The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-25

they Done:
So far as all Legislative proceedings are con-
cerned, the first month Of the Thirty fifth Con-
grcss has expired, and what are the net results?
What have our national law makers been about
in this interval, and what have they done?
They have divided the enormous spoils of the
government printing among parcel of hungry
country editors, who, from the lack of the neces-
sary materials, will be compelled to share and
share about the profits with the Wendell com
pany. Thus, upon the lobby doctrine Of help
ing one another the various interests and par
ties concerned have accomplished in this bust
ness the next thing to the compromising of a.
public robbery. In this way the recipients of
this government printing have secured from
one to two hundred thousand clear profits per
annum, which otherwise might have been
saved to the Treasury; and in this way the sub
stantal nucleus of these printing spoils has
been secured as the cas- a-i- for various other
lobby jobs of public plundel and public spolia-
ton. So much for thai beautiful specimen of
party dovetailing and lobby jobbing.
Secondly, the two Houses have passed an act
Treasury notes, but from all that has appeared
Of the debates upon the bill in the Senate, and
in the House, there is scarcely man in this
Congress who understands the necessities for
this measure, the causes which have compelled
the Secretary Of the Treasury to ask for it, or
the practical operation of the act. One men,
Der called it an issue of shinplasters; another a
AL s... Il -
bill for the relief Of the Sub-Treasury system;
another says it is mere trick TO evade the re-
.ponsibili,y of loan or increased taxes; but
not man of either House appears to have
comprehended the practical benefits. in the
way OF a uniform and active circulating me-
dunn which these Treasury notes will confer
upon the country. In fact, the causes and
worldwide consequences of this terrible revul-
sion, and the paramount duty Of the govern
ment. as far as practicable, to come to the aid
of the people, arc among those practical sub
jects for legislation which seem to have been
wholly ignored by the members of all parties
and all sections and factions of Congress.
Why is this. How is il that the conflicting
spoils and plumber interests in the matter Of
The government printing have been so readily
while concerning the great
measures of retrenchment and reform sug
gested by the President, all parties in Con-
gress have exhibited such lamentable degree
of ignorance, indifference and contempt? The
answer is very simple. The two Houses of
Congress have degenerated into two bodies of
intriguing politicians and lobby jobbers for the
Presidential succession, and everything else
must give way TO the latest shuttle and cut Of
the cards of this man or that man, as party
or sectional leader.
The latest shuttle and cut il that Of Mr. Senator
Douglas In this Presidential gambling business
Of popular sovereignty in&ansas; and forth
with the eyes and ears and heads Of the mem
bers of all parties and factions are absorbed in
this Presidential dodge of Douglas. and closed
against everything else. Mr. Senator Bigler
reads the Little Giant out of the party two
or three times week-but he won't go out:
the black republicans pat him on the back and
cry "bravo.' and the Little Giant fires away
again among the Biglers Greens and Browns.
A Douglas man from Ohio inaugurates the new
hall Of the Representatives with speech
against the Leeompton constitution; and in the
House, from that hour, the squabbling raga-
mullins in Kansas have superseded the legisla-
tive interests Of the whole Union and it, TWEEN
ty-Gve millions of people.
And all this time there has been no Lecomp-
ton constitution before Congress; and popu-
lar sovereignty" has been awaiting the action
Of the Kansas squatters. We dare say that the
results in Kansas will shortly present the ques-
ton in shape very easy OF practical sou-
tion and entirely consistent, with the ends of
justice and the desires Of the administration;
but IL is for this very reason that Mr. Douglas
and all the other Presidential tnkers have been
striking while the iron is hot. Among these
strikers, the new Senator from California, Mr..
Broderick, has lately distinguished himself.
lie declared in the Senate the other day, among
other things, that If the people Of Kansas had
logged the delegates OF the Lecompton Conven-
ton, and cut their cars of, and sent them out
Of the country, he for one would have applaud
cd the act. But we would admonish the gen.
tlemap, that while language Of this sort might
answer well enough before a court OF Judge
iSy nCn oh thc DaSi Vheh'o' ~ II hVs cHaetiy 'nc
thing for the United States Senate chamber.
Mr.. Broderick, however, may be like the smart
boy who, when reminded that he had fallen
back in bis lessons, pleaded that be had not as
yet got the hang of the new school house. Try
to do better, Mr.. Broderick, than cutting
other mems ears off
Finally as the country has become sick and
-
disgusted with this Kansas tomfoolery, and as
IL has degraded Congress TO the level Of Tam.
many Hall, We congratulate the American peo-
pie upon the fact that this business i rapidly
coming to definite .uo in Kansas Within
few weeks there will I've an end Of II. and
then We may possibly succeed in diveriing the
law makers Of Congress from the Niger in the
fence corner to their legislative duties. We