The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-01
The Coming Elections for Congress viii
They Bring a RevOlutiOns


From the Herald
With the adjournment Of the present Congress
the issues which il has raised with the Admins
tration are carried directly before the people.
The constitutional term Of this Congress does
not expire till the 4th of March next, but the
popular Judgment upon its sins of omission and
commission will determine, in the approaching
Congressional elections, the important ques-
tions, whether the policy OF the radicals is to be
continued or overthrown; whether the present
demoralizing reign of radicalsm is to be per-
petuated or superseded by great reaction of
puollc opinion resulting in wholesome potl-
cal revolution.
Let the tree be Judged by its fruits. This
Thirty.nlnth Congress, in its long session OF
eight months, has fully developed the character
and quality OF its leading men and measures,
its plans and purposes its merits and dement's;
and by lis fruits let it stand or fall. 1t has had
a splendld opportunity for doing great things
ior the country and for winning golden opinions
from all classes, parties, and sections; but
what has it done? What have these eight
months of Congressional legislation produced
Tor the relief OF the treasury or the people?
Nothine-hterally nothing. There was hne
opening and an urgent necessity for general
Bankrupt law, but after dilly-dallying from
time to time with this important matter
1t was at length laid on the table, to be
taken up for action at more convenient season.
Then, again, we had expected something IN the
way of healthy revision OF our national bank
and paper money systems from top TO bottom,
whereby the public credit would be fixed upon
a more solid foundation, and from which
twenty. thirty, forty, or fifty millions OF money
| now parCelled out among the national banks
/ and brokers, shavers, and jobbers, would be
secured to the Treasury; but between the lobbers
| OF Congress and the brokers OF the Treasury De-
partment nothing III the way OF reform or relief
| upon this momentous business has been done.
Men OF cool reflection and experience, before the
| meeting of this Congress, had entertained the
| idea that we we're on the high road to low
| prices, easy taxes, and specie payments; but
/ IRON the first Monday in December last down to
| this day these delusions have faded away, till
/ nothing OF them remains. On the other hand,
cool, experienced, patriotic, and dispassionate
| men are beginning to doubt very seriously the
| stability aud security of our financial system,
| with the Government divided and clashlng upon
| all the great issues OF the day, like house
| divided against itself, and with radical majority
| IN Congress resolved upon its reconstruction
| party policy OF rule or ruin.
| The return OF peace suggested to Congress a
| tightening OF our war burdens OF taxation, great
reuenchments IN all the departments OF the
| Governn ent and large savings OF money IN this
way towards the eYtngulshment OF our three
thousand OF millions OF national debt. But what
| has Congress done in this direction? Nothing.
| Our Internal Revenue Tax bill has been revised,
but its taxes remain substantially the same,
| with the addition of one cent pound upon
| homegrown cotton, towards the encouragement
| or the cotton culture in other countries, as il
| Congress desired TO cast away the commercial
balance of power which we hold IN this great
Southern staple. Instead of Tetrenchment, in
| the next place, this "historc Congress- as 1t is
| called, in a Buncombe electioneCriDg amend
| ment to an appropriation bill, in the shaoa o.
soldiers bountles (which the poor soldiers viii
| be cheated out OF by claim agents and Othel
| sharpers), has made draft upon the Treasury
| for two OF three hundred millions of dollars
and upon this Buncombe amendment another hai
been fastened raising the pay OF the member o
Congress themselves from three to five Thousand
| dollars a wear. This Is Conol essonal retrench
mont. as illustrated in this wastetnl and extra
VACANT Congress.
And what has been done in the way of South
eIn reconstruction by this radical ana revou
! uonary Congressg The most OF the session ha