The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-02
The Pa,ch-worlk OF Congress.

The Patchwork OF Congress.
In looking over the work of Con.
gress, whether upon financial ques-
tions or those of a political character,
we see nothing but mere patchwork.
No country ever as much needed
broad and comprehensive legislation;
in none was ever felt more the want
of statesmen of sufficient grasp of
mind to understand our political and
financial situation and to apply the
proper measures. We have passed
through great and an unprece-
dented revolution, politically and
financially, within a few years. The
war broke up the old order of things
as mighty earthquake changes the
face of nature. Four millions of
slaves have been set free and made a
powerful element in our political
system, though utterly unprepared
to comprehend Or exercise the civil
duties thrust upon them. From
being comparatively free of debt and
scarcely feeling taxation or the hand
of the Government, we have, in six
years, become the most heavily taxed
people in the world; have accumu-
lated heavier debt, looking at the
high rate of interest it bears, than any
other nation is burdened with, and
have a more expensive Government
than that of any other country. The
Constitution has undergone and is
undergoing the severest strain. We
are, in fact, in both our financial and
political affairs, in an abnormal and
disorganized condition. We are
drifting, we know not whittier, and
there has not yet appeared any hand
to guide or save us. The National
Legislature, to which the people
look for those measures that would
restore the country and the finances
to order and a prosperous condition,
has shown the most lamentable inca
pncity.
Those few able and bold men in
Congress as Stevens, Butler
and q few others-who might have
capacity enough to grasp the great
national questions, use their talents
for partisan and factious purposes
only. They, indeed, are the revolu-
tlonists and the greatest obstacle to
restoration, peace, order and econo-
my. AS to the rest of the members
of both Houses, they are mere non-
entities, and are unfit to legislate for
small State or municipality. They
have not the least idea Of the wants
OF the country, or of those great na-
tional questions now pressing for n
solution. For three years they have
been tinkering with reconstruction,
doing and undoing, and fighting with
the Executive, when they had the
power at any time to have restored
the Southern States, and ought to
have restored them long ago. So
have they been wavering and trim
ming about the finances, leaving
nothing settled. Had the country
been fortunate enough to have had
statesmen in Congress, our national
finances would have been placed
upon sound basis, and we should
have had the debt reduced by this
time $500,000, Time and expe-
rience do not even enhghten those
miserable legislators; for instead of
maturing comprehensive measures on
broad principles for raising revenue,
ZOE estaDtlsnlnS q sound system OF
taxation, and for making tariff
that would bear equally and Justly
upon all, we see nothing but patch
work legislation in favor Of certain
sections and interests. The cum
brous and unjustly partial tax and
tariff bills have consumed vast deal
of time, and then in the end have
been abandoned for piece-meal legis-
lation on two or three articles. The
same number Of school-boys could
do as we'll. Seeing our present Con-
gressmen have not the capacity to
understand and legislate upon the
great questions before them, the best
thing they can do is to go home and
leave the country to take care of it.
self until another and abler set of
men can be elected in their place.
NeU York Heruld.
RnI,haro o,.a fbo