The Portland daily press., 1866-09-08
VIVA. Reward for Congress,

What Reward for Congresse
Not by any means for the first time in the
history of the world, are the liberties of a
'reat people and the life of a great nation
placed i'll the hands of the popular branch of
government for protection against the usurpa-
ions OF tyrant, who, having, by accident,
gained control of the highest seat of power,
lancies himself "a monarch, whose sway
there is none to dispute" Andrew johnson,
in endeavoring to force his opinions ON the
people, has gone to the extreme limit ct his
constitutional power and has shown himself
DESTROYS, though not yet courageous enough,
to exceed it. That he would have succeeded
in his original design of returning the whole
power in the rebel States to the worst class OF
rebels, and that he would even have given
these rebels an important, if not controlling,
share in the United States, except for the bold
and incorporating stand taken by our no
BILE Congress does not admit of the shadow of
doubt. But Congress was an obstacle he
mad not foreseen. 1t is just about year ago
now, that Hon. Alex. III. Mcclure, an old,
shrewd and experienced Pennsylvania politi-
Clans, visited Washington and the President,
ami gave the result of his observations in a
letter to his newspaper printed at Chambers
burg. That letter was extensively copied
and everywhere excited smiles Of incredulity,
although the first faint shadow Of aportentous
cloud had been thrown across the country by
the general and promiscuous issue ofpardons.
The writer. said he already saw signs of an
approaching struggle, between Congress and
the President The latter was leaning hard
towards the rebels, the former, to be consist
ent, must oppose him. He very much feared
for the result. 1t was not the first time Con-
gress had been opposed to the Executive poll
cy, but Congress had always yielded. He had
never known Congress that could withstand
the corruption and the Establishments of the
Executive. and he doubted if this one would.
1t is an honor to the craftsmanship of the
present day and no mean testimony to the
lofty character of the members Of the 39th
Congress that this shrewd old politician
schooled in the democratic party since the
time of Jackson, so far mistook them.
Truly there is reason for the country to
congratulate itself that it possessed at this
time patriotic and honest Congress. The
representatives of the people have, with hall
a dozen miserable and despised defections
stood manfully by their constituents, and in
spite of the alternate smiles and frowns OF
the President, continued throughout their
long and weary session to reflect without speck
OIL flaw the sentiments and opinions of those
whose servants they are. They could not be
frightened by threats nor cozened by prom
Uses, nor drawn away from the main question
by arttul lodges and sensational appeals
Tsere they stood, firm and unyielding as the
everlasting hills, doing injustice to none, Sc
curing, as far as they could, equal rights to
ALL seeking nothing but to maintain and make
perpetual the great principles of American
Liberty which had been indicated by four
years Of wasting war. This one end they kept
steadily in view, nor lost sight of it even for a
moment. The fruits of our great victory
must be preserved to our posterity-must be
so imbedded in the national life that they can
never be lost. The vicious element which
nearly destroyed us had been but partly cast
out. More remained to be done. When
Hercules fought the Hydra, two heads sprang
out where one was cut off, and in order to
kill the monster, he had to scar the flesh
wound with fire-brand. So Congress said
"We have not fought this many-headed mon
ster, Slavery, Aristocracy, Despotism, Seces-
sion, States Rights, to the death yet. The
heads are all cut Off but unless the wound is
scared, our modern Hydra lives a double lifes
1t is the clear-sighted, patriotic, unselfish de-
votion of our Congress to this great truth
that has thus far saved the nation. Who
cannot see in the Memphis, New Orleans and
Baltimore riots, and in a thousand other indi-
cations of smaller note, that the same opin-
ions, passions and prejudices which produced
the rebellion are again showing themselves in
increased force and bitterness? The rebels
were never so defiant as now; the negroes
were never so badly treated as now; the Fan
KEGS are more than ever detested, insulted and
abused; murders of loyal men and outrages
upon peaceable citizens are far more hume
rous than in the year 1860; and the crusade
against liberty has again commenced in the
South with tenfold violence. These facts the
President cannot wash out with proclama-
lions and speeches, and of this Congress was
very well aware, and governed itself accord
ingly.
What reward shall the people give to their
patient, laborious, conscientious and patriotic
servants? There is but one. Testify your
Of their course in tones that cannot
be mistaken. Double your majorities. Re
elect your members, or send reliable men in
their places. Spurn, as they have done, the
willy temptations held out BY the minions of
power, and despise, as they have, the frowns
and threats Of official patrons. You cannot
expect the leaders to be true to the party I'M
less the party is true to the leaders, and you
cannot expect the next Congress 10 enter
heartily into the completion of the great work
by this, unless they are sure of
being heartily sustained by the people. The
Loyal Southerners now in convention at Phil
adelphia declare. unanimously, that their ut
ter ruin can only be prevented by radical
triumph this fall at the North. Should the
Presidential party succeed, they would have,
one and all, to fly for their lives. To them,
therefore, you also owe this great duty, to in
crease your radical representation but, above
all, say to your noble and gallant Congress,
30 that the whole world may hear: o.
WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SEE
THE GRATEFUL THANKS
Of AN ADMIRING PEOPLE"
The SOuala and the Freedmen.
One standard argument of President John
on and his friends against further delaying