New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-03-06
tion-so dark and angry in its morning-so
halycon and radiant in its evening!
THE LATE CONGRESS.

had not dealt with the most momentOus posi-
BILE theme, might have been pronounced dull.
At the close, he sent around his hat, hoping to
secure thereby some aliment for his carnal ra-
ture in reouital for the spiritual mama he had
been dispensing, but was disappointed by its
return to him absolutely empty. Looking In
tentIy into the "aching void" he turned it
upside down, shook it vigorously, and finding
the result to be still nothing, he exclaimed,
.'Thank God that have got my hat back from
this congregation !"
We are reminded of this anecdote by the fact
that the end of the late Congress was better
than some portion of its previous career had
given reason to expect. We believe not one oil
the various Patent Extensions, so desperately
pushed and at one time so likely to succeed, was
carried through. At all events, those of most
consequence were not. The twenty per cent
extra TO the builders of lron-Clads went under.
The various projects of salary-raising were all
defeated; only the twenty per cent. extra voted
by the House to its employfs prevailed, and that
by the most determined and reckless pertinaciiy
on the part OF its supporters. All attempts
and they were strongly backed-to increase the
CONDENSATION of Members failed; thoughwe pre-
sumo the petty gouge Of exemptng their salaries
and mileage from the Income Tax was successful
The monstrous story that bill lad passed III
creasing the subvention to the Pacific Railroad
and branches to One Hundred Millions OF Dol
lars was, we are happy to hear, mistake Oh inc
Associated Press report. Nothing like tins was
done. What did pass, We believe, was bill al
lowing the Union Pacific and each Gifts branches
TO complete one hundred miles Of road and re-
ceive the whole of the stipulated advance there
on in anticipation of the completion of the en-
tire work-a very different matter. On the
whole, the Session wound up much better than
could have been expected few weeks ago.
What is called the Miscellaneous appropri'
alton bill failed-which We mourn not "a those
without hope. 1t contained many proper and
necessary with some questionable provisions.
We trust it stops the Coast Survey and sends
those engaged in it TO aid in the regular opera
tons of the Navy. 1t is shame that the
Lighthouse Service for the ensuing fiscal year
should have been left TO take its chance in this
bill; but that was probably calculated to help
other items through. If necessary, we presume
the Navy Department can keep the Lights
burning in the interest Of our National Deienses;
if not, some other way will be found. We pro-
test against an Extra Session, and are confident
that the genius that discovered way to pay
the Illinois Central for transportation, IN dch-
ancc of a resolve Of Congress, can keep The coast
duly lighted in the absence of an appropriation
for that precise end
As to the quarrel about Arbitrary Arrests"
which caused the failure Of the bill Aforesaid
we cannot help thinking that Mr.. Winter Davis
and the House majority went too far We
agree with them in insisting that these Arrests
should be restricted and regulated; we cannot
consent that other than persons regularly
mustered into the service shall be held 10
answer before Military Tribunals. Here is the
grand army of bounty-brokers, OF swindlng
contractors, and Of those who aid soldiers TO
desert by furnishing them with DISCUSSES: We
hold that these have rendered Themselves fairly
amenable 70 Military law; and We cannot con-
sent that they should be RENTED to the juris-
dic,on Of civil magistrates exclusively. We
fear this would be giving IMMUNITY to practices
v hich strike at the life Of the Nation.
We have said that the Appropriations were
less prodigal than We had feared they would be;
we must add that they were still larger than
they should have been. The twenty per cent
extra TO the House empiopfs might have passed
as simply reckless in ordinary times; now, il
seems to us naycr and worse than that. Our
lcountry is still in serious peril; and her most
imminent danger is that of financial collapse
In such a crisis, prodigality borders closely on
treason, and the most rigorous economy il an
obvious dictate Of patriotism. To embark in the
construction Of canals, &C., which cannot prob
ably come into use till after the end OF the War,
create new Offices or increase salaries where the
public service could have been carried on with
out them, &c, &C., is to place new burdens
on the overloaded camel's back, tempting Prov
idence aud inviting disaster. Such acts at such
a time cannot be reprehended too strongly
Usually, the House checks the tendency TO
extravaganza rampant in the Senate; now, the
Senate checks the prodgality of the House.
This results mainly from the fact that John
Sherman heads the Finance Committee OF the
Senate while Thaddeus Stevens leads the
House. Mr.. Stevens is an earnest patriot; but,
believing that the Government can manufacture
money TO any desired extent, he cannot be
expected to regard Financial peril as either