Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-02-07

why Don't Congress Do Something
This question is often propounded, and
IL seems to be taken for granted by the
impatient public that Congress is giving
no attention to the vital concerns Of the
country, and is careless Of everything but
partisan schemes and discussions. This
feeling Is not, perhaps, unnatural, but il
does injustice TO our representatives al
Washington. Congress s doing some
thing. IL has passed bill to stop the
further contraction Of the currency, which
Is the 6rst and important step toward. n
restoration Of confidence in financial and
business operations.
The proper Committees Of the two
Houses are engaged In maturing measures
for funding the public debt in bonds boar
ing lower rate OF interest than the out
standing issues, aud II successful In this
large saving will be accomplished in our
annual expenditures aud the debt made
less burdensome.
The House Committee OF Ways and
Means is CELEBRATING bill for Simplifying
our internal revenue system, reducing
taxation and relieving manufacturing In.
'dustry, as far as possible, from the burdens
TO which II is now subjected. This bill
will soon be reported. and there il no
doubt that Congress will reduce taxation
largely. To accomplish this desirable re-
cult there must be radical retrenchment
In the expenditures, and the proper Com
misiee Is giving that subject due attention,
aud will cut of all expenses practicable.
The whisky question Is slfo receiving
careful attention, aud such changes Of the
law will be recommended as will insure
the collection Of larger revenue from
that source. unless the rascally ingenuity
'of Mr.. Johnsons Copperhead officials
proves superior to the combined wisdom
'vf the peoples representatives.
When We consider the variety OF opin.
ions prevailing among the people as TO the
proper remedy for our financial troubles,
~ could not be expected that Congress
would be able at oLce to determine upon
The proper measures Of relief. That body
~ designed, aud should, In is legislation,
=, tiect the judgment aud voice of the pco.
pie; but when they are unsettled In opin-
ion upon given question, their repre-
rentatives have u more difficult and deli
cate task than IL simply required to en-
body in the form OF law the ascertainod
will OF their constituents.
No Congress since the formation Of our
Government has had more weighiy or
difficult questions to settle than the pres.
'ent. IL is important. therefore, that IL
should not net hastily, but give full aud
patient consideration to all suggestions
submitted TO il. and then determine on
chat course Of action that seems to prom.
ise best results.
All persons acquainted with the process
of legislation know that the real work is
done in the committee rooms, aud that il
- impossible to mature important busi-
ness IN any other way. IL must also be
obvious to any reasonable man that ques.
iions as important as those relating TO the
public debt. taxation, reduction of the
revenue aud retrenchment of expenses,
can not be hastily considered and dispos.
ed Of.
Our friends may rest assured that these
topics are receiving at the hands Of Con.
gress the attention their magnitude de-
mands, and that whatever can be done TO
relieve the people from taxation and re-
auce the expenses Of the Government will
lie done.
II should be remembered, too, that Con.
gress has not the co operation Of the TX
ecutive, but his impiacabie hostility. Ev-
cry Department Of the executive branch
of the Government has asked Of Congress
large appropriations. and the Secretary Of
State, in conjunction with the President
not satisfied with the weight OF expendi.
ture which the necessities Of the public
service require, has been engaged for the
past year in buying, ut inordiuate prices, all
the shreds of territory that other nations
were willing TO SELL
Mr.. johnson has, furthermore, appoint.
ed horde Of hungry rascals to the most
important positions in the revenue ser.
vice, and notwithstanding he knows that
they plunder the Government aud com.
bine with knavish manufacturers and
dealers in taxable articles to defraud the
treasury, he keeps them in Office and
winks at their transgressions because they
are serviceable political tools.
In addition TO this, he has used, and is
using, all the influence of his olAce to
prevent the restoration of the late rebel
States, thereby keeping them in a state Of
anarchy, incapable Of materially coutribu-
ting to the general revenue and requiring
a large outlay by the Government to pre-
serve the peace and protect the lives and
property Of the we'll disposed citizens Of
those States.
Congress will ultimately overcome all
these difficulties and impediments, but in
judging its actions impatience at the de-
lay Of needed reforms should not blind
the people to the difficulties it has to sur
mount.-CJournal.