The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-03
TnE DUTY OF THE HOUR.

From me Tribune.
The XNNVIIIb Congress convenes for its
second and final session on Monday next, Deccm-
Der 5, and already a large majority of Its members
have assembled at Washington. Einety days are
all that arc left to this Congress- and We venture
to remind its members that the fate of the Repub-
lie hangs on the vigor and prompttude of its
action. Had the great measures of its former
session been matured in December and cOnsum-
mated in January instead of being allowed to
drag along till June, the treasury would have
been one hundred millions better oil than IL is
to-day. May we not hope that the energy aud
alaCTity now 10 be displayed will fully atone for
the hesitation and tardness OF the former session
There was much to pa'liatc, nothing to excuse,
that tardlness The House was new, composed
in good part of new members, with a new
Speaker, and newly established cOmmlttees-all
which is now brayey altered-whe the Senate
had an excuse for tagging in the constitutional
requirement that all revenue bills shall originate
in the House. Now we have experience in every
department. with the session ineXorably restricted
to three months. We hope soon to publish
fresh call for half million, the draft to be post
poned to the LIST of March, but volunteers 70 be
accepted Immediately, and every one credited to
the State, county, and township which is his
proper residence.
Lut us have no competition in prOtfcring
bounties, but let the Government offer liberal
bounty for volunteers Only-ssy $3.50 cash in
hand, with $50 TO whomsOeyer shall bring in an
acceptable volunteer, who shall receive SlOO
more at the close Of his FIRST year of faithful
service, and 500 more at the close Of his second
year, should he be required to serve so long, with
a free discharge within sixty days after the ter
miuatiOn OF the war. Let volunteers be received
at every Provost Marshaps Office and there only :;
being forwarded to camps of instruction as soon
as inspected and accepted.
And when the time for drafting arrives, let all
NauQpal boulties be Withdrawn, and let the
Several States and smaller districts ill up their
al
but let tho draft be ineXorably enforced within
thirty days after the lst of March, Such is the
rough outline of plan which we believe would
supply oil the men that aIe needed, if the Rebels
shall insist on a Continuance of the war, SO that
dawdling must seem like imbecile and criminal.
We hope TO see the Standing Committees an
nOunCed this week-not later Jhau Wednesday,
and the CHEF revenue measure of the session re-
ported within the week following. Let the Mill
tary Committee vie with the Ways and Means In
maturing its measures at the earliest moment,
and insisting that these shall have instant and
thorough attention. II we could announce on
the first day OF January ensuing, the final pas.
sage of The chief measures Of these two commit.
tees We should hail the fact as auspiciOus Of the
nations speepy deiycrtncc from the grasp of the
slayehCderS' rebellion.
We ard, nty hope for peace at an early day,
but We know that tits only 10 De achieved through
thorough provision for q most efficient prOscCu-
tion Of the war. If the Presidents last call tor
half million men had been promptly responded
would by this time have been virtually ended.
As 1t was, hggling for extraordinary credit
(WhtrCin our city wss cOnspicuOus) land kin
dred devices, operated to reduce the net product
20 something less than two hundred thousand.
AS to finance, we insist on the amplest and mCst
stringent taxation at once,
L,tus have a twenty five per cent Income Tax,
II necessary, with searching inquiry into every
mans business and eceipts, with double the pre-
sent taxes on AL luXuries aud snpertiulticS. Oue
hundred per cent duty on Imported silks aud
laces, gewgaws aud fTippory, is little enough for
such time as this. We are now borrowing
money in effect at atty cents on the dollar, which
comes too near bankruptcy 70 be pleasant sub
ject of contemplation Let us pay anything do
anything, TO bring the war 10 a speedy close, but
let NOT double the cost of the war through q
cOwardly dread OF taxation.
The people have Just emphatiCaly recognized
this war rs theirs, and instructed the Govern.
ment 70 spare no effort to bring II to a speedy and
triumphant close. Every dollar of debt con.
tracted in it il a mortgage on all the property in
the country, and he undertakes the popular sa-
gacity andmtelligence who fancies that the peO'
pie would rather have five hundred millions
added to this mortgage than pay half that amount
in taxes. After the result Of our recent election
1. would be a wanton insult to disrust their reso'
hutton or their patriotism.