The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-08
Conrress and Its DutY.

favorable auspices than TOR many years past
They came together to Sea the culmination OF
the great objsot OF their political existeuoe,
the success Of their policy OF reconstruction.
In the meeting Of those members Who for years
have stood together in good aud i'll rspute,
who have fought the demon Rebellion aud the
giant Prejudice, and have conquered both,
there is something peculiarly pleasing. They,
ike warrior-victors, recount the dangers they
have passed and congratulate each other on
the complete victory they have achieved. The
matters which for six years past it has been
their duty to discuss are now becoming insig-
nifcant. The question Of reconstruction is
almost out of the way. The success Of General
Grant, and the preservation of the large ma
iority of the Republican party in each house,
render the continuance Of any line of policy
they may see fit to agree upon certainty for
at least four years to come. Within as many
months the whole system of reconstruction
will be in complete working order, and the
obstacles in the road, which have heretofore
caused delay, be levelled down by the GER
tsinty of decision in the incoming Administra-
tion. The thoughts Of the country and also
of the Representatives can now be turned to
other issues, and they can devote themselves
to questions comparatively slighted in the
unusual attention to the question Of loyalty.
What Is it the duty of Congress to devote
Itself to, now that the issue of reconstruction
is practically removed We can answer ne
gatively with more force. 1t ia not its duty to
continue to tinker and meddle with the body
of reconstruction laws which it has established.
So far as the policy of government in the
Southern States ID concerned, Congress has
done all that it can in justice dot give perfect
equality of rights to all men. 1t has passed
laws quite stringent enough, and has given
force to those laws by the establishment of
governments which carry ints execution their
theory. These laws are sufficiently decided
and sufficiently broad. With the accession OF
General Grant will come a proper execution
of these laws, and it would be both useless and
unwise to add to or correct them. They are
good enough as they stand, and the people of
the land have so declared. Therefore We favor
the abandonment of reconstructive legislation,
and with it all the various measures which the
undue zeal of partisanship has led the authors
to propose. Among those which should die
the death is the measure declaring by statute
the existence of universal suffrage in all the
States. We deny its oOnstitutionality and
seriously doubt its policy. If an Amendment
to the Constitution is deemed proper by two
thirds, let it be proposed to the States; bat Is
to decree who shall vote in Pennsylvania by
general law passed IN Washington is an idea
entirely too arbitrary to be candidly sus
tanned. Such measure would be the death
knell of the Republican party. We favor uni
versal suffrage ourselves, and would cheer
fully support it in any legal AMI polite way;
but the Sumner bill is neither the one nor the
other. We hope, therefore, that Congress
will let all such measures rest in peace, and
Jet the solution of the great problem all over
the land be worked out by time and the
gradual education of the popular mind, which
must come with success in the practical work
ings of equal rights in the more Southern
Commonwealths.
Having let reconstruction remain as it is, to
what should Congress direct its attention
There are 30 many grave questions that have
been necessarily sighted in the all-abjorbing
devotion to the issue of equal rights, that it
will take time to select what first demands
attention. Probably to the revenue system
should be directed the earnest investigation Of
both houses. The present plan OF raising inter-
nal revenue is SO full of facilities through which
rascality can be perpetrated, so abounding
with means of swindling without detection,
that it needs thorough renovation. 1t would
almost be easier to reoommence on a new
foundation than to continue to patch up the
present one. Some decided steps should be
taken to repress the frauds which now deprive
the Government OF 80 much which is its just
due; and the above will occupy no small pro-
portion of the time OF Congress. Then, again.
the issue of finance demands most thorough
investigation. To certain extent we have
lost sight of this in the furry and
excitement of the last few months.
Yet it's overwhelming importance is
generally appreciated, and 1t is to-day de-
mapding careful and extended examination.
II is time that some steps be taken to establish
for our nation decided financial policy, aud
this can only be done by prolonged consde-
ration of the whole subject. To this Congress
should devote itself. Then, again, the tariff
calls loudly for revision. Our home interests
must be protected, and that adequately, and
this can only be done through just tariff on
imports. The object Of the tariff should be a
donble one--to raise revenue and to protect
I a NJ aha1r ia a.