Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-28
ADwONITTON TO CONGRESS FROM AN
UNEXPECTED QUARTER.

ADMoNITTON TO CONGRESS FROM AN
UNEXPECTED QUARTER.
1t has been deemed something all but mon
strous for any one to find fault with the short
comings of Congress, and the attempt has
been made here in Maryland to read some Of
the truest Union men in the party out Of it,
because they were forced to believe-and had
the independence to express the beIlet-that
Congress has fallen short of its duty. But
change has of late taken place. The most
discerning, and the most patriotic and reliable
persons in the land, too, are beginning to speak
out and from what appears now, by the time
Congress adjourns, nearly the whole nation
will have come to the conclusion that had it
not have been for the wholesome check exer.
cised by the President upon Congressional
vagaries, anything like thoroughly restored
onion would have to be considered as post
poued indefinitely.
Amongst other organs of public sentiment
in the land which has been compelled by what
has occurred, to express a disbelief in the in
fallibility of Congress, is that hitherto radical
journal established because the Tribune even
was considered as coming short of what was
needed as an organ Of progress-the New
York Nations and when we find such papers
as that, the Cincinnati Commercial, the Spring
field Republican,, and dozens Of others little
less influential arraigning the politicians at
Washington for their shortcomings, it should
make even the most bigoted pause before they
enlist in the war that has been waged against
the President. But let us hear from the last
number of the Nation:
1.-THE public though perhaps not as sensible of the
mportanc of having Congress share in the work Of
reconstruction when the war over as it ought to
have been was nevertheless, when Congress did meet
fully prepared to stand by it and that its policy,
whatever it was. should have fair trial, and that
Err. Johnsons plan should undergo such modfea
tons as it might deem necessary. But then 'cns ne-
suaed tiat Congress Mould haze policy has
ho,cever sat for nearly four months, and hds nothing
of the kind. we hear a great deal Of the President
policy; it is soueth ing definite determined, capable
of being set down in black and white and discussed
in all its bearings but hear of the policy Of
Congress, because there Is such ipg. The people
are readyto keep the South out until it complies with
certain conditions, but they want to know what these
conditions They ready to see that the South
does not share in the work Of government until it
has given signs OF repentance and REFORM but they
want 10 have these signs fixed and described. Con
sress has agreed upon none. The Reconstruction
Committee has produced several valuable measures,
each of them meeting great want of the crisis,
but not forming part of any wcll-defned plan, and
not based on any wel-defned principle, and nobody
is willing to have the reconstruction process consist
of parcel Of patches Of various hues and textures
We have had a prodigious deal Of Sp0uting about
the position of the States, whether in out of tho
Union the history of the the guilt of the rebel
on and the eternal fitness of things. but no compIce
and nell proporoned scheme has get been set forth on
1gasch people could lay hold the drUt Of ,chich
the reitiona Of ohcd 10 theory Of government teu
could see In fact large proportion of the debates
have been Ri etorical exercises of about the same
practical value az discussion of Sir Thomas MoreS
celebrated moot point whether beasts of the plough
can be replevined in witdernam.'
I'm truth, there has been only thing on which
the Union party has been thoroughly agreed and that
is the propriety of keeping the revpled States out
for the present. and this is all very well far it goes
but it does go very far. 1t is simply the excavation
for the foundation of tho building. The public
is now anxiousy waiting to the structure rise,
and it will be wonder if it is tired of watching
the builders who have contracted for the job pass
their time in wrangling month after month, down in
the hole the style of the architecture wonder
if it is disposed to let Mr. johnson Or anybody
else go to work, who promises to put up immedi-
atey fabric of some sort which will afford shelter
There is one thing more which causes the public to
look with doubt upon the ability of Congress 10 meet
the emergency. which is that while it fails to unite
intelligently upon any general policy it shows 4
great readiness to be led The most prominent man
has been Mr. Thaddeus Stevens, and he has Ger
tainly by sheer force ofaudacity and energy
ness and certain powers of vigorous Speech carried
things with high hand. But then, it must be con
fpSSad lie hos Ill
formances with livery high estimate of his statesn an
ship. His ideas of government do not seem a whit
clearer than his ideas Of political economy and Il
. curious illustration of the advantage which tho
quality of mere pluck gives man in Congress th,,
he carried the other day a change in the duty on
coal-knowing absolutely nothing of the principle;
of electromagnetic Mr.. Morrill,, who has made
them special study. His speeches throughout the
whole session have been one long TRADE against the
South and its advocates jusiflblc perhaps and well
enough in its way; but very few people are disposed
to accept them from the chairman of the Committee
on Reconstruction as substitute for thoroughly
studied, practical and complete plan of reconstrue-
ton. Invective is very spicy thing. but then peo-
pie tire of spices. Even drunkards get sick of Hhsky
by having little of it put in all their food
More serious work than We have yet had must nov
begin. If it does Motif greater willingness is moi
displayed by individuals to serve in the more obscur,
positions, and to unite upon some comprehcnsiy,
plan-we greatly fear the coming fall will find til,
public thoroughly out of patience with Congress AM
quite ready to let the President and his friends hav
their own way. He would be bold man who shoulJ
venture to predict what would then happen, or t,
calculate how much of the fruits of our victorie
would be left US"
We have transferred this long extract from
the columns of the Nation in order that the
people of Maryland may see for themselves
how little favor the doings of Congress have
met with, from one hitherto considered of tho
"straightest of the sect" Of those bithert,
considered as in sympathy with that body il
. the issues it has made with the President
The language is that of honest conviction, re
luctantly expressed: rebuke to those witt
whom it has acted as long as it possibly coule
without dissent. On the face of it is the evi
dence of its truth and although Congress
may not heed the quiet, though singing rebuke
1t conveys the people will read and be con
WINGED. Let these things go on, these shor
comings at Washington continue, and few
assumed leaders will at last be compelled t,
read the Union party ut Of itself; for as tn,
masses will inevitably weary of and differ will
them, the leaders will find themselves utterl,
reft of followers, generals with none to depen'
upon as the rank and file