New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-02-05
IDENTIFICATION OF CONGRESS,

months in Session. IL mas not acleu WIFI tntl
energy and decision which the state Of our
Currency Finances, and Taxes. imperatiyely
requires Whatever is to be done with regard
to these should have been promptly done, 50
that Industry ard Business might have ad-
justed themselves to tie policy Of the Govern
,uent instead Of being exposed to shipwrecS
through nOn-cOniormty. Men are buying,
hiring, renting. for the year before us; and any
great change hereafter made at this session VIII
bear hardly on thousands. Yet changes
must be made. We must get back 70
solvency forthwith; for an unsound
Currency is always q grave peril, and
nav at any moment evoke a whirlwind of
commercial disaster. There is no safety but in
getting back to Currency at par with Specie
at the earliest moment. How long it will take
to reach this end, is question; il may take
years, as some say, or months only, as we think
but there should be no delay in initiating
vigorous, determined efforts to get back to hard
pan so soon as may be. Unavoidable insolvency
is misfortune only; calculated, persistent,
purposed Insolvency, is at once b.under, a
peril, and crime.
But Congress is not assailed for 10 ldcicS with
regard to the Currency, but for is earnest en-
deavors to render the freedom Of our -Four Mil
lions Just released from lifelong bondage
substantial and abiding-not for its disregard OF
the public faith, but for its deYoton thereto.
For years, the champions Of Slavery have been
warning us that the liberation Of the slaves
would result in their eztermina.iOn-tha they
would be far worse Of in freedom than in bond
age-that they would be ground to powder
under the heel Of "the superior race. if they
should ever be deprived Of the protection
afforded them By the interest and affection OF
their masters. And there are manyia occur
ring at the South which prove these adGonitons
not wholly idle. Leave the Blacks Of the South
to such protection as the ruling caste is disposed
to accord them, and as is evinced in the burning
of their school-houses in the legislative denial OF
their right to testify in courts, and in conspira-
cies to refuse them the privilege Of buying or
renting lands, and they may very possibly be
brought to regret that they were ever guided
"out Of the house OF bondage"
Mr.. Trumbulls two bills-to enlarge the pow
ers of the Freedmen's Bureau, and to protect al
the American People in their natural civil
rights-are notoriously demanded By and adapt
ed to our existing state Of facts. II the laws
and usages of the Southern States were just and
equal, they would be superfuous. They are
needed simply because at the South q Black
man, solely because be is Black, is denied the
common rights OF human beings-i5 treated as
having no rights that Whites are bound to re-
spect. The laws Of the South and still more
the dominant opinion and spirit Of the South,
treat the Blacks as brutes rather than men. All
this will pass away; but meantime q good many
of the humber race will be starved or dashed to
DEATH unless Congress shall protect them.
This and nothing more, is what Dir. Trumbulrs
bills aim to do-what they seem admirably call
culated to do; and Congress is not merely JUS
tilted in passing them-it could not fail to do so
without gross and cruel violation Of public
faith.
Now, look again at the Constitutional Amend
ment, which has passed the House and which
we trust will soon pass the Senate and see
what it provides:
"ARTICLg -. Representatives shall be ap-
portioned among the several States which may
he included within this Union according 20 their
respective numbers, counting the whole num-
Der of persons in each State, excluding Indians
not taxed; proridsd, that nhensrer hs electric
franchise shall be denied or abridged IN any State,
on account of race or cOiOr all persons Of such
race or color shall Be excluded from the basis Of
representation.
What is vroag in this article What is
harsh, proScriptye, or OppresSiveD South Car
DINA sees fit to say, Negroes have no right to
form portion of our body polite; we will not
educate their children; nor seek to qualify them
for a benefcent exercise of the Right Of Suf-
frage; nor let them vote "yery well, then, -
says Congress, your Blacks shall count at
your own estimate Of their capacities in making
up our basis of representation in Congress; and
so with those Of every State" II this is not fair
aud equal, what could be- Is it not monStrous
to insist that they shall have no voice in public
affairs, yet that those who stifle that voice, and
insist that it is unfit TO be heard, shall enjoy
double power on their account-Four Millions
of Blacks afIording the basis whereon Blacks
are to be kept dumb and fettered evermore'
If there ever was proposition truly con-
servative, we claim that character for this
Amendment. 1t leaves the Right Of Suffrage
to be regulated by the States; but it supplies
them with the strongest motive for regulating
a -r;rol.r inetlr, hnmanalr Ii mtg the rinhfs