The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-02
The Present Congress and the Next Til G
Approaching Election.


Approaching Election.
From The ~. y. Herald
The question as to who shall be the next
President seems to be the absorbing one, aud
there is no doubt 1t involves great issues ant
important consequences affecting the fdture OF
the Republic. Bat there is another one To be-
solved at the same time, of still greater i'm
portance, and that is the character of the
next Congress. There is more noise made
about the Presidential election, because the
enormous patronage of the Government is the
prize aimed at. The politicians, who do all
the convention and electoneering work, are
intent upon the Offices and the three or four
hundreds of millions of spOils every year; and
that is the reason we hear so much more about
the Presidential election than the Congress
sional elections. But as regards the welfare
of the country it is much more important to
elect a conservative and an able Congress.
1t requires no argument to make this clear; for
we have seen by the conduct of the present
Congress that the Executive is powerless-is a
mere ciIher-when there is an Overwhelm-
ing majority against him. radical revo-
lutionary body like the present one
not only paralyzes the Executive, but intimi-
dates the Supreme Court and overrides the
Constitution. Have we not seen this done
Has not this branch OF the Government con-
tIolled the others in defiance of the plain
meaning and checks and balances of the Con-
stitution2 In the hands of a reckless radical
majority it has assumed all the despotic
powers of legislative and governing conven-
tioD, just as the Jacobin Con vention of revo-
lutionary France did. We have experienced
this remarkable anomaly in our republican
and federative system of government, that a
political party which happens to have an over
whelming majority in Congress for the time
can set aside the Constitution and put its heel
upon both the Executive and Judiciary with
- A.. IL a,
Congress is in existence, and no appeal but to
the voice of the people. How vastly import
ant is it, then, for the people to pay particular
attention to the election OF wise, conservative.
and prudent representatives in the place of
those incompetent, violent, revolutionary, and
corrupt men now in Congress
With regard to the character and conduct of
members Of the different parties or factions
there is little difference. The Republicans,
Democrats, radicals, and Know Nothings, or
whatever else they may be called or call them
selves, are much alike. Few have any capa-
city for legislation, some are a disgrace to Con-
gress and the country, and others are reckless
revOlutiOniss. Leok at the men who repre-
sent, or rather misrepresent, this great me-
tropolis--at the Woods, Brooks, MOrrisseys,
and others, who have been the mere tools OF
the radicals, while pretending to be oonserva-
tive. The South might have been restored long
ago but for their stupidity. They have been the
cause of prolonged disunion and the proscrip-
tive OneTOus measures imposed upon the South
by playing into the hands of the radicals. Instead
of having gentlemen of experience, education,
and wisdom to represent this metropolis, men
who understand the subject of national finance
to represent this great financial and CONNER
cial centre, we have shoulder -hitters, little
scheming ward politicians and those notorious
as public plunderers. Then look at such
Jacobins as Butler, Stevens, Schenck, Bing-
ham, Boutwell, and hundred others, who
would destroy the best government and ruin
the fairest country for party purposes, and to
crafty their own passions and ambition
While, then, the people are much exercised
about the Presidential election, we call upon
them to pay the greatest attention to the Con-
gressional elections. The evil lies in Congress,
and it is there they must apply the remedy.
Let them lay the axe to the root of the tree.
All these old, incapable and corrupt Congress
men should be left at home, and new, better
and abler set be returned to fill their places.
With such change in the House of Repre-
sentatives the Jacobns of the Senate would be
kept in check, and with the revolution in
public sentiment which this would bring
about the character of the Senate itself would
be changed in two or three years. Congress
is the Magdala of iniquity, ignorance and op-
preston first to be assaulted. If the people
make clean sweep there we may hope for a
new reign of peace, union and prosperity.
What will be wanted particularly in the
next Congress is capacity to place the national
finances on a sound basis. The Presidential
contest will be over in the course of a few
months, and the country will be relieved OF
that political excitement for four years after
| wards. Most of the Southern States will be
fully restored to the Union, and probably all,
| however Objectionable the terms and manner
OF the restoration may be, and thus difficulties
and agitation about reconstruction will be
removed. Congress will then have the oppor-
tunity and time to consider the various ques-
tions pertaining to the finances. Indeed, the
| full consideration of them cannot be deferred
longer. We expect little or nothing from the
present Congress, for, as we said, it has shown
itself utterly incapable. There will remain,
then, most important work for the next
Congress to do. The people should begin in
the different Congressional districts to hunt
up their ablest and purest men for representa-
tives-for practical and thorough business
men who have some knowledge of financial
matters-and they should be resolved to elect
such, independent of old party affiliations or
party machinery. If the members of the pre-
sent Congress should be returned, we may
expect nothing but inextrcable confusion in
the finances of the country, and the most bur-
densome taxation. There is no hope but in
a sweeping change and in the election of new
men for the next Congress.
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