, 1864-04-22
FROM WASHINGTON,
From Our Regular Correspondent

" From 0uf GeEH13f correspondent
: WASHINGTON, april II, 1864.
WILL CONGRESS RISE TO TIE pEAASp OF T1s
SITUATION?
. The above is the question now earnestly
asked BY all thoughtful and patriotic minds
in the country. And well 1t may be, for on
its solution depend the honor and safety of
the state. II Congress fails to comprehend
and net upon the needs of the country, 1t
will soon have no country-at least none but
divided, torn, distracted and bankrupt one
to act for. For my part, and I deeply regret
to be Obliged TO scy 1t, I fear Congress either
does not comprehend the necessities Of The
times, or has not courage to meet them as
they should be met. No panacea for the Ills
under which We labor, which will at all meet
the condition Of the patient, has as yet been
proposed in Congress-. Mr. Stevens bill to
tl1 the State bnnks Is but half measure,
and will not meet the case. The tax bill by
the Committee on Ways and Means bears too
heavily on some Of cur most essential indus
trial interests and too lightly upon articles
of which spectators haye monopoly Aud
I fear that when it comes to be torn to
pieces by the opposition side OF the
House, aided by members on the Administra-
ton benches, It will present sorry spccta-
Gle, ehorn Of Its present fur proportions, aa
it most likely will be. The fate Of the t.1 Oh
sr frits on hand threatens 1t. The t1uth Is that
many Administration members are controlled
20 much by local interests and fndfy1dunl
eelfshncss, that they Jail to act for the inter
sition always acts with the intention of en-
barrassing the Administration and inciden-
tally aiding the rebellion Unfortunately,
they have hitherto been able, In conjunction
with men in onr rauks representing certain
local interests, to in great measure effect
their purposes. Even MI: Stevens bank tax
bin Is threatened with defeat in this way. 1t
win be opposed By ill the Copperheajs on
their old principle Of State rights, while
many New England inen, and members from
Statss with large wildcat interests, or those
personally interested or subsidized by State
banks, will also enleavor to defeat It, In
glar5pg contrast with our Congress, marx
that Of the rebels No individual interest
there appears to be allowed to stand In the
way OF the common cause. That Congress
is 4 standing reproach to this. No wonder
that foreign newspapers point to It as an eI-
amrle Of The unity and determination of the
rebels, while they taunt ours as the repre-
sentative Of a divided people. Compare our
condition financially with that of foreign
governments under similar circumstances;
Napoleon on the very day Of his unparalleled
triumph ut AusteTlitz eyes Ire armies of Rus
eia and Austria, received news that the notes
Of the Bank Of France had declined five per
cent iron the specie value. BE Immediately
Toeted to Paris, and his first act while ascend
Ine the stairs Of the Tuileries was to dismiss
nie Secretary Of the Treasury, NJ: dc Barbe-
Mafbofe. In our case the national currency
hns declined seventy per cent below Its par
value; the Secretary of the Treasury long
since pointed ont the cause Of this terrible
depreciation; yet up to this moment Con-
grsss Las literally done nothing to remedy
an eril In Which is involved the very cause In
sequence The veTy county itself And it has
i ~. 9een Tor want Of warning that Congress
~ ~ aoEe nothing in the premises. The press
" ,ns country has called to them loudly and
bbaay bn"necs 70 come to the rescue Of onr
.he session com1nenced, pointed ont I1H he
necessity OF action in the premises' ana fhat
Tie copperhcads would Nuke tits anestinn rnnt ~