The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-07-07
From the Washington Nat: Intelligencer.]
The session Squandered.

Congress has been 10 session more
than seven months, and all that precious
time has been vilfully wasted in parti.
san agitation, political strife, and per-
sonal objects. Impeachment alone,
which was gotten up for the sole purpose
Of seizing the Executive power, and
using it as an electioneering element.
first and last, over four months
and has cost the country many millions
Of dollars, exclusive of the immense in
direct losses. The Investigating COM
mittees, as they are called, have squan-
dered hundreds of thousands merely to
crafty the malice and resentment of
Butler and his venal crew, or. to reward
their instruments, upon whom the peoples
money is lavished. There is neither
check nor restraint upon this extrava-
gance, because the minority are exclu-
ied from representation on the commit
tee, and those who control it aregwholly
Butler has been allow
ed to assume the whole direction, and
that is sufficient to stamp its general
character.
The country is groaping under the
burdens of unjust, unequal, and enor-
nous taxation; all the branches of in
dustry are suffering, commerce is pros
trate, our shipping is destroyed and Civ
en- over to British monopolists, the cost
Of living has increased in proportion to
the depreciation Of the currency, the
farmers, machanics, and laboring masses
are impoverished, the rich are growing
richer and the poor poorer, BY the de-
ranged state Of affairs, honest industry
goes unrewarded, confidence is lost, and
credit disturbed. This is the general
condition whichsis felt and admitted by
all parties. And yet not single sub
stantial effort has been made to furnish
relief. The Radicals have overwhelming
maiorities in both branches Of Congress.
With the entire responsibility of legis-
lation in their hands, they have not taken
the first step to diminish burdens, or to
reduce the taxes, save for favored classes
those of the people at large are
augmented. Congress relieved the man
ufacturers Of some eighty millions of tax
alton on their fabrics, which was prac-
tically vote to give them SO much ad-
aitionaI profit, and to add it to the
cost of the needy and oppressed consul
mers. Prices have not fallen, and we
venture to predict that not single arti-
Gle thus relieved will be cheapened to the
farmer or mechanic. zai
With perverse spirit which almost
defes belief, Congress has exerted all its
energies to break down, instead of build
ing up the So1th. The States which
heretofore provided the great basis for
our foreign exchanges, which furnished
to thousands of Northern
ships and sailors, and which were large
and sure purchasers of Western produce,
have been SO crushed as to be costly bur-
dens, instead of valuable resources tothe
Their former staples,
worth some thres hundred millions q
year in gold, have almost disappeared
from the markets Of the world. Ruin
stalks abroad over desolate cities and
plantations, while poverty and alarm per-
wade the population. The south cannot
now support itself, and, consequently, is
unble to pay the share which it ought TO
do of the public expenditures. And not
content with inficting this vast injury
upon the country, Radicalism has multi
piled the cost Of the people Of the North
by imposing a negro domination, which
can only be sustained by an immense
army, and by Freedmen's
Bureau for supporting it in idleness and
vice.
There has been no effort aud no dis.
position and no ability to take up and con.
slider the great questions Affect
ing finance and the material interests
They have had no attention whatever. =
The whole time has been devoted to par
tisan seheming. and to legislation design
ed to continue Radicalism in power
Take a single illustration. The Com
mittee of Ways and Means reported a
new tax bill after several months Of la
borious investigation. It may have been
good or bad; but still it was q plan, and
worthy of consideration. How was it
treated2 After . few days the House
got fatigued with the discussion, and, in
the midst of its progress, stopped the
bill, and sent it back to the committee,
With instructions to report on whisky
and tobacco, and let the rest ssslide. -
The committee obeyed, and when they
again appeared before the House, quo
rum could not be kept during the even
ing sessions; SO that Mr.. Schenck was
to threaten the publication of
the absentees in two daily papers besides
The Globe, where they are day by day re-
corded.
This is the sort Of attention which the
Radical majority give to the material in
terests Of the country and of their con-
,tituents, They will not even listen to
! bill which is to eaualize or reduce taxa
ion. They 90 on and squander the peo-
ple's money BY tens of millions, add to
the debt, increase the gold interest, pam
per their partisan followers, and grant
enormous bounties to corporations, but
sake no heed whatever of the toiling
masses, from the sweat of whose brows
taxes are wrung to pay for this
,rohigacy and waste.
Now, when the day of adjournment.
lraws nigh, and when the country cries
,ut for relief in some shape. Congress
there is no time to grantit. Why
8 there not timer What has Congress
,een doing for seven months past2 Why
vas not that time, which is dearly paid,
or, appropriated to these INTEREST," How
ZONES it that the finances, taxes, indus
ry,. debt, retrenchment, and such ques-l
ions have been thrast aside, neglected,