The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-21
The Meeting OF Congress.


Congress meets to-day to close its summer
session; its next regular session begins on the
I'd of next month. The business which awaits
its action is of great Importance, and de-
mands the most careful and oonsiderate atten-
tion at its hands. The interests of party will
very naturally press for consideration, and
will probably receive it, first; but the interests
of party depend just now so largely upon the
measures which may be taken for the interest
of the country, that the two may well be
deemed identical. Neither party can now
strengthen itself in any other way than by
promoting the public welfare. Neither party
can, by taking thought solely for its own in
terest, add one cubit to its stature; and that
party which shall show most zeal fer the
public good, and do most for its promotion,
will do the most to secure favor with the
people, and promote its own ascendancy. 1t
will not do for any party, or for any men, to
give exclusive attention to imaginary evils,
and neglect the real evils which press upon
til ecountry.
The first essential to proper action will be
courage. Every extreme ultraist in either
House will assert this, and assert it truly. But
he will mean by it that every member must
have the courage to discard all thought of
results, and rush blindly into whatever is
most violent and extreme. He must give no
weight to indications OF popular sentiment,
and must not stop to weigh results, or con-
slider the effect of his action upon communities
or sections. Nothing but cowardiee can prompt
men thus to hesitate and deliberate. None
but the timid, the vacillating, the weak k-kneed,
halfway men will hesitate a moment to i'm
peach the President and remove him from
office, confscate Southern property, force
universal suffrage upon all the States, and
generally follow the lead and adopt the policy
of the most reckless ultraists.
The country has had enough of this kind of
courage" already. The fear of being thought
to lack it has induced Republicans in Con-
gress, more than once heretofore, to adopt
measures which their judgments did not ap-
prove; and the country has just now pro-
nOunced its Judgment upon those measures,
and the temper in which they had their ori-
gin. The courage wanted now is of another
stamp-men must have courage to act upon
their own convictions of what is wise and just
against the brow beating, domineering die
tatiOn of those who have so long assumed to
speak for the Republican party. The men OF
calm temper of sound wisdom, OF eX-
perience and moderation, in the
Republican ranks, must have the
courage to assert their influence, and
to take into their own hands the direction
of public affairs, which has rested 80 long, and
with such disastrous resulls, III VIC n@ltus vi
headlong and inconsiderate extremists. The
country expects it of them, and will sustain
them in doing so. One thing is very clear a
continuance Of the policy and the temper pro-
claimed and exhibited by the last Congress
will complete and make permanent the defeats
which the Republicans have sustained in the
late elections. Mr.. Stevens and those who
act with him rely with confidence ON the sup
| port of the ten Southern States in which negro
| supremacy is looked for, through the help OF
the negro vote; but the error in this calcula-
uon lies In the fact that the measures by
which they seek TO secure that vote win lose
them the support Of every considerable North
ern State The people demand greater mode
ration-less ultraism-a broader aud more
comprehensive regard TO the welfare of the
whole country, than these partisan maneuvreG
imply.
! Congress this winter is to mark out tn,