The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-07

1
The two houses Of the national iesisIsiarc
reasscmblc in Washington to-day. u Ia the
last session of the Foricth Congress, and IL win
constitutionally expire al noon ON the ath of
March next, when, under = recent law, the
Forty first Congress will Immediately assem-
bic in its place. with The Inauguration Of The
new President
As each house to-day viii meet completely
organized they viii both, on being called 20
order, be ready to proceed at once 10 business,
under Schuyler Colfax Vice President eIes,)
as Speaker OF the nousc and benjamin. u.
Wade as President pro t,a. of the Senate and
acting Vice President al iatcrim The Grst
| proceeding will be To detail joint committee
TO wait upon the President and inform him that
the two houses in session are ready to receive
any communication he may have TO make. In
response the President may send up his mos
sage aud the accompanying reports from the
| several departments, or he may withhold them
| till tomorrow.
| In the meantime we copy from the Boston
Herald a brief synopsis Of the Message rs IL
appeared in that print yesterday morning.
| The President discusses the situation in the
Southern States, endorses the views of the
| Secretary Of the Treasury in regard to return
| to specie payments through reduced cxpendi-
| lures, Increased taxation aud q gradual con-
| traction OF the paper circulation, with sugges-
| tons about one currency and restriction OF
| the powers of the national banks. IL is
v.,1,. -, or.
ara in favorable condition, although
| negotiations with Great Britain about the
Alabama claims have not ended. The resig-
nation Of tho British Ministry just at this
time IL regarded only q temporary him
drance to the completion of the negotiations.
The President touches upon Mexican affairs.
the revolution 10 Spain, the rights OF natural
lied citizens abroad and other general topics,
aud, what is most important possibly of all, he
recommends strong legislation in view Of the
epormous revenue frauds. IL is apparent
from this resunlf that Congress will have
york enough before it for short session il
even "a moicty Of the Presidents suggestions
are leglslated upon.
There are three classes of evils from which
the people demand and expect some relief
Grst, the enormous frauds upon the revenue;
second, the oppressive taxation resulting from
these frauds and the burden OF the national
debt, and third, the loose and wasteti,l apprce
pristion bills of Congress generally. From
The time of General Jackson, when the system
Of dividing the spoils among hungry partisans
was frst boldly proclaimed as the Presidents
policy, all these elements Of corruption and
decentralization increased until they broke up
ind dispersed the old wing party and broke
into pieces the old democratic party, and finally
brought about the late terrible and costly
Southern pro-siavery rebellion.
General Giant settled the business of that
rebellion 80 very handsomely that he has boon
called by tho people to settle the important
BUSINESS OF reconstruction and restoration.
The work before him in this capacity has been
compared to the twelve labors OF Hercules
but il will be comparatively easy IL he be pro-
perry assisted by Congress. Let Congress
clear the track before him and provide him the
ways and means, and Grant will do the work
without iiiuching. II must be done. Univer-
sal bankruptcy. Reputation and chaos other
wise are threatened us. All the frauds and
corruptions in the government before the war
were ir1es compared with the denominations
which have followed the war.
| Only look at them. Whisky frauds alone
to The extent Of hundred millions year, aud
| lobby schemes in all sor;s Of enterprises, in
!, volving millions upon millions 10 the lobby
| jobbecs and land sharks. II IL broadly rumorcd,
for instance, that two millions and two hundred
| thousand dollars in gold OF tho equivalent to
Russia for Alaska were absorbed by the lobby,
! for that only Eve millions on u receipt Of the
| whole amount went over 10 Russia; and there
! may he some truth in this report. RI IL be
trle the responsibility for the corruption in
volved belongs 10 Congress. When we find
| Tllnrlow Weed and Company deliberately
T, undertaking tie raising OF a fluid OF thirty
! thousand dollars TO bc used 10 the manipula-
ton Of Senators on tho impeachment trial We
are prepared 10 believe in all these larger jobs
involving hundreds of thousands and millions
Of money in the budget Of bribery and corrup-
iion and spolirtions.
All this decentralization Of officials and the
lobby and the spoils and plumber cliqnes and
rings, resulting from the enormous expendi-
lures, Jobs and robbcrics which have followed
the war. must b. stopped, or the government
AID the country will go to the dogs. The
responsibility, too, mainly belongs to Con
gress, for the President is but the instrument
appointed TO carry out the laws Of Congress.
We shall, therefore, in behalf Of the tax aud
debt paying people, keep close watch upon
The Legislation Of this session, and we shall try
70 get at the bottom OF every appropriation
bill and at the parties concerned in every job
OF the lobby. II we would save the ship we