The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-03-04
meeting
Letter from the Federal Capital.


To the Editor Of the Press:
1t surely seems a great pity that the last
days of each session and especially of the
short and final session ofeach Congress. should
s- be SO filled with hurry and confusion as TO
Low make candid elaboration and judcious legis-
lation almost if not quite impossible. II, ac-
cording to Emerson, "hurry is the work of
slaves" it evidently is not the proper work for
men legislating upon the most momentous
and difficult question ever presented to any
Congress or perhaps to any legislative body,
- iegslating without precedents to guide them,
for generations yet unborn and ages still to
~ be-. That the consideration and disposition
~, ofprime measures measures of longest reach
and broadcast scope, should be deferred till the
closing hurly burly, is, to say the very least,
unfortunate. And Is it not strange that dur
ing nearly three quarters ola century we have
not yet been able to learn that in matters of
legislation as in any other, representation is
the thief of time, and that stealing time he
-as often steals great deal moreP II is doubt
less very pleasant for Congressmen to be with
their families and friends for fortnight in
the holiday season and very comfortable to sit
Isl an hour or two day in the early part of the
Saturdays, but is such a course polite and
wise? Would it not have been better, for in
stance to face the unparalleled hardship Of
sitting during the holidays this winter than to
leave such matter as the recognition Of the
State governmental Louisiana and Arkansas,
matter touching the very foundations of our
government, to such hasty consideration as
may be had, and such immature conclusions
as may be reached in the last few days of the
session? Would it not have been better to econ.
omize some of the leisure afternoons of Decem-
90 - rand January than to leave the Tax Bill
full Of intricate and complicated details with
out an hours consideration In TIE Senate, un-
til within five working days of the fourth of
March? Is it wise, is it safe to neglect the
ordinary appropriation bills till it is hardly
possible to scan and canvass their various
items with anything Ike judicious care until
mayhapc their immediate passage becomes an
absolute necessity with whatever amendments
39G may, in the confusion, have been tackled TO
them? ~
But Congress "catches up" OF course it
does to some extent, but it catches up quite
too much like adown-east boy who has fallen
- sbehindhand with his "stent.v The process of
crowding into a few days or hours the bust
ness of weeks is not quite original with Con-
~ gress. l have seen something of night ses-
sions and am convinced that after the wear and
tear, under the exhaustion and WEAKNESS at
tendant upon hard Committee work in the
forenoon and long day session, the lrmest'
nerves and the clearest head are not in the
iit best working order. Business is sometimes
dispatched with marvellous rapidity at q
,sut,Fa huha oh Is
to as much confidence as the verdict of jury
imprisoned and starved into an agreement,
4 perhaps little more. EAff III ,-m
It has been as difficult of late to Keep the
'oi run Of congressional business as IL was for
Michael to count his pigs correctly, one of
which frisked about SO furiousy and inces-
ri sanity as to defy all attempts to count hlm.--F
Bills, Acts and Joint Resolutions have of late
displayed such unwonted and surprising &C.
tvity that their whereabouts might in many
cases be difficult to name. The status of some
however is rather unpleasantly certain. Three
4 great measures, viz: the Freedmen's Bureau
Bill, the Bill respecting the Camden and Am
Z boy monopoly, and the Joint Resolution re-
cognizing the State government Of Louisiana,
are in all probability at rest for the present
sense of Congress Is opposed to these meas
ures or at least to something of the sort, but
for want of time The same is true of the
resolution re-admitting Arkansas. The Bank
rupt bill originated last session by Mr.. Jenckes,
and sentfrom the House to the Senate Dec.
18th and reported by Senator Foster from the
Judiciary Committee Jan. 25th, lies untouch-
ed upon the table OF the Senate. Several inn
portant appropriation bills, such as the Army.
the Executive, Legislative and Judicial, with
the deficiency attached as an amendment,
which, by the way, the House still refuses to
pass without the extra compensation clause
and the Navy, unless 1t has been reported to,
tue House and passed very recently, are in the
nanu' oil Committees of conference The In
Ed dian blil which appropriates a good deal of
money ana proposes important notifications
in cur Indian policy, has scarcely been touch.
ed in the Senate. The general annroprat;on
bill known as the Omnibus" has mot r.ssod
nor to my knowledge been considered n ,bof
honse. The Loan Bill in the House was cor
sloered last evening Alter an hour spept 4,
acrimonious debate on the order of business
tne Lax Bin came up in the Senate for the
nrst tune Yesterday morning and when it was
hoped that something was about N bo done
Mr.. Davis OF Kentucky obtained tho aoo.
moved an indefinite postponemant and M, NO
ceeded to deliver one Of his characteristic
speeches. 1t appeared to be SO far as had