Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-28
Meeting OF Congress.


Congress meets in December; ard il Genes to
getker not a moment too soon. II = peshsps IN
fortunate that the representative Dot direct AMI
fresh from the people the creation Of the last
election-the reflex and embodiment Of their opia
ions, purposes aud high patriotism but having du-
ring the summer mingled with the masses, assisted
In the formation and organization Of our army, and
shared the deep notifications which the defeats,
disasters and other evidences Of the inbecIlty
where, Of which the summer has been 80 full. they
are, VIC hope, up to the mark burning 10 inquire
into the causes Of our humiatiOns and disgraccs,
and Loyalty anxious to 80 aid, sdmonish, advise or
reprOYe the Administration, as to inspire it with
some part Of The lofty energy the patriotic fervOr
and the self sacrihcing zeal OF the men in whose
behalf the war Is wagsd, and who vii foot the bills
when the vsT is at an end. We hear and with ex-
ultation which creates new hope for the
glory and permanency of our institution,
that the members Of the House and Senate,
East and West, alive to the importance
and necessity of their work; and thst the rotten
places the sources of weakness add corruption
the causes Of humiliation and defeat, will be boldly
and freely exposed to the nations gaze by the ae-
ton which they will be compelled to take We live
in days when the Military Power is everything !;
and the danger that we have apprehended is that il
would become dominant over and give law to the
Civil Authority, and by eucrOachnient after en-
croachment, by weakening the Constitution here
disregarding it there, and defyiDg it yonder, We
should gradually, but to wise and watchful men,
not imperceptibly, build up Military DespOtism, at
the head of which the first successful commander
with an army Of half q million at his heels wOuld
dictate to what only last year was 4 Republic. It
will be the duty Of Congress the representative
Of the Civil Power Of the people, the source whence
sll power springs-to watch the indications which
point In that direction to compel the retracipg OF
the ste ps which lead to that undesirable goal and
to reproye. and if necessary, punish the recreani
officials who have made unJusGfable or tyrsnnicsl
use of their authority, and to interpose new bar
riers against the usurpations Of the Sword.
These duties and that other duty which will m
pei them to look into the peculatiOn and rOtenness
which make the names Of contractors stink in
the public nostrils they must net shrink. The per
formsnce viii be difficult and perhaps painful. but
considerations Of patriotism must prevail ever
questions which relate to party or persons and the
faith and henOr of the Republic must be vlndica-
ted, new impulse must be given to the patriotism
of the people the great guarantees of personal
freedom even against the plea Of State neeess ity
must be established; the robbers must be huntS
down and destroyed, or the Republic is lost An
other matter, not less important viii engage atten-
ton. The public will believe, and the belief Is
spreading growing more intense and causing heart
sickness that paralyzes effort, thst in the Cabinet
itself are 70 be found the causes Of our heavy hu-
initiation and grief-nOt in its head, but in the-ad>
visers of thar head that there are men near
the President, sharing his plans, RominallJ
aiding while really shaping his policy, who
are an incubus on the popular cause that
TO to their hidden desire to have peace at the
price Of national disintegrsuoR and dis
honor, their innate cowardice OF head and heart
AID to their ambition for biz place though attained
at cost which men may strive in vain 10 measure
tins heavIness these frequent reYerses this alarm
/ ing insctiOn, snd the dubious and disheertenins
prOspec, ahead, are due. Inquiry in the direction
may not De one Of the legitimate duties Of the Rep
resentatves Of the peoples will; but their belief
in relation to this matter Of grave import, may
nay, must, control their action That un6rJden
and Of course unWelcome, they viii enter this field
Of inquiry, and either reassure the people or con
firm their worst fears and invite jhsir verdict and
execution, we must believe.
/ Thus the work Of Congress seems to be cut out
Our hope is that for once in the history Of THE
great nation, the members Of the National Legisla
ture will be equal to the crisis that self seeking
viii be forgotten in the imminence Of public dan
ger and that, animated By that divine fervor which
made the French Convention the epitome of al
that's grad and heroic in our race, they viii in
spire the army and the people with that heroism
I which in Frenchmen dared to engage and failed
not to conquer the hostility Of Continent