Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1862-05-16
Recollection of Senator Foot.

he New Olk IrtOuRe, always spar
ing in its praise and often prodigal in It's
censure Of government officials and OF
the members Of Congress, individually
and collectively, in its last number de-
clares the present Congress to be more
earnestly attentive to its real duties than
almost any other that ever assembled.
judging by the amount Of business done,
and considering the magnitude and i'm
portauce of the questions before ii, judi
cial, financial, and political, many Of them
growing out of the civil war to which a
band of traitors has driven US, and there.
fore new to Congress as well as the coun
try at large, we believe the praise of the
Tribune to be, in this instance, well be-
slowed.
We have sometimes had more men of
the stamp Of Webster, Clay, and Wright
in Congress, great orators, no doubt, aud
great statesmen, bat it has become a tru-
ism that such are rot always, or even
generally, the most useful or efficient
legislators. In the regulation of COM
merce, in the management of the finan-
ces, in matters pertaining to the army
and navy, in short, in dH the business
interests Of the nation, there are doubt
less scores of men in Congress who new
err made a great speech " in all their
lives, but who are, nevertheless, far more
useful members than the mere debater,
skilled in the art of " making the worse
appear the better reason" or in remov.
ing the cuticle irom-in other words
skinning-a hair in the most approved
logical fashion. Such men were very
useful upon the stump in old times when
we had political parties striving for the
mastery, and they entertain US bravely
en- the fourth Of July always; but they
are not the men to whom the people will
entrust the management of their inter
ests in time like this. This war, we
trust, is near its close. When it is ended
the great reckoning with the tax gatherer
will come, and the people, groaning I'M
der such a tax, will he more exacting in
their requirements of their public ser
wants.
There will be no amateur members Of
Congress, and the people will laugh to
scorn the political demagogue who shall
come forward and prefer any claim upon
them FOR seat in those bodies. Tho
people will call for such as they want,
and they will be practical business men of
experience, industry, and ntegrity-men
who have wisdom to devise and energy
to adopt measures for the relief Of the
people, as far as may be, from the enor-
nous pecuniary burdens that this great
war must needs impose upon them, per-
haps for generations to come.
If the people are wise, they will not,
as often heretofore, allow political dema-
gogues to take advantage Of their party
preiudices and establish themselves in
offices which their lazness renders sine
cures. II there are drones in the pres
ent Congress it is TO be hoped that the
PEOPLE at the next election will hurl them
from their seats and put useful, work
inc, live men in their places. If We
have in either branch, as the Tribune
thinks, and as we think, many of the lat
ter stamp, they should in justice to them
selves retain them in spite Of all consid
erations Of former party preferences.
The above crude reflections were sug-
gested by the communication published
by Us last week in reference to the re-
election of Mr.. Foot to the Senate, and
the Tribune article before alluded to :;
and it is gratifying to believe that the
course OF our whole delegation in Con-
gress entities them to share largely in the
commentator bestowed by the Ti6-
une upon both branches OF Congress.
They haze not flooded the state with