The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-01


mena were moderate.
The Work Of ConGress-Pster Funks In
the House.
The Thirty sixth Congress will occupy a
memorable place in the list of the worlds in
capable governors. The branch in which
nearly all important measures must be orr
ginated came together in December under the
pressure of very ominous circumstances. As
neither party had clear majority Of the House,
and as the control Of its organization was more
than usually important on account of the i'm
pending Presidential canvass, for which the
spoils were needed, there was q prolonged
struggle for the Speakership, in which = great
deal of bad blood was shown on both sides,
and a very extensive invoice of our national
dirty linen was Haunted In the face of the
civilized world-a course of conduct which
gave to the cause Of liberal institutions in
Europe very severe and perhaps lasting
check. Following the election of Speaker
came more disgraceful scenes, and among them
the orgie by which the election Of the Clerk was
most appropriately, though disgracefully, cele.
brated. The House was continually In q state
of turbulence and disorder-the presiding Off
Ger being VIGOROUSLY Incompetent; and, what
with Pickwickian duels and Buncombe
speeches there was no time for business
before the period assigned for holding the
Presidential conventions arrived. Then the
attention Of members was fixed upon Charles
ton, or Baltimore, or Chicago, and they let the
public business go to the dogs, while they
watched the operations Of the particular clique
of spoilsmen with which they were affiliated.
In this manner six months of the session
have already been FILTERED away. II We turn
to the record we shall see that no measure of
the slightest practical consequence has been
moulded into proper shape and enacted a.
law. The republicans, who have control Of
the House, commenced business with the Al.
mighty Niger as their stock in trade. After .
brief time they ascertained that too much mig
ger was bad for the national digestion, and
that the floating voters in the Middle and West.
ern States were quite nauseated with black
draught By way Of tonic they brought ia,
first, the Homestead bill; second, the Pacific
Railway scheme; third, new tariff intended
to conciliate the iron founders Of Pennsy lvania
and the manufacturing interests of the North
generally; and fourth, rs bomb for the demo.
cracy, the tremendous Investigating committee
Of Covode, Forney, Hsskin & Co.
What has been done with all these measures,
The Pacific Railway bills have been recon
mitted, and the measure Is dead for this Coz
gress, at least. The new tariff schedule is 80
utterly absurd tha, the Senate committee re
fuses to report Il, and the Homestead bill is as
dead as Senator Seward. That brilliant states.
man, the ilustrious Grow, can minsle his tears
with those Of Senator johnson over the grave
of their bantling, whose fate recalls the ancient
net of the child who was supposed to dubitate
as to why IL was born at all, If its existence
was to be 90 brief and inglorious.
As for the Covode Committee, we have given
to our readers every important point In the
evidence adduced before II, on both sides The
testimony has been procured by our CORES.
pondents, and promptly spread before our
readers. The design Of the persons who epgi.
neered the committee was and Is to make some
capital for the opposition by bIackening the
character Of the venerable statesman of the
head Of the government The evidence
fails to support the indefinite charges
IN the resolution Of Mr.. Covode, under
which the committee wA constituted. II shows
that both parties are hopelesly demcralized
and utterly corrupt; but the people needed no
committee Of Congress to tell them that. They
had sscertained It from the Independent press
org before What Is needed Is a remedy; aud
bat, we fear, Is not within the power Of Cen.
gress. And this is the cum and substance Of
the work Of Congress. IL was all tina, the party
leaders intended II should do. I. Is al etec.
pioneering, csucusing Intriguing, President
manufacturing body.
The partisan leaders on both sIdes leeisis,e
only for selhsh ends. They initiate measures TO
catch few silly voters who are fascinated by
popular cry, such as The vote yourself farm
dodge. or the magnificent Pseihe Railway swim
die. or Mcrrin's beautiful incomprehes,ibl
lity-the uew protective isuf. Nobody ex.
pec,s these bills 70 pas. They sre the
political gold watches held out to dazzle
he eyes G, verdart customers while the
Peter Funk has worthless article. anrssdy 70
shove urontis unsuspeoiiDg within. Coogres'
then Il collections OF political mock suction.
se's end dealers r. second hsud political theo-
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