The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-26
The Fortieth Congress on its Deathbed.

The FOrtieth Congress on its Deathbed.
Bronv the N. Y World.
This mischievous Congress is near its last |
gasp, and even its own friends do not regret |
that 1t is soon to be sent to its final account. |
1t has shown some faint symptoms of death
bed repentance, but they are quite unavailing. |
1t has not enough moral vigor to undo any of
its wrongs, although some of its friends and |
heirs have done their best to awaken its turbid |
conscience. General Grant and ''the Grant
party" have tried to procure a repeal of the |
demoralizipg Tenure Of Office act-an act
which has made the revenue service national
infamy, and bars the possibility of reform;
but the desire of Senators to keep their cor
rupt friends in Office prevents compliance
with General Grants Wishes and will induet
him into office as manacled and powerless
President. On other subjects, this ignoble
Congress has not exhibited the faintest indica-
tion Of repentance.
This Congress fails to do any of the things
which its own party acknowledges to be obl-
gatory. When the present session COM
menced everybody admitted that our systems
of finance and taxation needed a thorough
overhaulipg and revision. Nothing of the
kind has been done. 1t was admitted that
measures should be passed at this session to
put the country on the road to specie pay
ments. We are left to founder on precisely
as if the halls of Congress had stood deserted,
and their vacancy disturbed by no other
sounds than these of nibbling mice.
OF idle projects and propositions there
has been no lack but no measure
has been passed, none has been even
proposed, which would lift US single inch out
of the deplorable slough. We have
a tariff that strangles industry; and although
| nobody undertakes to defend its details, moth
| ing has been done on that subject beyond the
passage of the Copper bill-a bill which is
| :..ko H..
| the owners of the Lake Superior copper
stocks to the injury of the PROSTATE shipping
interest and of all industries which make use
| of that metal. Everybody feels and even the
Chicago Convention acknowledged, that the
rate of interest on our public debt is too high;
but this Congress has done nothing to facili-
tate the substitution OF other bonds bearing
lower rate. The bastard reconstruction, on
whose triumphant success the Chicago plat
form congratulated the country, is a failure in
three-including Georgia, in four--of the
most important States; and even on this
subject Congress exhibits the same imbecility
it has displayed on all others. General Grant
made a strong recommendation in his annual
report in favor OF the transfer of Indian affairs
to the War Department, and although that
recommendation was concurred in by General
Sherman and by all officers who have had the
best opportunities ior forming sound judg-
ment respecting our dealings with the Indians.
of knavish Indian agents and traders who
share their gains with congressman, than for
honest administration, or for the welfare o
the Indians, or the peace of the frontier, or the
wishes of the President-elect. Early in the
winter General Grant denounced, with great
r freedom and emphasis, the profuse bountief
8 to railroads; and Congress has nevertheless
t wasted great part of the session on projects
Y of this kind. A bill was introduced for re-
!. forming the scandalOus abuses of the franking
Q privilege, but it has been shelved. Another
! bill for reducing the army to the moderate
i dimensions of peace establishment has me-
o the same fate. This Congress has done the
Q things it ought not and left undone the things
which il was incumbent on il to do.
b The measure in which it has taken th'
Q deepest interest and debated with the mos
d vigor, is the proposed constitutional amend
1t ment for establishing universal negro sutfrag'
l. in all the States. This measure flies directly
a in the teeth OF General Grants lauded exhor
e tatioD, "let us have peace" an exhortatiol
!. which, if 1t meant anything, deprecated tn
Of introduction OF new topics OF strife on tn
J. negro question. 1t is shameless breach O
r. the pledge made in the Chicago platform, tina
r the Republican party would respect the righ
N of the loyal States to regulate the suffrage 10
le themselves. The party went into the election
T. with this hypocritical promise, and before tn
A. President is inaugurated whom they electe
g. on the faith of it, they perfdiously attempt t
r. force universal negro satfrage upon the Who'll
of country.
r The immediate successor of this scandalou
Of Congress bids fair to inherit all its wors
ne qualities. Adler than the present Congress
r cannot be, for the leading members of the on
to will be also the leading members of the othe
1t will be just as extravagant, just as incon
Ii petent to deal with the great questions
of finance and taxation, as the expiring Congress
n 1t will be just as fanatical, wropg-headed, an
ct corrupt; but if General Grant should do h
Ir. duty, there will be Democrats enough in u
ais new House to make his veto etfectus
by which, though 1t may prevent new abuse
all can do nothing to rectify those that alread
Ir. exist The prospect ia gloomy enOugh b
ng iithere be any CLEAN of hope for the ensuir
he twO years, It comes from the prospect Of