The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-06-09
A Recreant Congress.


The fixing of the day of adjournment
naturally brings Congress to the bar Of
public opinion for judgment. All that
il will have then taken seven and half
months to do, will now have t. be done
within six weeks. For six round months
this body has been pretending to legis,
late for the country, while doing nothing
but advance the fortunes, political aud
pceuniary, of its individual members.
1t promised the people-what did it not
promise theml Instant relief from tax
alton, settled domestic relations, uuiver.
sal peace, Il reduced tariff, the revival
of commerce aud the restoration of our
shipping interests, the development of
the national resources, and facing
about towards the coveted goal of
common prosperity. OF all these
pledges, which one has as yet been full
filled I Not single one. What, then,
has been accomplished since Congress
met early in December The fifteenth
Amendment has been driven through
certain State Legislatures by partisan
mojorities, acting under specific orders
from Washington; and the two Houses
are today wrangliug over an Infamous
legislative measure for putting it into
execution. Georgia aud the Bullock
scheme have taken up a large part Of
the session, and out of very shame the
scandal is at length to be terminated by
admitting the State on like terms with
Virginia and Mississippi.
These are all that eau be pointed to
as the proceeds of six mouths session;
and these are arrant failures. Recon.
struction has not been advanced by
Congress single step. On the con.
trary, Radical Senators are deuouncing
the patient people Of the South in a
body as devils" and demanding that
they be knocked in the head" This
is the true temper that governs Congress
in both branches. 1t has expended it
freely upon the helpless section, which
is as necessary to the existence of the
Union as any other. As for financial
measures, the folly called the Funding
bill is the highest wisdom developed.
The taxes are to be maintained at very
nearly their present rates, the proposed
reduction being no perceptlble relief to
the people. Ten years ago, the annual
expenses of the Government were be.
tween sixty aud seventy millions: now
they are five times that sum, and with
no reasonable prospect Of Il change for
the better, but no determination to re.
trench wasteful expenditures is anywhere
visible. Extravagant, aud even rcck
less, appropriations are continued; mem.
bers OF Congress grow rich on their
plumber; rings carry every public in
terest before them; private greed swal-
lows up the common funds aud cor
ruption reigus without challenge or
restraint
Such Congress has voted to adjourn
on the 10Th Of July, aud even had the
assurance to plan deliberately for its
re election by the people in the autumn
Its solicitation of the popular vote is an
insult to their intelligence and patriot.
ism 1t is asking them to retain in
power a set OF men who only want to
plumber them. 1t is proposing to them
the superiority of centralized govern
ment, holding the sword in its right
hand, over the demonstrated safety of
republican rule. 1t is an uublushing
pretcnce that a party without a policy,
aud a Congress without statesmen to
lead it, is preferable to what the country
can point to with such pride and salts.
faction in the past. When the people
forget themselves, and confess that it is
a pleasure to be at once disgraced and
cheated BY their public servants, and
hold party above country, they will pro.
badly consent to elect sach a Congress
as this again.-Boston Post.