New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-10
WASHINGTON.
CONGRESS AT WORK WITH A WILL

,r5,r IoTpNAIs HAD THE MESSAGE IN
IpyANCE-MR. wAsHBCHNES hESlO O, .rO,
stIvRR BRICK FOR FAITHFUL sENNi 1880 -
SUPERVISORS AfrDiNANN NV
SEES "BLUE BEARD ,o.s
WASHINGTON Wednesday, Dec. ., 1868
The galleries of both Houses were crowced tOuaS
;,h large and brilliant audience, assembled 10
hoor read the last annual Message OF the present
President of the United States. IL was dsapponh.
mont however the paper being merely conlli,uuI-
,ation on national affairs, containing many luooO
.rs reflections upon the legislative branch OF the
sn.r,,nent Its reception by the august bodies
snch as might have been expected, ana sucii "S
n vvas entitled TO- The Senate refused even 10 near
IL read adiourning before the Clerk had hnlsheu d
bolfdozen papes: and the House, after us
tening with rare fOrbearance 10 lts inSui'S
and dreary rehash of the splenete lnVecuVe WHICH
has characterized various preceding communications
from the same source voted that II be ad upon tle
table and that none of the public money DC eApehuou
O. Drntne II for distribution. Gen. Sehenck gave
voice to the general feeling of the House by char-
,cerizing il as gross. shameless, and most sour
r;lono and impertinent document" and despite the
factions wrangling of Fernando Wood and some or
h;s fellow Democrats the paper was not even hon
ored with the usual reference to committee, but was
laid upon the table to keep company for all time
with the rubbish and odds and ends OF pet-
tons. appeals. and the like, which come from
the four quarters of the continent, from FOOLS
and charlatans to the Speakers desk and are never
heard of again after the Clerk has once read thelr
titles aoud. In the Senate Mr.. CONFESS IN demand
ing that the reading Of the paper be stopped de-
scribed il as "a TRADE of abuse from beginning TO
end and an indecent attack upon the body" and MT
Wilson said it is 1.-The untruthful rawlings of bad
disappointed man." In fact notifying as ii may be
10 every American who would wish TO see the Chief
Executive of his country held in respect by foreign
nations the last annual message of Andrew Johnson
President of the United States, was so undignlhed
80 ill-timed, and everv way ndecOrous
and uDgentemanly state paper, that 1t
simply excited the contempt of both Houses of Con-
gess and dismissed to the dusty archives with
out one moments consideration being given to any
one of the smallest of its recommendations. The
Message has not been matched in offensive features
by any written or oral communication from any
other President nor by any from this one, except
that most wretched speech in the Senate on the 4h
of March, 1865, when he took the oath of office in
way that sent shudder through the whole country.
Those who may have the patience to read the Mes
sage through will find among mass of MIR. Johnsons
usual denunciatiOns of Congress eulOgies of the
Constitution and Qualifications of SELF the bOdest
bid that a demagogue ever made for the applause OF
the dangerous classes. in fact no less than the re-
pndiation Of the entire national debt. PendletOn and
other more timorous politicians may trte and daily
on the outer edges of this crime, but he the Pres
dent of a nation of honorable people, boldly plunges
into the very abyss of national dishOnor. You may
imagine how the infamous suggestion Is being dis
cusssd in the hotels and on the streets here to-
night and in what terms it is stigmaiized by the
honest members of Congress of both parties.
The keynote Of the popular feeling fairly struck
by Mr. BrOOmall in his resolution, which was subse-
quently made part of his remarks from technical ne
cessty The alarm, and perhaps panic, which this
portion of the message is calculated to excite on the
bOurses of Europe may be mitigated by the
contemptuOus treatment Of the whole docu-
meut by Congress; but fnancers of sound
Judgment here, who are well acquainted with
the temper and peculiarities of European
capitalists do not hesitate TO prOphesy great losses
and an unsettling of American credits abroad. If
tie President were operating for bear movement
On commission for Erlanger, Spence, or Trenholm,
he could not have adopted more ingenious method
70 insure success The several bodies of committee
men who have discussed the subject this afternoon
and evening agree that it must be bid 1or
the Tennessee SenatOrship, vice toYlers' 10
he vacated before long The major p2ruoh |
Of the time of the session OF the House |
having been occupied with the reading OF the Presl
dents Message only small amount of business was
done. Bnghams BILL providing for the holding OF
an eect3a;; il VIRGINIA o. "a; t'o 10Th day of January
was discussed until within short time of adjourn
ment. Washburne's amendment substituting the
fourth Thursday in May instead of the 10th day Of
January was adopted without a call of the Yeas and
NAYS Tomorrow the House will begin work on the
business on the Speakers table which includes
number Of bills left over from last session.
The Committee of seven Senators selected to CON
slider the question of revising the Senate committees
met to-day An effort was made to remove Mr.. Hen
dersOn from the Craftsmanship of the Indian Com
mttee. and vote was taken having that object.
For retaining him the votes were four-Messrs.
Sherman, Edmunds, Trumbull, and Ramsey; for
deposing him the votes three-Messrs. COnk-
ling Pomeroy, and Rice. The effort 10 change the
Chairmanships will therefore probably be aban-
doned The Committee will DO ready to report to-
morrow OF next day. The House Committee on
Freedmens Affairs of which Mr.. Eliot is chairman,
will meet OH Friday to hear the views Of Gen. How
ard and others on the propriety of continuing the
Freedmens Bureau in Virginia, Mississippi, and
Texas. The General is opposed to a continuance.
. The judiciary Committee will report this week
bill introduced by Mr.. Lawrence of Ohio to estab-
hsh Law Department of Government. Tins DILL
II passed will reduce the expenses OF the law OIhcerS
of Government over 100000 per year. The Com
mittee at the same time will report back BILL intro
duced by Mr.. Butler. to repeal the Tenure-ofOthce
act The House Committees have not got fairly under
way with the business before them. The Ways and
Means will hold their first regular meeting to-mOr-
row, and will then lay ont their business for the ses
sion. The Committee on Appropriations met to-day,
and were ready to enter upon the preparation of the
Appropriation bills but found it impossible. since
the Secretary of the Treasury has failed to send TO
the House any Of the estimates for the next
fiscal year. The probabilities are that these