The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-12-20
coNaREss ON CANADIAN RAIDERS

NNHENWhheS ON NANADAAN hAlDEhS
The National House Of Representatives
yesterday passed, by a vote of sixty-eight to
fity-siX, the following resolution
" ResoEred, That Congress has constitutions
right 70 an authoritative voice in declaring and
prescribing the foreign policy of the United
States, as well in the recognition of new
powers as in other matters; and It is the constitu-
iOna duty Ct tine President TO respect that policy
not less in diplomatic relations than in the use
Of the national forces when authorized by law,
and the propriety OF any declaration of foreign
policy by Congress is sufficiently proved by the
vote which prUnounces it, and such proposition
while pending undetermined, is not fit topic for
diplomatic explanations with any foreign power"
The intrinsic truth of such declaration
is not denied even by its opponents, but
it is the application which both the
people Of our country and the monarchs
Of France and England will make to such an
enunciation Of principle at the present time
which the more cautious members of our
National Congress opposed by both voice and
vote. After a careful analysis of the manner
by which the resolution was passed, we find
that the ayes consisted of every Democratic
member OF the House, together with the more
radical wing Of the Republican party. Every
Democrat voted for its adoption, with the ex-
ception OF BAILEY, of Pennsylvania, and
YEAMANs, Of Kentucky, both elected on war
platform; while those who so strenuously
opposed its passage were the Union members,
those who fought and conquered under the
President last November, and who will still
stand by him, both rs regards hisdomestic and
foreign policy. The delegation from the Key
stone State were equally divided; twenty
members voted. The Unionists voting for the
resolution were MooRHEAD, STEVENS, and
WILLIAMS, the most radical of the delega-
tion; the remainder Of the Union men voted
against ii. If the whole Pennsylvania dele
CATION had but voted against it, the resolution
would have been defeated by q large majority.
We cannot but consider the utterance Of
such g declaration by Congress, at the present
time, as premature. Harmony is essential in
our national councils at the present time.
When our armies are fighting and winning
glorious laurels on the field, the day-star ofhope
has risen, and men think that they are COM
mencing TO see the beginning Of the end; now
at this moment Of returning dawn is no time
for the friends Of the Union and freedom, who
are in power, TO commence dissenting and
pickering; no time for the Union meu TO lend
heir aid towards enabling the opposition to
succeed in carrying the National Congress
against the National Executive. Every vote
polled tOr the resolution was a vote given to
aid the Democratic party. We are at loss
to understand how these members, who have
done such good service in the cause Of free
dom so lately, could join their voices with
their late opponents in opposition to the very
man for whom they had so lately spoken.
A legislator Is not to be Influenced by his
private piques. Before depositing his vote
he must weigh well the effect II will have, he
must act as though the fate Of the who'll nation
depended upon his individual action; and when
the responsibility has been fully appreciated
by him, then not a vote win be cast which is
Influenced only by indignation or passion.
Do those members who favored the resolution
think thatour country Is at the present time in
condition to enter into a wmwith great
foreign poWerslIke GreatBritaip or France 2 Or