The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-10
Congress and Its DiscusslOns-A Rose.
Water View.


The fact that Congress has ever since this
session commenced, been almost exclusively
occupied in the discussion of the varied
phases Of the various questions sppertaining
to political reconstruction, has unquestionably
saved us from much other foolish Irritating.
and perlous talk upon other subjects that It is
very important should not be foolishly aaitated
especially at the present time. We know
quite well from circumstances of the past and
indications Of the present, the same bad TEN.
per- illiberal spirit, and heated passions which
have been brought to the treatment of cur
Southern relations, would have been displayed
by the same parties in dealing with other mo-
nentous and vital questions of national con-
cerD, And we con see that more immediate IL
not greater public calamities might have resulted
from the agitation OF these questions In this
fashion than have as yet arisen from the poliu.
cal turmoil Furthermore, while Congress has
laid aside all other fundamental questions for
the discussion oil this one IL has given opDor-
tunity to more than one of the executive DEPART
meDts OF the Government, not only to carry on
important labors without damaging embarrass.
mcnt, but to advance them to stages where they
are less liable to suffer from passion and folV
Looking at affairs in this way, we discern the
operation Of the great philosophical 'law of
compensat' on" mich plays so profound rOte i'm
the regulation OF human history.
Only second To our Southern relations in
national importance and public interest is the
question OF our ioreien relations. With France,
dJ All 6FeutH, lley nave required Sklliul ana
delicate as we'll as 1rm and dlgnified treatment.
The position OF The French Emperor in Mexico
is an embarrassing one for him. "Just let him
get out OF it at once !" cries the Post Not SO
simple, we reply. You cannot ALWAYS get out of
position that you have discovered to be false
one In that way. Once in the Serbornian bog
escape is not so easy. He had many considera-
tions to take into account many points to es-
tablish, Bnd many things TO put against others,
before he could set about change OF policy
upon public matter so nearly affecting
his fortunes as this. In the last three
months we have had the turning-point
been Immensely exercised. The thought OF
evacuation was an extremely disagreeable one
to him, and Mr.. Seward had taught hun that
the idea of remaining was q palpablY perilous
one. He had perused and reperused the vo-
luminous dispatches of the Secretary, had
conRed their periods cogitated over their rea-
sonings, and felt himself giving way before their
force. The replies he made through Drouyn de
Lhuys grew weaker and weaker, and finally
few weeks ago he publicly acknowledged his
Willingness and hls purpose to evacuate Mexico
Our Government mad automatically and peace
fully effected great result, or had got 1t put in
the way of being effected; and the two leading
powers of the world were saved from the threat
ened danger OF war, which had it come, would
assuredly have been one OF the bloodiest that
ever incarnadined the earth and its waters.
During the few months that all this was in the
critical process OF consummation, Congress was
engaged in hotly debating whether to admit the
Southern delegates.
We believe it to have been singularly for
tunate that it was 20. Had the Franco Mexican
question been Introduced on the first day of the
session in December last; had resolutions been
passed demanding the Instant evacuation of
Mexico, or threatening war in case OF refusal;
had the halls reseunded with denunciations of
the Emperor and his policy and his army; had
the popular feeling been inflamed and had the
fllibusters on the Rio Grande (whom some of
our journals defended) been permitted to con-
tinue their Bagad revelries; does any one suppose
that our relations with France would at this day
have been as they are, or that Napoleon would
have proclaimed his purpose of leaving Mexico
in Difference to our wishes? Nay, have we not
learned by the manifestations of feeling in
France mot in Government circles or the Corps
Legislatif merely but among the people atlarge),
when, on the publication of the Official cOrre-
spondence with our Government, 1t was dis
covered how Napoleon and his schemes of French
aegrandisement had been thwarted, that the
French nation at large would have energetically
supported him in a peremptory refusal to evacu-
ate at all under such circumstances? 1t is not
that we have the least fear OF the ultimate result
OF war with France or any other power or
combination OF powers that we rejoice at what
our Government has so quietly effected in this
line, but that we are advocates of peace wherever
it is practicable and believe craftsmanship to be
a nobler political force than arms.
Equally important to the nation, in another
direction, is the question OF the public finances.
They have been marVelously strengthened dur
ing the last three months. The enhancement
of the public credit the fall in the price of gold,
the rise in our securities in Europe, the en-
larged purchasing power of currency, give but
imperfect indications of the value of the .m.
provements which have been brought about by
the ability of Secretary Mccullough. Each of
his monthly bulletins has come to us like
Grants bulletins of victory. He has hardly
had more than tlne to draw his lines of
circumvallaton around our financial Rich
| mond, and already he has placed the nation
| ID q position where it has nothing to fear for
the future. His most hopeful exhibits have
| been since the meeting of Congress, and the
| most hopeful OF them all is the latest. He
| sent in, In December last, his request for the
| passage of certain measures that would still
| further aid him IN his work. But Congress
| has had all it could attend to in debating the
| question of the admission OF Southern mem
| bers, and neither action nor discussion has
| yet taken place upon them. We earnestly de-
! sire their prempt passage; but yet we can
| hardly regret that the financial question was
not made the trst subject OF debate in the
| session. We lave not forgotten some OF the
| bills Of last session, and VIC can never forget
some of the speeches.; while their effects, too,
we shall not cease to remember. We fear that
| il the mad-caps had taken the lead this year-as
| we cannot avoid fearing they would have done
| and had the people been steadily engaged in
| perusiBg their bills and resolutions and speeches
| every day for the last three months not few
| OF them would have found reason for the
| thought that we are on the verge OF bankruptcy
| and that only the passage OF hudred conclna
| tory measures would save us from immediate
! ruin. Gold would Aot have got to the point
| where 1t is, nor would bonds have been where
they are, nor would 1t have been possible for the
Secretary to prosecute as successfully as he has
the measures which are working such benehcent
| results.
Bat If, after what we have written, any one
fancies we are less anxious 80 secure the poitl-
| cal reconstruction of the Union, or that we
would in any way undervalue the grand fnnc-