The Portland daily press., 1867-03-05
PRESS
Tuesday Morning. March s, 1867.


That the Congress whose life has just expir-
ed has some sins both of omission and commis-
sion, TO answer for, we are not disposed "
doubt. On more than one important questioh
it has failed, we dare say, to realize the expec-
tations of those who gave it life and power; on
others it may have shown too much readiness
10 listen to influences by when true stateslnah-
ship should never be swerved.
But after all the drawbacks upon its merits
are set forth, there remains much in the action
of the 39th Congress to challenge the admira-
ton of every true patriot, and to inspire conf
dence in the fairly chosen representatives of
free and intelligent people -,5 ..... bad. .
Never since the institution of the Govern
ment has Congress been called to act upon
more vital issues, or under circumstances in
some respects more unfavorable to the strict
est fidelity to principle and the popular senti-
ment whose rising tide brought its majority
into power. From its first official assembling
the 39th Congress found itself confronted by an
Executive elected by the very States and the
very men by whom its own members were
elected; elected, too, ON the same issues and
pledged to carry out the same great princi-
pies. rHe 15
This Executiye,-proying false to all his
pledges, recreant to every principle of the par
ty which elected Internationally brought
into power by the knife of the assassin WELD
ed in the interest of an expiring rebellion,
from the very start undertook the formidable
task of forestalling the legitimate action of
Congress, usurping its functions, and assuming
dictatorial powers, and to this end he allied
himself with those whom he had fought for
four years, closeted himself with men fresh
from the rebel service, and called around him
self all the odds and ends not only of the
Southern rebellion but of the Northern
wing OF the rebel army. With a Cabinet,
many of whose members were as unscrupulous
and treacherous as himself, he commenced a
regular system of bribery in distributing off,
cial patronage to those, above all others, who
would prove false to the people and become
the supporters of his own treacherous course
The Senator or Representative who would thus
forswear himself and prove the tool of the ac-
cidental President could become the dispenser
of patronage throughout his district and al
SO throughout his State, provided he alone of the
representatives of such State proved false to the
party to whom he owed his election. The
course of Senators Dixon of Connecticut, Cow
an of Pennsylvania and Doolittle of Wisconsin,
and the manner in which they were taken into
the inner sanctuary of Executive confidence
and favor, show plainly enough how strong
the temptation which members were called up
on to resist in order to maintain their integrity
tosorinciple and to friends. .s
In view of the considerations and facts here
suDUastpd wa insist that the Doth Con oras a
contained vastly larger proportion of men OF
unbending integrity than has been usual in
such bodies, when more than two-thirds of the
whole. for two long years, withstood all the
Establishments of Executive favor, and fought
shoulder to shoulder for the Right for equal
justice to all men, for making treason odious,
and for keeping the control of the nation in
the hands Of its loyal citizens. We do not hes
itate to say that, in our judgment, no Congress
elected by the Democratic party for the last
quarter of a century, would have so held out
under similar circumstances; that with any
such Congress majority if not two-thirds
majority, could have been bought up with one
half the patronage vainly employed by An
drew johnson to corrupt the members of the
o9th Congress. Thanks to their integrity the
nation is yet safe, and corrupt and PREACHER
Gus Executive has found himself unable to re-
store rebels to power, to consign the loyal men
OF the South-white as well as colored-to the
tender mereies of men fresh from the massa-
ere of Fort Pillow, the starving of Union SOL
diers at Andersonville, and other atrocities too
numerous to mention. A full measure OF
praise and honor, then, to the recently expired
39th Congress. .