The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-12-14

Monday, the Third Of December, 1866,
will be marked day in our history, not
only as that upon which odr XXXIXth Con.
gress met, but also as one upon which,
without any preparatory confusion or pro.
lminary nonsense, both branches of the
Legislature went promptly aud intellgenily
10 work TO establish the social peace and
commercial prosperity OF the country upon
basis at once polite aud permanent.
Every student Of history, upon reading the
detail Of the Fret days proceedings, will be
reminded of the energetic alacrity with
which the Parliament OF Charles |, in 1929.
began it's session by appointing committees
TO inquire into the royal usurpations, aud
| by protests against the illegal raising OF
revenue by tho King. But the English Par.
lament met only to bo dissolved and to
leave the country for eleven long aud weary
years in the power Of an absolute and ire
sponsible and INSCRIPTIONS desp0t No
such bitter misfortune can beiall the Ameri'
eau people. In time like this we under
stand the strength and the policy OF our
representative system, and especially OF the
opportunities which IL secures for the fresl'-
or and fuller expression OF the public viii.
Frequent elections. the safety-valves Of pop
ular emotion, are also constant checks upon
the conduct Of individual members. Tho
day Of judgment is always at hand. Almost
evory hour constituencies may andit the &C.
couts Of their stewards. The morning and
the evening mail carry to every mans door
transcript of the Journal Of either House,
a summary Of tho debates, and an exact
statement OF the position OF all legislative
business. Tho dongs Of Congress are read
by every firesidc, in every country house,
in every workshop upon every railway aud
steamboat and with equal though different
interest by all classes Of men---read iutelli.
gonlly, judged honestly and decisivsly ap
plauded or condemned. Each little District
takes care of its own member, and tho re-.
suit is an aggregate Of security and vigi
lance from which no Representative can
hope to bo exempt. II il, therefore, no
mere rhetorical fight when some legislative
orator reminds his fellows Of ceaseless
public surveillance, and exclAims The
eyes Of the people are upon ns." This IL
only the statement Of plain matter OF fact.
Tho press takes caro- that tho country shall
not err for the lack of information. Speech
on, motious, resolutions, reports, the yeas
and nays, deliberations in full session and
dongs in committee, what is said in the
caucus, and what il done in the lobby-the
public knows it all. No Member Of Congress
can make an ass or u knave OF himself in
corner. AS public man, no VIII find IL
nearly impossible to have any secret.
Whatever correspondents think worth get
ting they commonly contrive to possess
thcmslves Of an the pet project OF the
est.mouthcd manager may any line morn
ing, to his utter astonishment, be trumpeted
to all the four corners of tho Union. All
sins of omission and of commission are duly
recorded corrupt bargains are discovered
aud ~ ocllimed foolish freaks of oratory
are literally reproduced and remorselessly
ridiculed and if Representative be in
competent or untrustworthy, q swaggerer,
u swindler or q sot, those whose agent he
ia have at least An opportunity of revising
their Judgment, ard of sending better man
to do his work Ii no stayn in Congress, it
is because his constituency is no bettor
than himself.
What we have said Of the immediate re.
sp0nsiblity Of Congress is true at all times.
but how specially true is il at this momont
we need hardly point out. For months to
come the transactions OF the National Legis
lature will occupy the whole mind and heart
of the nation; tho debates. IL they be worthy
Of the emergency, will be read with breath
less interest, and the decisious which are
arrived at will be considered aud oanvassed
with tho sharp scrutiny OF selI-proservatlon.
Whatever else the doings of Congress may
be, thoy can hardly be dull, We may, with,
ont rashness. vouch for the vigilance of II
tax.paying people; we may reasonably pre-
sume that opinions formed under the prcs
sure OF national disaster, tho'political gos,
pei of bittor experience, cannot be dis
regarded in Legislation with impunity. We
need wisdom, firmness. lbcrality and ra
tional bravery in our hw.makiug, AMI OF
these qualities the people arc excellent
Judges. The results Of tho lato elections
should teach every public man the folly OF
attempting TO serve hs own mere personal
interests at the expense OF the common
veal.
The country expects from Congress- res
olute assertion OF it's authority, Ior IN Con
gress al ne, at this crisis, it puts its trust
II will watch without sleeping, it will weigl
every measure with patriotic anxiety, anc
il will Judge every man by that standard
which the great responsibilities of the houl
have created. The next Congress may
never meet If the present Congress prove
f,ithless aud incompetent We have u trns
in the soundncss of the popular judgmon
which makes the future, to our view, full o
hope and ot national happiness; but w
know how dangerous are mistakes, how de
struchve false conservatism may prove
and ia every contest which may arise, w
would have members recollect that q grea
people are Watching and weighing th'
slightest measure and tho lghtest work.
NsW York Tribune.
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