Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-11-30
whnt viii Congrcss Dol

The following sensible remarks we copy
from the Boston Herald of Nov. o.
The elections are over and the Republican
party have triumphcd by an overwhelming
majority in the return of Republican mcm-
bers to the forticth Congress. This being
true, it becomes a matter of very great inn
portance to the country to know what will
be the action or the policy of Congress
which convcnes in few weeks at Washing
ton. 1t is proper to remark that the Repub-
licans are quite as much indebted to the fol-
ly of their opponents for their victory, as
they are TO the soundness of the issues upon
which they went before the country at the
last elections, and that any mistake they
may make in legislation at the approaching
session of Congress, may rouse up deter
mined opposition to them in the Presden-
tial campaign of 1868. The mistake the
President made was in undertaking to do
too much and in making war upon CO.
ordinate branch of the Government, which
is as much entitled to consideration and re-
spect as that which he represents. lie
shonld have left the question of rcconstruc-
ton to Congress, reserving his constitution
al right to the veto, and eXcrted his power
to eXtricate the country from its financial
difficulties. and urged u reduction of taxa
ton. Had he pursued the policy here indi-
Gated. united with firm, comprehensive
foreign policy, and refused to remove good
Union men from Office to make way for no.
torious anti-war Democrats, he would have
stood very differently from what he now
does before the country. But all this is
passed and cannot be helped, and now it be-
comes him to look we'll to his future. The
responsibility of the Government is now in
the hands of Congress, and the question
arises, What will Congress do? This inter-
rogatory is more easily put than answered,
as it is impossible to tell what will be done.
We do not believe that majority of Con-
gressmen are either fools or knaves. We
believe they are men of sense, and, disre-
garding what extreme men may say Or pro-
pose, they will in their final action act judi
ciously. Now is the time for the Republic
cans to lay the foundations of their party
broad and deep. If they will take up the
great issues of finance, taxation and COM
merce, and give to the country sound and
wholesome laws upon these subjects, and do
not waste their strength in violent har-
angucs, and in action revolutionary in its
character and tendency, the party will go
| into the Presidential contest of 1865 strong
and powerful and carry the day. Especial
| w should Congress have n care how they
disturb the great business and financial in.
terests of the nation, and how they unsettlC
values. Congress should remember that We
have just emerged from gigantic civil war
that the country is saddled with debt o.
twenty-five hundred millions of dollars, al
of which must be paid, principal and inter
est. To pay this debt, restore peace to tho
country, and foster industry, and to bring
back the financial affairs of the nation to
specie basis, is what the people require at
the hands of their pablo servants. vii
this be done? We think it will. If, so, ther
the public will have no occasion TO regre
that they have given their votes TO the Re
| publican party.