The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-09-15
The shortening. o.- Congress.

The shortcomings OF Congress.
The London Times, Tor the last few months,
has certainly shown no disposition to treat
affairs in this country in a captious OF un-
friendly spirit. In the following article,
which evinces so intelligent an appreciation
of the situation in this country, it may be
f.irly clsimed, therefore, that it presents i'm
partially. and in the kindest spirit, the view
which intelligent Europeans generally enter>
tain of the crisis in America.
By this time members may be inclined
to ask themselves what single purpose
worthy Of the trust confided to them they
contrived to accomplish. When they met
last December they had before them the
greatest issues which were ever at stake. and
the most splendid opportunities for recon>
CLING differences that, after deluging thc
country With blood for four Years, were still
practically unsettled. There was not a man
In either Chamber vino rose to the full height
of the position. From first to last the whole
business 81 the country was placed in the
hands of less than dozen persons, whose
hatred of the conquered and PROSTATE South
was not, perhaps. unnatural, but was pros
foundly antaga.'stic to the general welfare
protested against this clio ct legislation,
the jeers of his friends or the remomstrances
cf his constituents soon caused him to waver
and fall back INTO the compact ranks of the
dominant party. Public opinion was so UNI
CERTAIN that when Radicals boldI, asserted it
WAS in their favor, the Presidents supporters
retreated in alarm, and left the victory with
men Of the unwavering courage and faith of
lr. Stevens and Mr.. Sumner. Through
years of difficulty and danger, through a
thousand circumstances of encouragement
and depression, thes, men had labored to
gain what the Conservatives are astonished
to find they at length possessed-the supres
macy III Congress, and, for aught we know to
the contrary. in the country. We cannot
share the astonisEmenI Of American Com
servatives when we End he Radicals hghting
against the attempt TO deprive them of the
fruits Of their victory. But the mischief
their opponents Had not the power to infict
on them their conduct all through the session.
and especially their closing acts, worked out
for tbeHi selves. There IS scarcely one meas
ure OF public business Important to the
nation which has net been trlhed with or
altogether neglected. The finances of the
rountr- taae never received the smallest
st.GHiion. Questions of trade and commerce
have been lett in the hands Of the most rabid
of New England ProtectiOnists The ours
-ency, the taxation, the position OF the GOv>
eminent ia reference to its loans and other
liabilities-lhese and other subjects of SINH
lar consequence have been passed over
almost unnuOt'ced. The Soathern States are
exactly as they were eight months ago, with
the exception of Tennessee, which has crept
into the Capital in a manner that cannot be
gratif, ing to the pride Of her citizens.
Much might have been done for the West.
with It's iucalcuable riches, but all lis best
interests were expressly lcgisiated against by
Mr.. Morrill, and his fri nds. Protection has
been made more firmly than ever the corner
stone of American commerce. and five eSixths
Of the country have beer: deliberately sacri-
feed by and ON behalf "f tie other sixth. 1t
has been one of tIe most cXtravagant and
improviient Congresses ever knOwn-an idle
impractical, andS frivolous one, sacrificing
everything to old prejudices. Its debates
have been siu-ularly poor and weak, and
desperate struggle for party power, termi>
mating with Indifferent success, IS ali that
the historian will find to place on record in
its history.
These are shortcomings of the present
Congress which may be corsidered apart
from the attitude in which it has stood in
relation - the President. We know that it
had much to do, and it Is manifest that il has
left everything undone but upon its dff.-r>
ences with the President we are not entitled
to speak with 80 much confidence. To US
who look on at American aff:irs from dis,
lance, and can only see their broad outline.
it must certainly appear that If any course
can be found by which the South can be
Brought back into the Union without sacri-
Gee OH the part of the North of the advan-
tages gained during the war, .'it would be
better to adopt 1t than to pursue the South
with vindictive punishment" The Presidents
policy, whatever may be its faults and de-
fects, aims at welding together the two Sec
tions 50 long in hitter hostility to each other"
1t is easy to attribute other and meaner or
more selfish motives to him it is easy to at
tribute such motives to every public man,
especially when he stands IN u minority bat
even Mr.. Johnsous calumnators do not im>
peach his good faith, or question the honesty
of his desire to serve his countrymen faiths
fully. He has repeatedly told the world what
his object really is, and had the Radical
party chosen 10 meet MIN half way. there
need never have been that wide divergence
between them which constant attacks and
recriminat!ous have since produced. There
must he some reason on the side Of The Pres
ifeGt, but his opponents have refused to
bring their IN nls into contact with it.
In few weeks the general election, on
which SO many mOmeutous issues rest, will
have begun. For months past the Radical
party has been bringing Its immense and
we'll disciplined organization to bear upon
the people, while the Conservatives and the
Democrats, with weaker machinery, have
done little but stand aside and hope that
things would take favorable turn. If Mr..
Sumner and his folio win the day To such
an extetr ~ TO place the next Congress nn>
DER their control, the Southern States must
prepare to remain taxed and unrepresented
for ten wears to coee-for that. be il remem-
bered, was the distinct plan laid before the
House last session. They must endure all
the misfortunes of a paralyzed trade, th..
generally as OILY men could administer who
Gre still smarting under the sense OF hitter
party and personal in juries. The Democrats
cannot win, as they well know; the number
Of mOtefa'e men may however, be increased
and in this prospect lies the hope of every
true friend to America. The days for extreme
measures past. We believe it viii be a
misfortune to the country if Mr.. Johnson Is
sacrhced, amt a still greater one If the Rad
icals are able to dictate the choice for the
next Presidentid! election. Fortrnately the
President has Cabinet which is little likely
to lead him into excess, and the a,hoitness
of the veteran politician who is ALWAYS a; his
right hand may save him from any serious
mistake, even if his own excellent judgment
fail him.
Henry Ward Beecher has accepted The ins
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