The New York herald., 1866-03-06
The Course OF COngress-Its Hufnous
Effect on the Country.

ihStC 40 Iuiu III tuc piOSiomhA~'
Disasters of the most serious nature are involv-
ed in the present political condition Of the
country, and must inevitably flow from the
course pursued by the dominant party. The
situation is regarded too much in its purely
political aspect for the people to see the effect
that oil this radical strife is having and is to
have upon the material interests of every State
in the Union. Looking at the struggle Of Con-
gress against the President merely on the sur
face, the people see only issues on questions of
constitutional right and power as relates to
the negro-the position of the negro in several
States-idle fancies on negro suffrage and some
philosophical nonsense on equal negro rights,
with much forensic bullying. 1t is an interest
ing and an entertaining spectacle. All this
blaze over the nigger is to many as pleasing
as the blaze that the Chinaman looked at while
roasting his pig; and as the Chinaman forgot
that the blaze which roasted his pig was at the
same time burning down his own house, so it
seems to be forgotten that these antics
Of the radicals are breaking down the founda-
tons of public confidence over large part of
the country, and are doing an injury to the
vital business interests Of the nation whose
effects will be greater than any one would just
now dare to predict.
AT the commencement Of the present session
of Congress our future was full of promise
Every one looked forward to an immediate
revival of that commercial activity in virtue
of which we had grown so great in the years
before the war. We had come through
the tremendous contest with strength that as
tonished the world, and we seemed determined
to show to the world that we were fresh enough
to fight 1t over again if it had been necessary,
and that the many requirements of the contest,
and the burdens 1t had put upon us, could not
dampen the energy and ardor OF our career.
We were also in fair way to give the lie to
those bad prophets who had said the States
will never be one again. Reconstruction had
already made the happiest progress. Our Ex-
ecutive had treated the conquered foe with a
moderation that all statesmen of past times
had commended for such an occasion, though
none had ever put 1t in practice We saw
already the good effects of that magnanimous
policy; for the Southern people, under it's in
fuence, had accepted the result of the struggle
in spirit as generous as our own, and were
doing their all to become good citizens once
more. Our merchants saw, with the ready per-
ception of acute traders, that this great section
Of the country was coming into relation with
our markets once more, and an immense spring
business was counted upon. Labor started
well in the South, and the North, counting on
the cotton crops, gave new activity to its
mills and its ships. We were going into the
business of peace with oil that enthusiasm
with which, four years previously, we had gone
into the business of war.
Where are all these fair prospects now Z
Crushed under the ruthless heel Of the radical
majority in Congress. As Peace rose from her
four years of prostration, the radicals forced
her down again. spurned and tramplod upon
her, and yelled with frantic fury for the war
to be kept up; for the continuation Of a
cowardly war against people who had laid
down their arms; for q war of legislation
against people who stood at our mercy.
As its first consequence, this murderous course
destroyed the confidence that capital every
where felt in the early restoration of the
country to its natural condition. 1t
demoralized Southern society more COM
pletely than the war had done. It de-
prived the Southern farmer of the very
incentive to toll, and It paralyzed all that
activity in our business that in any way had
relation to the South. An immense business
that counted on the revival of the nation every
where will be without its customers by the
direct consequence Of the acts of Congress.
Merchants will fail, factories will stop, hands
will be idle and wages will 90 down-all as
the consequence Of tho crazy nigger-worship-
ping acts Of Congress.
Mr.. Lincoln feared that when the war was
over the South might refuse to send represen-
tatives to Congress-might practically dissolve
the Union by refusing TO take part in the gov
ernment; and he judged it SO important for
Southern members TO be in Congress that he
was willing to adopt some measures to force
their attendance. How different was that
idea Of our government from the radical
idea that will not admit the members when
sentl All the radical fighting with the Presi-
dent Is TO keep ont OF Congress men that Mr..
Lincoln thought we ought to force into Con-
gress, and for this object they are willing to
ruin the country, to keep II in state Of
anarchy, TO render II impossible for labor TO
flourish and trade to find It's natural channels.
They are destroying business and breaking
down the finances Of the nation TO secure the
success Of their party schemes, and they must
be held responsible for II before the country.
They will ruin the country rather than not rule
IL, and this was just the position Of the former
traitors. Let the people take full notice that 1t
Is this radical majority they are to hold respon-
sible for all the miseries that will be the result
Of the injury to commerce that must ensue from
the present state Of the country. And let all
those committees who 20 to the President TO