The New York herald., 1869-03-04
The Fors,.sh oonsrsss-sne.Ias Proceedings.

i
| The Fortieth Congress, among the most
memorable in American history, will close its
| existence to-day at twelve o'clock noon,
when the Forty first Congress will
Immediately take Its place. The Fortieth
Congress met under q special act OF
the Thirty-ninth on the 9TH of March, 1867,
and the incoming Congress will assemble under
the same law when the functions of the present
cease. Literally the two past Congresses
and the one on the eve of congregating have
been dovetailed into each other, forming, in
fact a perpetual session of the national legisla-
ordinary number Of sessions of the Congress
about expiring. This was occasioned by the
conflict between Congress and the Execu-
tive The war against the President was
not suffered to have an interregnum. The
national representatives in both branches
never for day relaxed their control Of the
government, and, already shorn of his chief
prerogatives by the Tenure Of Office bill, the
retiring Executive has been watched with a
jealous and vengeful eye ever since the strug-
gle between himself and Congress began. The
reconstruction of the South has been one OF
the great measures of the Fortieth Congress,
eliminating in the adoption of the fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments to the constitution,
the thirteenth having been adopted by the
preceding Congress, and the restoration OF
six Of the ten rebel States, one Of them
Tennessee previously been restored,
leaving three States still outstanding,
namely, Virginia, Mississippi and Texas.
Another great feature of the Fortieth Con-
gress was the famous impeachment trial, the
particulars of which are still fresh in the
memory of the country. There have also
been a number Of efforts at financial tinker
ing by the same body, but none that has exhi-
bited the possession of an unusual degree OF
financial ability on the part of any particular
member in either house. Stupendous jobs and
private plundering schemes, notoriously cor
rupt and involving millions Of the public trea-
sure, have been passed through this remark
able Congress with inconceivable facility. 1t
has appointed committees to investigate alleged
frauds in State elections, in regard to alleged
abuses in the collection of the internal revenue,
in regard to charges Of. malfeasance on the
part of government officials, and in other
respects, when, with higher conception of
its duties and more natural concern for the
interests Of the people, it should have COM
menced its investigations within it's own halls,
in its own committee rooms, in its own lobbies
The closing scenes of the Congress whose
existence is now passing away were not
marked, up to the hour of our present writ
ing-two A. My anything wonderful or
startling. Mr.. Schenck's bill to strengthen
the public lcredt-requiring the pay
ment of United States bonds in coin
was passed by both houses after amend
ment by committee Of conference. During
the discussion on the bill in the Senate Mr..
Sprague, of Rhode Island, pronounced it to be
q measure "better calculated than any
other yet proposed to bring about
Reputation of the national debt"
DIR. Summers proposition to pay Massachu-
setts the interest on money advanced during
the war of lSl2-l5 gave rise to spirited dis
cussion, in which Messrs. Chandler, Of Michi-
gan, and Conkling, Of New York-colabor-
ers in the same political vineyard with
Mr.. Sumner-took strong grounds against
the payment Of the claim. Mr.. Conk-
ling stigmatized it as the "boldest
and mos. preposterous proposition for sub
sidizing railroad company"-Massachus
having transferred its claim to one
of its pet railroad corporations-''that he had
ever seen in either House." The claim was
finally rejected, 16 to 25. The Senate refused
to concur in the House resolutions
expressing sympathy for Spain, passed
the Army Appropriation bill, allowed the claim
Of NJ. w. Corcoran, and during the evening
session the Civil Appropriation bill was taken
up and proposition to exchange the land pur-
chased for post office site in New York for
land further up town agreed TO. A PROPOSE
ton to make donation to the Sisters Of Mercy
in Charleston, for services rendered Union sol
diers during the war, was discussed
In the House Speaker Colfax delivered his
farewell address, preparatory to his taking the
chair ia the other branch, and Mr.. Pomeroy,
Of New York, was elected Speaker pro tenn.
The late Speaker and the members Of the
House parted on good terms with each other.
During the evening session of the House
lively discussion ensued on the proposition to
pay the Louisiana contestants, but 1t was
finally passed by vote Of seventy-three
to seventy-two. A committee Of conference
on the part of the House on the Army bill was
appointed, and a discussion on bill removing
political disabilities from Judge Parker, of
Virginia, disclosed the fact that he was the
Judge before whom John Brown was tried and
hanged The Post Office Appropriation bill was
passed by both houses and business was being
rushed through at railroad speed, under sus-
pension Of the rules, until late hour this
morning.
THE ENGLISH REFORM DIFFICULTY. Still