Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-04-22

With all these ircmcudIl, responsibilities
resting upon BE-, the H1ese OF Representa-
ti.os hos vet done nothing. December, uU
% Christmas, 10 spent In introducing rcs1il-
tons, and letting ~ large am1gn. ol BAN
connie generally against the rebellion. i
then a1ue,nei !lr Twelve days without any
/ decent reason. There cln he no decent rel-
ssl why C1.--4 4-n. alone % ri. public
servants DO Oh. l0l, ard alone o. ali pcorlc
above tie condition oi l1l.er>. should utau
don all work tr twelve days when tic
old ye1- goes ont, and the new year
cou. iu. Ice merchant. ul the lawyer. or
the mechanic vhl should Qait bu-.ness OF
work '1r SD lan- time. with nl better rea-
son, would BE- despi-sd Jauuarv WIS large
y employed in connecting and >poutinz over
some resolutions Toward the latter part Of
the month there wo-some blooI-ani-thuuder
talk about clnfscaJiln. and "a declsi1n 90
branch out m tint lire as spon A. then was
an opening. TIE subject was abJut as aT-
propnatc T. tic uctug. situation. a. If II had
-ciattd 20 property 10 the moon. In Feb
ru3ry ,he main attention was given to tht
whisky TAX \ pretty good heginuin. WIS
mnde toward putting proper tax on this
article. but in "a little tune. nv some unlr-
countatlc influence. the whisky Interests
carried the dJv. - nothing wa made lv
that. The other matter taken ia hand Was
tie S,uatc Enrolment Biz, which the Sen
ate haa passed In order 70 give the lormer
law practical effect. The House nullifed If
all by reducing the commLtatun back from
four hundred 10 three hundred dollars, and
by making that Communication exempt for
three years instead OF for the particular
draft. In March, bill for the establish
mcnt Of a Bureau tor Freedmen WIS passed.
The little Gold Bill was taken up and reject
ell by strong vote, and, with characteristic
consistency, wa- passed irw days aiterward
bv av0te just Is strong line bill regulating
aud Ierfecting See. Cha-r's system OF nation
al banks was taken up. ami cobbled over
with all sorts OF incungrJous amendments.
and turned into such piece of hotch-work /,
that II was kicked out ct doors in disgust.
Since April came IN We have had iorlv
upon tle Camden ami Amboy Railroad that .
n4s come 10 nothing @ illumination OF loud /.
words against the Emperor NAPoLroN's OBJ /
erations in Mexico and a Quix,tic. ais .
graceful raid against tine freedom uf. debate
We defy any man in that House t. put his
lhsrr upon solitary measure passed hv II.
calculated to Increase tine financial strength
u the Government one iOta. The thing has
not been seriously attempted The nineteen
weeks have been utterly wasted in empty
peech-makius- or in dawdlins over irrcit-
ant matter, OF in working positive mischief.
he bpdy ha- sbirked al serious work In
m no question save when, as in LoNC's csise,
ome uncommon folly was To be committed,
ave more than Two thirds OF the member,
oted and for much Of the time, it has been
lnost impossible TO keep up a quorum. In
he face OF such hagitious unlaithlulness on
30 part of the legislative branch to which
he financial concerns Of the country are es-
ecially intrinsic ed, the wonder il that our
nancial credit has not been even more
riey0usiy weak, ned-tLat there is not even
wider hiatus between gold ana g.eenbacks.
Inc people have heen patient under this
? 10 the uttermost point Of endurance. We
am the House 10 set about their prnIer
lsine-s, IT icy care TO escape an outJurst
indignation thai Would Politically rain
'ery ulau u them