Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-08-01
The Recess and Failure of Monstrous
Measures.

In accordance with the concurrent
resolution adopted last week, Congress
took recess yesterday till the 2lst of
September, having been in session since
the first Monday in December, between
seven and eight months, without finding
time, however, to act upon any OF the
measures vital to the practical interests
of the country, except the limited tax
bill, which throws considerable ap-
pointing power into the hands of a party
official. If it has left undone a great
deal that was demanded by the welfare
of the country, it is some consolation
that it has not finally matured some i'm
portant measures for mischief which had
been presented and passed in one or the
other of the two Houses, and which
threatened to disturb still further the po-
litical condition of the South, and even
menaced the peace of the country. The
bill which provided for the distribution of
arms among the "loyal" in the South,
which had passed the Senate, having
been, at late period, referred to the
Military Committee in the House, was
not again heard from. The bill for the
reorganization of the States of Virginia,
Mississippi and Texas, which had passed
the House, died out in the Senate, and
some other bills or resolutions tending in
the same direction met q similar fate in
one or the other of the two houses, so that
no new bill has been passed affecting
those States, except the Electoral College
bill, which prevents them from voting in
the next Presidential election. The
country has reason to be thankful that it
has been reprieved for season at least
from those pestilent propositions which
bodied so much danger to the public
peace and stability. The atrocious arms
bill would, in all probability, if adopted,
have led to war of races in the South,
its real object being to maintain party as
tendency, whether or no. The venerable
Representative from North Carolina, Mr..
Boyden, gentlemap of recognized po-
sition and character in that State, where
be has long commanded the respect and
confidence of the people lin contradis-
tiuction to the new members generally
from the South), said what was as true
of any Southern State as Of North Caro-
lima when he declared, 81 warn the
House that il arms are sent there we will
be ruined; we cannot live there. There
never was a more mischievous measure
than this proposition to arm one class OF
our people against another" Yet, this
was just what Congress proposed to do,
the House having passed Payne's bill,
and the Senate Wilson's section TO that
effect in the bill reducing the army, but
neither Of these measures passing the
other body, the iniquitous scheme failed
to be consummated. Not being content
20 give up the object entirely, Senator
Wilson reported ill on Sunday night,
repeating the act forbidding militia or
CARNATIONS in the Southern States,
which was passed, and which was
probably intended to supplement the
arms distribution bill, by enabling |
the Governors ofthe reconstructed States
10 organize the So called loyal militia Of
those States, as in Tennessee, and BY
military force. keep down the rest Of the
opulAtiOn. It is, perhaps, in keeping