The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-06
CONGREss-sUMmING UP.

yfyom Me Tribune
The Thirty eighth Congress- which has inst
closed its longer session. was an uncommonly
green one. We believe not more than half its
members ever before held seats in either House.
A very considerable proportion of its members
are men of quite moderate abilities about canal
TO the duties of justices of the peace. Some of
them bought their nominations outright; Others
traded for them; perhaps fifty in all got in be
cause they were really fit for legislators, and the
people knew it,
1t Is solemn fact that we do not send as able
men relatively TO Congress as were sent forty 10
sixty years ago; and our detestable system o.
primary meetings and regular nominations are
the main cause of the falling Off though our
wretched practice of cOnfning the choice of each
district TO residents therein--a practice founded
BILE for it.
Neither Clay, Webster, nor Calhoun could
remain in the House eight years under the pre-
Vailing system. What district will set the eX-
ample OF calling some able and upright statesmen
by public requisition to it in the next House.
we ought TO have Edward Everett Salmon p
Chase, Henry G. Carey, Hamilton Fish, Gerrit
1mlhI John T. Kennedy, etc etc, in that
House; while our political opponents should
likewise send to it Millard Fillmore, c. O'C1nor,
Judge woodward, George M. Dallas, etc. etc, if
they can.
But we shall never again have a strong Com
gress until, in selecting candidates the shrieks
oflocahty" are wholly disregarded. Why should
an eminent Copperbead be excluded from Com
Rress Dy the fact that he lives III PittsburR? or
Republican by the mere fact of his resiience in
old Berks. Do LET us have an end of this?
The present Congress did some good things
very tardily-passlLg i,s lax and tariff bills for
example ialleQ to pass several excellent mea-
sures, such as the national bankrupt bill and that
which struck blow nc the virals of railroad
monopOly-did lis best, somewhat reluctantly, 90
recruit our heroic armies-showed great weak
ness, If nothing worse, in allowing the whisky
speeulators to carry of and divide several mil.
lions or dollars which honestly belonged
and should have been secured 90 the
Ireakury-and allowed itself % bu sublimely
fooled In the repeal Of the bill prOhiJitory of
gambling in god
The assurance that repeating this bill would
reduce the premium on Cola was Simply absurd
we trust that premium may DO speedily and
'-lMgely reduced; but this bit will do no more 10
NAT end than repeating the ordinary statutes
salnst gambllnR 10 general would do towards the
WlltlOu Of hat vice, There will alwlys be
nblingi laws may limit and impede but can
er wholly abolish il; but hc whO believes that
ii2ing the vice would abolish il is even A
er dance than lac who thinks "A wcll-drawn
\ ie would utterly eNtibguish it.
; gold gam Oiers have rOrnered CONGRESS-
almost as completely rs the whisHy gamblers
dld, aud with not ha.f the profits 10 veual mean
bers or Their convenient friends. In the goId
case, the members were really misled and we
are sorry for them.
Let us try to strengthen the House at the an
preaching elections.