The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-08-05

4
attend to the elections. That extraordinary ex
ertions will be made to secure majority in thu
next Congress, there ia no doubt, and there
| should be determined resolution on the mar,
| of the opposition to defeat them, and secure q
House that will be faithful to the Constitution
to Freedom, and to Right. In no one feature
does the Administration commend itselfto favor
Its Territorial policy is pernicious, and, except
in it's Slavery subsersiency, poorly defined
while its despotic assumption to enforce upon
State Constitution in opposition to the voice
of the people, was so atroeious as to ALLEVIATE o
large portion of its strongest men.
The finances are in deplorable condition
increasing and unchecked expenditures, s
waste of public money in every department, in
vicious contracts and needless extrayasance
for partisan ends, with decreasing revenue,
and no disposition to correct the waste, or
ability to replenish the Treasury. Millions
have been dissipated recklessy in the Utah ex.
petition, to crafty needy favorites. A re-
mote and expensive Indian war is commencing.
These and other indications admonish us Of
the condition of the country, and the necessity
of wise aud able men in our councils. Of the
President, little is to be expected. Irresolute
and infirm of purpose, except in the petty an.
agement of little party arrang ements, he has
no fixed and reliable principles, nor any COM
prehensive policy for administering the Gov.
eminent. His friends-and by that expression
we mean those within the atmosphere Of
Washington, who supported his election-ths
leading Administration men, in Congress and
out of il, know and feel the weakness of the
Executive. The President's devotion to South.
ern rights has been and is so extremely par.
tisan as to have impaired the confidence of
many even of that faction in his ability, and in
a measure disgust even the sectionalists them.
selves.
His management of the Kansas question,
from his instructions to Walker, which he sub.
sequently abandoned, to the signing of the
English bill, that referred back the Constitution
to the people, notwithsta nding his efforts to
impose that instrument upon them without
their consent, and all the attending vacillation,
prostitution Of patronage, executive interference
with the legislative department, appointments,
andrevocations, display not only want of honest
purpose, but an absence of Executive capabiI-
ity. In the mean time, the monetary revul
sions, which have caused an immense diminu-
ton of the revenue, have led to no correspond
ing diminution of expenses, or any system of
economy and retrenchment.
Without recapitulating the delinquencies and
errors of the Administration in detail, and
which are patent to the whole country, it is alb.
solutely essential that the next Congress should
be reformatory, economical, and composed of
the most sagacious and reliable minds that can
be called into the public service. Let the as.
pirations of feeble intellects, the narrow
generalities, abstract theories, and vagaries, be
postponed, and made subordinate to the great
questions in issue. On the next Congress will
depend, in all probability, the rightful develop
ment Of those principles which will shape the
policy Of parties and the character and action
of the Government for years in the future.
In the event of no choice of President by the
electoral colleges, it will devolve on the next
House of Representatives, voting by States, to
designate which of the three highest shall be
Chief Magistrate. While such a contingency
cannot occur, if the opponents of the Admins
istration are vigilsnt and united in maintaining
the fundamental principles in issue, if they dis
card trivial matters, and devote their energies
to restore the Government to its original sim
phcity and purpose, it is not so remote as to be
overlooked in the preliminary Congressional
elections which are about to take place. Not
that the partisans of any man, or of any mar
row and exclusive views, should be selected, but
thereverse- of enlarged, liberal, and
practical minds-men who, if elected, will give
dignity to their station, are the material that
should be brought into requisition in this emer.
gency, because it will devolve upon them to lay
the solid basis of a wise, comprehensive, patri-
otto, and enduring policy, and because the
Congressional elections may be decisive of the
Presidential election that is to follow.