, 1869-01-29

; which IS tnought 20 IOresnad0w the policy o
{ the incoming administration. It was refer
red to at the time on the floors of Congres
by Mr. Wood, (democrat) as an introduc
tory message, laying the foundations for th
policy of the next administration" and o
which he said, $50 far as General Gran
would faithfully, and. in good faith, eithe
initiate or carry cut any reform, the minority
would give to j: its feeble support" To thu
promise of re.renchment and reform, we CRY
amen, and feel glad to see evidences tha
the incoming administration recognizes The
necessity of such promise. We are moi
prepared to accept the situation in regard t.
reconstruction and manhood suffrage, Sc,
cnred BY legislation or constitutional amend
ment" as Mr.. Washburn puts it up, but We
endorse the truthfulness of all that ho says
in regard to "the robberies and plunderings
Of the Treasury BY dishonest ofice-bolders, =
and entirely agree with him that it is time
the representatives of the people were admon-
7shed " that their position aud power are to
BE- used for the benefit of the people whom
they represent, and not for their own benefit,
ami the: benefit of The lobbyists, the gamblers,
and the spectators who have come to Wash.
ingtOu to make RAID upon the Treasury"
This is pretty much what the democrats have
been talking up for the last FIVE or six years,
aud there is not one OF that persuasion in The
land who will not endorse Mr. Washburn' a
statement that {" The statute books are loaded
with legislation which will impose burdens
oRfuture generations. Public land enough
10 make empires has been voted to private
railroad corporations; subsidies of untold
millions Of bonds for the same purposes have
become charge upon the people, while the
letters of vast monopolies have been fastened
still closer and closer upon the public"
Mr.. w. considers line subject of receipts
and expenditures somewhat in detail, and ar
rives at the conclusion that there should be
surplus at the en- OF the fiscal yer 1870,
Of $50, 100000, over and above the expen-
ses OF the government With an exhibit
OF this character" he says 10 conclusion,
(which is an exhibit that can be made if
Congress and the Executive shull act in har>
mony to that great end, the credit OF the
government will be established on an endu,
ring basis, our bonds will 90 to par in Europe,
greenbacks will approximate gold in value ;
taxes may then be reduced, and the country
will enter on course Of prosperity, glory
and power without parallel in The history of
nations"
The mob of these good things is in the
prOviso, and we confess our doubts of its
coming about, for we can see no reason why
the Congress should harmonic with this ad
mlnlStration upon questions of retrenchwent,
economy aud reform, that did not exist four
years ago. And whilst we are disposed to
receive the speech of Mr.. Washburn as really
the expression of General Grant, we can see
nothing in it but promise that the struggle
which bas been going on between the Legis.
lative and Executive departments for the last
four years is to still continue 1t does not
matter that in the programme laid down
General Grant comedies the entire radical
platform Of reconstruction aud negro equality
simply for the reason that these things
never had any value 10 the estimation of
Congress, except as the means Of obtaining
power to be used for the purposes set forth
by Mr. Washburn, of roobing and plundering
the Treasury. This is to be the next battle
ground, and the struggle in our opinion is to
be harder than any through which we have
yet passed If the General fights it out ON
the line Of retrenchment and reform, his main
backing must come from the democratic
party, aud though it has had no hand in
Dn"glnS him iutO the ring, aud can afford
but little more thar moral support, it will be
ready, rs it was with Johnson, 10 put him on
the shoulder aud stand to his back until his
belly rs Knocked in