The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-12-09
SATURDAY, DEC. 9TH, 1865.
Congress and it's Work.


,aa -s9 The 39thi Congress of the United States of
os,se America assembled 10 Washington on Monday
IS 'hilast. Both branches bad quorum present. and
1af after a prompt organization Immediately pro-
'l1 ceeded to business Hon. Lafayette Foster Of
Connecticut, President pro. tenn, called the SEN
ate to order at IL o'clock, when the Chaplain.
s- Rev. Mr., Gray, delivered an impressive prayer.
ir s, In the House., Mr.. Coax, of Indiana;
h9rosl ected Speaker by large vote and Mr.. McPher
'ni 500 Of Penn, Clerk. Mr. Brooks, Of New York,
was the democratic candidate for speaker and
i72 - received IS voice In calling the roll none but
-" = members from the loyal States were called Mr.
-. Colfax delivered an appropriate address on TAX
.fg ling his seat. In both Houses bills were intro
saF duced exendingt fghto of suffrage to roiored
ID .oi men in the District ot Columbia and also the
~ right serving on Juries when colored persons
'o@ are trial. Bills were also introduced propo-
sing to amend the Consultation so as to make vo-
:, -, ters instead of population the bassiof Represen-
I'D ,taves in Congress. Mr.. Stevens ofPenn., in.
5onu PRODUCED the following resolution 10 the House,
gaeewhich was adopted by vote of 1853 to SO :ai +.
ResolVed, That committee Of fifteen members
arJ shall be appointed, nine Of whom shall be mem
ssberS of the House of Representatives and six of
~, 1.-The Senate, who shall inquire into the condition
oL ofthe States which formed the so-called Confed
tfalS report W0etn6F they
or any of them entitled to be represented in
49, 49,, either House Of Congress, with leave to report
any time BY bill or otherwise and until rueh re-
port shall have been made and finally acted upon
IsR by Congress- no member shall be received in Ell
1873 etRer House from any Of the said socaIed Confed-
aa crate States and all papers relating to the repre
Ga sentatyes of the said States shall be referred to
E sl,fN the said committee without debate. 4f aa
mil ad Never in the history of our country hasa Con-
81 W. gEess assembled upon which rested more weigh
~ eay responsibilities than upon the present! The
eyes Of the whole nation are directed to its action
9 Upon its deliberations rest the hopes and fears Of
I thirty millions of people. The first important
4 - question to be settled is as to the admission of
Representatives from the States lately in Rebel
,-,,fr qiou.s,y.c s23thg9a fYuiu
y.I,,e We thnlai probable that the delegates from
9oG3 most if not ali the Southern States will be adj
I9Y on united. Inthe language of the President Eve
I@a 81 must trust each other The two sections must
live together and there can be no Union with
80, out just representation of all parts phe only
,4,a question is, what conditions shall the seeded
ga States be required to fill before their Representa-
tives may be received :? We grant that men are
entitled to few rights under government which
they have sought to destroy that they have
slight claims on a Constitution hch they have
endeavored to overthrow. Their privileges are
by suferance, not by right. There circum-
stances when may with safet, grant pro-
lection to the incendisry who fred his bonse no,
because he is entitled thereto, hur because il is
the best policy. 1t is Iamentabe fact that The
mass of Southern politicians have shown YER,
little of the spirit becoming men j.. their condi
ton. They ackno ledge they are deeae, WIZ
doubts it?) they are wug to accept Inc result.
Of the war (how could they do otherwise? p they
are willing to tIeir Concentrations under
the government that is policy. But who has
heard single exfres.ion of honest sorrow for
the past and desire 10 return to the Union
through their love iUr it they admit they were
defeated by the superior strength of the govern.
ment, hnt still claim they fighting in good
.af cause. fI'elr devotions mere lip-service,
not from the heart. The, accept the issues be-
cause they must not from choice. They display
too I'uch Of the disposition Of the SCHOOL, boy who
takes his castigation under protest and makes
earnest promises of good behaviour while he
bungs his lists in bis eyes to stop the tears of vex-
alton anil pain. But AS soon as the pedagoue's
back is turned he shakes his head threateningy
with secret" wait till II big old fellow,
I'll mind you for that" 1t was only after the
most positive assurance of the President that
nothing less would be sufficient, that the South
soc ern conventions admitted the emancipation of
slavery and discarded the rebel debts And then
.a they half undid their work by assuming to con-
troll the freedom of the blacks and enactng dis
eliminating laws against them
While this is the spirit manifested in the South
it will bel serious question with Congress wheth-
er the unlimited privileges of sovereign states can
be safely conceded to them
Other subjects Of great Importance that will
come before Congress are, the changed condition
OF the colored men; our foreign relations !; the
Monroe doctrine; the national currency and the
revenue system. All these require craftsmanship
s~ of the highest order On their decision depend
the happiness and prosperity of the entire nation
1855. We sincerely hope there may be wisdom and pa
triotism enough in the present Congress to meet
these questions. If wise moderation, patri-
otto clemency, strict adherence to principle and
an abandonment of all partsanship control the
sev members of Congress, we have bright and hope
ful future before us. If not the results of their
action may clog the wheels of our national pros.
perity for many years to come.
ts-t+tf
fffa THE PASSENGER RALwAY.-The men who in
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