The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-19
A Bill so make Politics Attractive.

We have been intending, whenever Mr.
Representatives and Delegates to Congress
should be reported by the Committee of Elec.
tons, in whose hands it now lies, to call atten-
ton to its merits and express our sincere hope
that it may become a law. With equal sur
prise and pleasure, however, we find ourselves
anticipated by the Argus Our neighbor is
really enthusiastic in his admiration for this
particular bit of Radical legislation; and we
are certainly gratifed to be able to quote an
article from the Argus which needs no con-
tradiction. Here goes:
Mr. Dawes has introduced am excellent prom
osition, providing that Congressional elections
shall be held on the same day throughout the
country. Congress has clearly the pOwer to
regulate this matter, and the neglect to fix a
day has sometimes proved an embarrassing
evil. In 1861 Congress adjourned without civ.
ing the President authority to raise single
regiment Of troops to suppress the rebellion =
President Buchanan pointed out this lack of
authority, but Congress needed it not and
spent the whole session without making an,r
provision Of the kind. The succeeding Con-
gress was only partly elected and President
Lincoln found himself compelled to call for
an army of $4,000 men without the slightest
show Of authority under existing laws. Con-
gress, it is true, covered the case with heal
ing act in the July following and we refer to
the matter only to show that Congress should
provide for the election of one Congress before
the previous one expires by limitation. Had
such been the case in 1861, President Lincoln
would at once have called an extra session Ia
supply the legislation needed and which the
previous Congress had criminally neglected to
enact
And not only should the election nrecede tho
expiration of the previous Congress- Int II viii
prove highly advantageous to have II in III H.
States on the same day; and the day suogest.
ed by MIR. Dawes we think the best one VI.
the Tuesday after the first Monday in 49, -
her, that being the day of the Presidential
election every fourth year. If this date is fir-
ed for the Congressional elections the Stata
elections will be made to conform to it and Tins
political struggles will be decided on the same
day all over the country The great advan-
tage OF tins will be that the whole year will
not be taken up with political campaigning. :
There Will be but one campaign a wear. and
very soon but one in two wears we think
which will leave business less disturbed and
will tend to cure that nausea of noI;t;os ,~;t6
which so many of our best citizens are nst,,raI
ly but unfortunately afflicted They oct sol
of constantly hearing about cleo tions and CO..
sequently pay little attention to them. to tbe
detriment of the best interests of the country
they are the very men who should take an in
terest IN them, who should make their influ
ence felt; and if but month or six weeks each
year, or better still, every second year, were
devoted to election campaigns we believe they
would do tito far greater extent than now. We
believe also, that the business interests of the
country would be subserved in large degree by
SUCH an arrangement, while there can be no
doubt that there is really an urgent and i'm
por.ant necessity for the seasonable election of
each Congress before its predecessor ceases by
n . We therefore, thank Mr.. Dawes
ior moving in this matter and we trust that
ms associates will not only excuse this mo-
negro, &c, &c. N'''i
The rest is ilnmaterial