The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-25

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The Present Congress and che People.
1t must be apparent to oil who have watched
the course Of Congress that the majority of the
members Of the present body do not repre-
sent the true sentiment Of the people of the
country. They were elected under an entirely
different state Of affairs, political and every
other way. The Congressional elections took
place during one of the most excited periods
of the war. They were held at the very time
when the whole country was agitated over
the reelection Of President Lincoln, and the
continuation of his administration until the
war could be brought to close by the sup
preston of the rebellion. The passions OF
our people were more fierce against the
South than at any other period, and the de-
termination to prosecute the war to success
ful issue was the marked feature Of the can
vass. This fact alone brought to the surface
the most positive and extreme men in all
localities. Aside from this, tho army, the navy
and oil other contractors and shoddyites threw
the weight of their influence in favor of the
candidates brought forward by the admnistra-
ton party, without stopping to consider any
other point They imagined that tine more
fierce the Congressman elected were for war
the better would be their chances for contracts
of all grades Hence we find in this Congress
men who think moro of jobs than of restora-
tion-men who seem 10 prefer to stir up the
animosities rather than conciliate and har-
mOnize.
There was another element which e1ortsd Q
great influence In the election OF men Of this
class. The action Of the SheRt-perShent dc:
mocracy at Chicago in declaring the war .
failure, and thereby in effect repudiating it, out
ragged the public sentiment to that extent that
the individuals who placed themselves. IN the
field for Congress, aud took the other ex-
tremc and held to 1t with the greatest tenacity,
were everywhere elected, regardless Of all
other qualifications. All of these facts COM
bined secured. the return Of . set Of men de-
voted to one idea. Had tho war continued,
and they, in the capacity Of Legislators, been
called upon to provide for its prosecution,
they would have, no doubt, been the right men
to represent the sentiment Of the peepae. But
t0C W0I Woo UxVUxos w Ot0OV ASAxH WSAohO
they were called upon 10. act in n ofaoial
capacity. The whole nation has in the mean
time undergone complete revolutioa in senti-
ment. The excellent spirit manifested BY the
South, the disposition shown BY those engaged
in the rebellion to cordially scqsiesce In the
result, has brought about . complete modifca
ton in the tone of the North The fierce
animosity which existed during tho canvass oil
1864 has disappeared. The feelings for re.
venge, the demands for conAscation and relent.
less punishment of the Northern leaders, have
given way to conciaiatory Ceilings and desire
to heal oil difeDeaces "a soon as possible
These facts the majority 10 the lower House o.
Congress, at least, do mot appear to compre
bend. They have seen TINT the people in the
late elections have firmly stood by the repub
lican party, and interpret that as a reindorse
ment OF the issues upon which they were
elected, when, in. fact, no such questions arose
during the political canvass Of the presen
year.
The same general principle caused the repu
diation Of the democratic party in 1855 a
that which secured the overthrow of thu
federal party al the close Of the wa
of 1912, and the wing party at tn
conclusion of the Mexican war. Thu
opposition Of the federal party TO tn
policy of the administration during th,
war with England at tho period referred
to, and the attempt of the whig party to throw
obstacles in the way and embarrass the govern
ment while the Mexican war was pending
caused the death OF those two parties. The en-
dorsement Of the war party by the people q
those two periods was not declaration tina
the war was to be revived, and that the sam
spirit Of anImosity should be continued on tn
part Of the government; but IL arose from tn
belief that the party which had sustained tn
administration during the war could be tn
best trusted in adjusting the questions whic
would arise in settlement The democratic
party Of the present day Is placed In the sam
position as that occupied by the federal an
whig parties during the periods referred tc
The result furnishes still further evidence 0
the fact that the party which attempts to OF
pose the government while engaged in wa
can never again become the ruling power o
the country. The great error on the part Of
majority Of the dominant party in Congress a
the present time is, that they do not make thi
discrimination between the sentiments Of tn
people expressed when they were elected an
at the elections recently held. II is upon thi
rock that danger not only threatens them, Blu
the country. The failure Of the republica
party in Congress to comprehend and profit b
these philosophical facts will prove fully o
disastrous to that party as the plumbers durin
the war have TO the democratic party.
| There has been in tho last nine months
complete revolution in sentiment in all SCI
tons Of the country, North and South, East an
West We see IT manifested everywhere, pr
vately and publicly, in social and official II
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