IF
be attempted to make approval of all of Mr.. Walker
Kansas policy the test of Democratic orthodoxy tn
attempt will fail We trust that the attempt will no
be made. 1t can only result in evil Unless some such i'll
I IL
ing in the way Of Democratic harmony Men begin to Sc
that slave population in slave property and
territorial extension constitutes the strength of tn
Institution The institution of slavery at the South
three to four millions Ofsaves producing certain ndspen
sibes of commerce. and deriving therefrOm mporanc
and power amply sufficient for its protection TIL
only way to extend the institution is to increase tn
number of negroes, and this only be done by re
opening the slave trade If instead of nearly four mi
lions of negro slaves there had been nearly eight millions
Kansas would certainly have come in as slave State
and so would Oregon Delaware would not have fale
out of the ranks of the South nor would the pemanenc
of the institution in Maryland Kentucky and Missouri
be threatened.
If Kansas be lost to the South it simply arises iron
the fact that there was no surplus of Southern labor
go into that Territory seeking employment This
beginning to be and felt and therefore less mpor
tancc attached to the movements Ct politicians in tina
connection although neither the nature of these move
ments themselves, the estimate to be placed upor
them, can thereby be changed.
THANKsGIvING.-Gov. Bragg has issued his proca
nation setting part Thursday the Goth day of No
Vember next, as day of solemn and public thanks
giving to Almighty God for past blessings and of sup