The Portland daily press., 1869-12-15

Only ten days have passed since Congress
assembled, but we are enabled to judge from
what has been done in that time something
of what we are to expect from the Forty-first
Congress on several important subjects
First, the Forty-frst Congress most decided
ly will not postpone specie payments by in
fating the currency, though several Western
members seem determined to keep on intro
ducing bills and resolutions to an indefinite
extent, all Of them having reference to iafa-
ton. Such was the case at the last session.
and Mr.. Ingersoll of Illinois has begun again
now with a zeal that person unacquainted
with the subject would suppose was inspired
by the novelty of the proposition or by the
certainty of its favorable reception by the
House. But, as was stated in these col
unns yesterday, the reference of Mr.. In
sersolPs bill for the issue of S44,OOOOOO adj
ditional legal tenders to the Banking Com
m'ttee, by vote of 80 to 81, indicates a
strong opposition to the measure, all those IA
vorlng such reference being hostile to infa-
ton. 1t is to be expected, however, that
Western members will conciate their hun
CRY constituents by recurring again and again
to the subject, even though they are morally
certain that nothing is to be gained thereby.
Inc whole matter of specie payments and the
legal tender currency is likely to be disposed
OF by the adoption of some moderate and ill.,
dicious plan for gradual resumption like that
OF Mr.. Lynch, which has received more favor
able consideration from prominent financial
authorities than perhaps any othea single
scheme that has been presented. The tenn
per of Congress on finance is safe and CON
sentative, and those who expect any piece of
extravaganza, like immediate resumption, by
mere verbal fiat, are quite sure to be mis-
taken, as well of those who expect the present
quasi reputation, of which the government
i, guilty when it ignores its overdue notes, 10
be aggravated by further expansion.
II we may judge from present indications
Congress will endorse substantially the for
eign policy advocated by the President and
Secretary of State. This policy, too, is emf
nently conservative, for this administration
is radical only on such questions as are char
acterized by strong predominance of tie
moral element. As for Cuba, alas it appears
that we must look on and see her once more
the dependency of foreign power that she
detests. Specifically considered the conclu-
sions of the administration seem cowardly
enough, but juster appreciation of the mo-
tives that form the basis of these conclusions
vindcates the courage as well as the equity of
the course our rulers would have us take.
There is perhaps no surer test of the civiliza-
ton Of a people than the degree of respect
that they pay to the we'll recognized prnc-
pies of international law-that law which
has no tribunal for it's enforcement and which
any powerful nation may ignore quite safely
for the time in its dealings with such as are
weaker. But as social order and private
rights are guaranteed to individuals by pre-
vailing disposition to observe the municipal
law OF State, SO the sanctity of the interna-
tional law and disposition to regard it on
the part Of civilized nations is necessary to
insure safety and perpetuity to any given
State, however powerful. During the rebel
lion the United States were in situation.
to learn how much they were self
ishly interested in unfolding the sane
sanctity and binding force of the law of ma
lions. There is always disposition on the
part of our people TO look upon our relations
t, such struggle as that now going on in
Cuba from the standpoint of their feeling s
aid not of their judgment, but ultimately
they are nearly always governed by eonsidera-
tioas like those that rule in the case of Cuba.