New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-03-05


determination Of the Radc leaders that there should be
no doubt in regard to the new State resulted IN vote 81
70 70 for the amendment and tie bill was then passed.
the Senate concurrng by vote OF 3 to H. DIT Johnson
whose views on all important subjects were iecoheabe
with those OF Congress- vetoed the bill a. usual anu carry
in February passed over the veto by nc uSu TWO
thirds vote The bill for the admission of Col.Tauo was
not as fortunate Vetoed by the President 1t fle 10 get
a twothrds vote in the Senate the vote being Malsh
20 Yeas to 10 Nays.
The financial legislation OF the XXXIXth Congress was
tmid and uncertain the earlier part Of the session
the House, by repeated votes refused to commit itself to
any policy though IL seemed to think that the plan by
which the Secretary Of the Treasury hoped 70 resume
specie payments in 1868 both impotc and mpracti
cable Up to the middle Of January it had done nothing
in regard 70 the currency, and the h again refused
TO consider the subject On the DIST Mr. Morrill, who had
been earnestly seeking to obtain the assent Of the House
to contraction succeeded in getting the passage OF bill
Withdrawing from the Secretary the power to sell gold
without public notice February the House voted against
contraction practically condemned the country to fur
Their initiation 10y passing the bill TO prevent more than s
100000 curtalment in the present year. This action was
subsequently reversed and the policy Of the last session
was substantially sustained This to allow The sccre-
tary to go with his redemption Of the remainder OF the
$4,000 OOOof per cent legal tender compound interest
notes still outstanding and TO permit him to continue the
reduction the demand Of legal tenders at the rate of 81
month should he be able and deem advisable to
do So This proposition only qualified by the bill from
the Conference Committee of the two Houses which allows
the Secretary 10 issue $5OO0OO0 OF per cent demand
legal tenders with which to partially redeem his per
cent compounds The reasonable contraction OF the cur
rcncy is thus secured Notwithstanding the 30 majority OF
tho House for initiation Or at least, noncortraction
plain financial error was the amendments to the III
ternal Revenue system reported by Mr. morrill, who III
an able speech advOcated-nOt slight reduction OF the
taxes on all articles which would have been bad enough
but the total exemption OF many important branches OF
industry from any taxation whatever This reduction,
proposcd at time when the national revenue was steadily
decreasing by the confession Of its advocates would re-
duce the revenue at least S5,OOOOO, ana the House
was warned that 10 could not safely legslate Tor
any further reduction But the policy once begun cod
not limited by the committee which introduced IT, ana
the free list was further extended by the House For
tunaely in the Senate wiser was pursued on
important articles exempted by the amendments the
taxes were reimpOsed the tax cotton was reduced
but half Of cent per pound and the Dill as passed WILL
we hope nfct injuries that the country cannot sustain
But the fact remains that Congress- at time when every
Just means should have been adopted TO increase the
revenue, chose TO lessen 1t, while refusing TO
legislate for the resumption of specie payments.
But it did not pause here The Tariff bill which in the
Senate passed substitute for the House bll OF
the first session. and which raised the average duty ten
per cent not considered in the House bill late IN the
session. February Its history is too fresh In the reco
lection OF the reader 10 nCcd lHt t'Hh'''N
Of Ways and Means the apple OF discord into de
bate when II reported the Senate bill with 255 amend
ment and the enemies Of the bill not slow IN using
this advantage. Rival industries were arrayed against
each other, and ten days after the bill was re
ported to the House, il effectualy Killed.
Something was saved Of the wreck; the section
on Wool was enacted by both Houses and raises
duties 10 degree which will materially benefit one ofhe
most important branches Of American industry. Other
wise the failure Of the XXXIXth Congress to pass the
Tariff bill II originated. which majority OF It's members
believed to be demanded 10y manufactures Is PROOF
Of ignorance Indifference 60 tho business OF the
country Of which the people may justly complain These
errors are however to great extent, redeemed by the
passage Of the Bankrupt bill which passed the Senate by
p 10 90 and after unmporant amendment the iouseb Nv
Is to n. These close votes for measure vii ch
must have immediate effect upon the business Of the
country. and will enable not only individuals but commu.
mites 10 begin new careers OF sOvency and prosperity
But that question which obtained FOR this Congress tnc
deepest interest Of the people the question Of I'm
parchment When II rcasembed IT was the hope OF ono
haf Of the country the fear OF the other that the Prcs
dent would De mpcachcd by the House, tried by the
Senate, and removed from office. We shall not
repeat all that said in Congress in regard 20 this
proposition which frst took shape in resolution offered
by Mr. Ashley, January IN which that gentleman ac-
ciscd the President Of high crimes and mi,dcmcanors IN
office and directed the Judiciary Committee 10 inquire
into his acts. The House adopted the resolution by
votIoIOj To So and though frequent auson TO The ne
oessity and duty Of Impeachment made 10y the
friends Of the measure in both Senate aud
House, further action taken until the close Of
the session, when the judiciary Committee reported that
they had not sufficiently examined the facts 10 decide
whether impeachment required, but that enough cy,
dence had been collected tOusy the continuance of the
investigation by the XLth Congress With this eIccp-
ton, Congress made personal attack upon the ESecu
tive confirming itself 10 legislative restriction OF the
powers il deemed he had abused, and making those
changes not merely with reference to the President but
10 the Presidency, no matter by whom IN the future
filled individuals Of course, criticized his acts with
severity, and Mr. Sumner in the Senate defined him as
an enemy OF his country"
The Democrats, IN a hopeless minority, were doubtless
eXasperated by their utter inability To Influence the
ton Of Congress but in general their behavior
Objectionable. Twice thrice they endeayOred TO defeat
important bills by flibusering in the Of the
military bin and the bill 10 prescribe a test oath for Off
GERS Of civil courts These dlsgraccu in the House
made exciting by the occasional Interchange OF &C
cusations Of lying etc. by very Few OF thc
ccde TO the minority raiseWOthy readiness To accept
legislation they could not prevent and may compliment
the majority upon generous and Just Of their power
The Democrats enjoyed fun opportunities TO express
their views, and they were used TO me ulm" ny Mrs.Is
Son ,, The chance of base cffccfed bv some OF fhe
menb.rs. Mr.. Bingham, who began ms Radical ended
johnson man, ana MI hu!kcmall NOltd
determined enemy Of the party Which elected
him than the Democrats but Dir Rcycry Joinsons
recent declaration that IL was the duty OF The Pres
ident Ia accept the policy Of Congress was one
Of those revolutions not easily explained Mr. johnson
voted the Military bill and has for that act already
been repudated by many Of ms constituents ~ MARY
ON the lth Of March, the NXXlXth Congress ceased 10
exist IL had done glorious work ana leaves 10 s sue
ccssOr, moro radical the encouragement 1 ls sue
cc and the example OF its great legislation for Equal
Rights 10 All.
LAUS or THE UNITED STATES