The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-07-11
A Great and Memorable Congress.

1t would bo wholly inadequate ex.
preston of tho truth to say that the ro
sponsbilitcs devolvod by events upor the
present Congress surpass those devolved |
upon any of its predecessors. That would
be to compare things between which there
is 10 comparison, being as unlike in kind as
in degrOo.
1t is not merely war, but attempted revo.
luton, that :his Congress has 10 deaf with. |
1t is not merely the sulugauion of any enc. !
my, but the pacifcation of great section |
OF the country, which is the problem to DO |
solved.
To apply financial measure to tho do
ties of Congress. it may DO said, that tho tx-
penditnrcs of tho Government have become
ten times greater than at ordinary periods,
aud expenditure may be said to be a test
aud guago Of tho extent of tho operations
OF governments
Ii thcro has been Occupied expenditure
to supervise 60, alec, there has been do.
cupled amount of money to provide for, by
taxes and loans.
There is no precedent, and no approach
to precedent. Of such sudden and enor-
nous enlargement of governmental opera.
! tons in tho history of any marion in the
world. The European MOI arci 8 arc cot
Untrcquently engaged in great wars, but
| their naval aud military establishments are
, upon such a scale in time o! peace, that
| hostities do not oularge them at all in tho
proportion which we are now witnessing
| here. Tho total cost to Great Britlan of
| the late Russian war, which lasted about
| two years. was one huudrcd millions ster-
ling. equal to tho ordinary British revenue
! for two years. The iucroase of expenditure
in war, of tho continental Powers, is still
! less, as they maintain themselves in peace
! upon war footing. which the insnlar Eug.
lish have not been in the habit of regarding
as necessary for their security.
| But as great as have been tho emergencies
and necessities of this war, Congress has
heoD found adequate to them. Especially
has this been SO in respect to tho creation
of revenues by taxation. Tho Treasury De.
partment proposed ninety millions of rev.
enue, but Congress. OF its own motion, took
the earliest opportunity ut the present ses-
| sion to declare tnat it would raise ono hum
| drcd aud fifty millions. and is more than re.
! dceming the pledge mado in that dcclnra-
tion. In governments having a parliament.
AIRY constitution. 1t is at executive instance
that appropriations are made and revenues
granted, aud this is tho first instance, here
| or elsewhere, in which the Representatives es
of the people have imposed greater burdens
upon their constituents that they were
! urged to do by the executive power. Tho
parI q nen ary history of England is a record
of struggles between the murHuring and
grudging Commons and tho Ministries, with
their demands for revenue and subsidies.
In our American case, it was the Commons
who stepped forward, upon their own Wow
of their own dutics. to voto nearly twice as
much as the exchequcr asked for.
Nor has this Congress. undor complica.
tioD Of dIfiicu'tieS-sOme of which are fl
for public discussion, and somo Of whict
cannot yet be properly discussed-beer
wanting. other in statesmanlike apprecia-
ton of the revolutionary crisis, or in the
frmnoss to meet it.
Thus. il has already
Abolished slavery in tho District of Co.
umba;
Forever prohibited slavery in all tho Ter.
ritories of thu Union, now acquired or TO be
hereafter acquired;
Prohibited. under severe penalties, the
surrender of tho fugitive slaves by naval anC
r military officers;
e Offered compensa tion to such States a
[ shall, before this war closes, voluntaril,
!, emancpate their slaves;
. Provided for tho emancipation of slave
devoted to tho uses of the rebellion by tbei
owners
These arc measures sccomj lshed by tn
+. concurrent action of the Senate and House
. In addition. the House has passed a bill
Y for tho emancipation of the slaves of larg
classes of rebels. and has directed III
!. bringing in of bill providing a jury tria
= for all persons claimed as fugitive slaves
and denying the benefits of the fugitiv
slave law TO oil who have taken part in chi
: rebellion. All the developments by vote
and discussions in the Senate. give unhesi
!, taIing assurance that these bills will receiy
n the concurrence Of that body.
Thus, this Congress, in the midst OF
n great war, has boldly launched a new pol
cy, affecting at all points the social cOnd
, ton of one, half of the COnfederscy. w
" may we'll call it q new policy. although il
: really but a return to the policy of the rev
oiutionary fathers. from which two genera
tions had backs,dden.
The present Congress will have positio
in history as conspicuous and enduring q
y that of the Constituent Assembly OF ii
.. Fronch Revolution. Changes as lastin
ro and vastly greater will date from it.
10 1t is not merely the present times, b,
y tho latest posterity, which will honor ii
'e true mon in this Congress, who, resistiu
p- both seduction and monaco. have prOceede
ss straightforward in the path of duty. au
,g have at last carried through the great hi
ne torical measures which now crown their @
I'd forts. Their children and their children
es children, to the remotost generation. W
lie preserve and prize as their richest inheri
10 snce. the records of their votes.-Wdshini
ne ton Republican.
do Absanna of Mind