The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-07-15
The Patchwork Of Congress.
From the N. Y. Herald.l

4 rom the N. Herald.l
In looking over the work of Congress
whether upon financial questions or thos
OF political character, We see nothing bu
mere patchwork. No country ever a.
much needed broad and comprehensive leg
is'atlon; in none was ever felt more tn,
want of statesmen of sufficient grasp O
mind to understand our political aud Fl
nancial situation and to apply the nrone,
measures. We have passed through ,
great and an unprecedented revolution, no
litically and financially, within a few
years. The war broke up the old order o.
things as mighty earthquake changes the
lace OF nature. Four millions of slaves
nave been set free and made a powerful ee.
ment IN our political system, though utter
y unprepared to comprehend or exercise
the civil duties thrust upon them. From
being comparatively free Of debt and scarce
" feeling taxation or the hand of the gov.
eminent, we have in six years become the
most heavily taxed people in the world ;
have accumulated heavier debt, looking
at the high rate of interest it bears, than
any other nation is burdened with, and
nave a more expensive government than
that OF any other country. The constitution
has undergone and is undergoing the sever.
est strain. We are, in fact, in both our
financial and political affairs, in an abnor
NAL 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 f.
nances to order and prosperous condi-
ton, has shown the most lamentable inca
pacity.
Those few able and bold men In Con.
gress--such as Stevens, Butler and few
others-who might have capacity enough
TO grasp the great national questions, use
their talents for partisan and factious pur-
poses only. They, indeed, are the revolu-
tionists and the greatest obstacle to re-
storation, peace, order and economy. AS
to the rest of the members of both houses,
they are mere nonentities, aid 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 national
questions now pressing for solution
For three years they have been tinkering
with reconstruction, doing and undoing,
and lighting with the Executive, when they
had the power at any time to have restored
the Southern States, and ought to have re-
stored them long ago. So have they been
waverng and trimming about the finances,
leaving nothing settled. Had the country
been fortunate enough to have had states
men in Congress our national finances
would have been placed upon sound ba-
sis, and we should have had the debt reduc-
ed by this time five hundred millions.
lime and experience do not even enlighten
those miserable legislators for instead of
maturing comprehensive measures on broad
for raising revenue, for establish
ng a 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
md interests. The cumbrous and uniustly
partial Tax and Tariff bills have consumed
vast deal OF time, and then in the end
lave been abandoned for piecemeal legisla.
ion on two or three articles. The same
lumber OF school boys could do as well.
seeing our present congressman have not
he capacity to understand and legislate
pom the great questions before them, the
est thing they can do is to go home and
cave the country to take care of itself uu-
il another and ADLER set of men can be 1
lected in their place.
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