The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-09
rHE DUTY on ooNGREsS.


There but four weeks hfoie ths present session OF
Congress expires. II cannot SIC after the 4th Of March
next and they that compose IL viii be then IKE any
other citizens But it is the high council OF the ma
ton, the only law making power the object To which
the business OF the country with expectations and
langushing interests with hopes IL Il the repository OF
mOmentous powers and is voice Is potent 70 speak INTO
being measures which shall advance the country or
pungeit in disastrous troubles There they sit for only
a short time lOngerthese few hundred men who com
pose the CongresS-with the prosperity Of nation de
pending upon and awaiting their action What is their
duty under the circumstances
Far be it from 10 suppose that there Is a who
represents constituency Ia the Capitol who does not
know what the country needs who docs not know what
the happiness and prosperity of the union require OF Con
gTess to do But unfortunately. sent 10 perform
national service suffer themselves lose sight of the
great work for which they TO be governed by
motives of shortsghted aud temporary policy OF party
aud be led away by questions the presence Of which
intrusion upon legitimate congressional business
which simply to distract and to draw away atten
ton from great and important concerns which are
only settled to suit some special private end and which
ought to have been admitted upon national arena
where they have rghtiu place IL is TO these causes
10 ascrbe SO much precious time lost and
than lost by the present Congress. May its last
days be profitable to the country than its rst have
been and may the inexorable hand of time which
the eeting moments Of Congress find It's every
member engaged in high and honorable emulation to do
their duty and their whole duty faithfully and earessly
to their country, their whole country
There questions OF pressing weight 20 be passed
upon there principles in which the honor of the
country is concerned TO be enunciaed with the official
voice OF Congress there doctrines 10 be declared
under which the Territories may be organized on broad
and strong foundations and domestic and local questions
which have not cannot have national bearing may
be thrust back To their proper limits What sacr
fees have been made what time has been lost what i'll
feeling has been engendeed what perils have been
countered, by dwelling upon questions in the nation
which the constitution expressly declares to be confined
to the States The day however for the nsne folly has
| ~.
of Imperative duties TO common country The great,
broad comprehensive constitutional national union doc
tine that the people in each State and Territory and they
alone may determine upon their constitutions and local
laws is the great paoifcang doctrine TO be established
with, and recognised az, the fundamental law OF the
Union. Had this doctrine been abded by what catalogue
of evils might have been avoided II is the duty of Con
gress in the few remaining days that left for it, TO
recognise this principle practically by throwing aside all
questions that initiate against it,
We have mentioned this subject first because it lays
at the foundation Of the which have intercepted
legislation and diverted congressional action from It's
proper path But there other subjects of immense
interest which demand immediate The necessities
of the great the expenditures are heavy
while the business OF the country is struggling upward
and OF the producing interests anguishng for
| proper recognition by government IL would he use
less to waste time TO inquire into causes which have
brought to this state of things than useless to
crninate and reciminae and waste time in words which
ought be consecrated TO acts 1t is enough that the
government and important branches Of business are en-
barassed and need relief Ii is no time TO discuss abb
questions Prompt and energetic action to remove
the evils that exist Is the plain dictate OF duty Add that
patriotism and devotion to the public good, which we
doubt not yet remain in the national councils, and with
which the republic would be always in danger should
| prompt in authority, whatever their position, TO
| lay aside their opposition and their enmes, adopt a
spirit OF concaton unite upon the common platform OF
the good and agree to measures that while they
will relieve the government, will also relieve the suffer-
ing business community tariff for with Incl
/ Is n which all ought
to be willing TO unite The time before Congress is yet
sufficient to establish this principle to meet present ext
| gencies.
During the interim of Congress great events may trans
pe in reference to ens Mexico ana duly hf fn af Tie Gon
gress owes to the country to make am authoritative def
milton of the Monroe doctrine is sufficient to meet
every OF European intervention this continent
There Is necessity for this definition since it has been
attempted to show that the doctrine nothing is
nappcabe and that neither Monroe the statesmen OF
his day intended it to apply the democratic party have
applied and interpreted it. The enunciaon by Congress
of this doctrine in authoritative way would carry
weight and influence with it, and might put stop to
modify in great measure European intrigues on this
| continent As for Cuba it is the universal opinion Of
all statesmen that it gvitaes to the United States that
its manifest destiny is annexation The crisis may arrive
suddenly and when il should be prepared for
/ it. No man tell how events i'm progress in
Europe, to be unmasked in short time may precpitate
the question OF Cuba to speedy Issue The Executive
ought to feel that he has the strength of Congress to
lean upon in dealing with this subject. 1t is one in
which the people deeply interested but espe-
cialy the people Of the North They look upon Cuban
annexation with hope, as measure full Of promise to
the employment of their capital their energy aud their
enterprise The ags of the constitution will be thrown
that gem of the and the Cuban slave trade will
cease New markets will be opened for all our northern
products and manufactures, and general impetus will
be given to and enterprise that will open pros
porous eras such those which followed the acquisition
Of Louisiana and California
We shall have more to say upon these topics at another
| time