, 1862-01-16
U1)e Trihtttte.
CONGRESS AND TIE PEOPLE.

4UNNAx2SS AND IRE PEOPLE,
We have letter from, Washington, writ
ten hy Il gentlemen whose opportunities
for k1:rYiug that whereof hn :a11lr1ns, are
UNSURPASSED, in which The ltaris expressed
that the members Of Congress will be une-
DUAL to the criisls-that is, that majority
Ct them have not that frmness and unset
fish patriotism which viii impel them 10
face the danger of unpopularity and defeat
at home, as an anticipated result Of 8
prompt, fearless and intelligent doing Of
their duty "7he conviction is Us profound
"as ii is general" says the writer, that
s'nothing but taxation heavy enough to
satisfy capitalists that wc mean to pay the
Interest on our fast accumulating debt,
1s and heavy enough also to create sink
ing fund which will be guaranty Of the
s'ultinlate payment Of the principal, can
save our armies from defeat and disgrace,
and the national interests Of the country
= from ruin. But action docs not follow
conviction. Me5srs 4, B, c and D are
candidates for reelection next November,
and are afraid that Fote for tax will de-
"ieat them III caucus or before the people.
"E, and G expect to be in the Senate,
"and they too must keep their sails 50
+:trimmcd as not to lose tie popular breeze.
"A few more think that war is not so bad 4
thing after all, and it Is not well to con-
"c1ude it in hurry. Are not contracts
"abundant in war times? Still others be-
"lcre, they know not why, that there is a
way not yet discovered in which our six
+" hundred thousand men can be fed,
" clothed, armed, transported and fought
without money-that bits Of printed
"papcr with signature or two
attached, representing no solid value
immediate or prospective, will do the
"Tork and keep the tax gathcrer-always
"a hateful ogre-away from the dear
s<people's doors. And all these, and those
tVho1n they represent in and out Of Con
t' gross, viii defeat any sufficient bill which
",hc real economists and statesmen will
mature"
This information, unwclcome though il
is, and arguing, as it does, a very low po.
litlcal and moral status in the two Houses
accords 50 well with what we have before
heard, that we are afraid our informant i:
not mistaken It will be lucky fUl
these timc-se1ying, popularity seek
ing representatives if he is. vi
. believe that the people NOW want thei
leaders TO deal honestly with them-to ex
pose all the dangers, present Or lurking
like The villain in tragedy, in the back
ground, that they must encounter-to poin
out and iairly estimate the weight Of th
burdens that they must bear to carry til
Government triumphantly and honorabl
through the terrible struggle Of the ycal
In this matter Of finance, especially, the
demand publicity and fear1essness. "Te
u.s. they say, "what We must do. Kee
"nothing back. Let us have no quackcr
sin what should be a plain maj
"tcr Of business that, any Of u
t'when it is properly presented, can unde1
.'stand We know that wnr is expensiv
ss-th-t it is not carried on without none,
"But this is our Government, our war, OF
t'country. We are willing to pay what
demanded But don't cheat US Do NJ
"1,i1e up evils for another period by fearin
ito tell us all the truth, and BY refusing
stake us into your confidence" This, VI
believe, is the language that the peop
hold-the honest speaking Of PATRIOTS,
that will not shrink from a full perfornlans
Of its duty. The Congress now in sessie
will dc well TO give heed!