The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-05-23
Congress n Scene Of Danger-A Word
of Warning.

From tie ". !. TimeS.
When Congress assembled, on the 9Th
of December, 1t seemed to bc impressed
with n sense Of the necessity Of prompt
Legislative action upon tic questions be-
fore the country. II made many demon.
stratiOns Of hearty willingness 10 dispose
Of business, and for o short time II seemed
probable that 1t was really in earnest. The
financial, the manufacturing, the CONNER.
cial and the agricultural energies Of the
whole country were depressed, and bust.
ncss enterprise Of all kinds was eagerly
waiting for the establishment Of a perma.
nent policy which could be made the basis
Of safe action in the future. The people
were inclined TO be hopeful and coniiding,
They had patiently waited for the final
completion Of the measures which the war
had rendered necessary, and which the
resistance of the Democratic party had 50
long postponed; and they confidently
looked TO the Forty.tirst Congress TO
complete the work without further delay.
They believed, and with justice, that
there were no longer any serious obstacles
in the way, and that Congress could easily
accomplish It's work In time 10 allow the
enterprise Of the country to flow in its M.
tunl channels. With u controlling ma.
jorily both Houses, and with political
reputation almost unequalcd, the Rcpub.
lican party had what may be Justly term
ed u splendid opportunity. 1t had only
10 address itself to the work before Il with
energy and wisdom, and to make prac.
tical response 10 the wishes OF the country
TO attract TO the party even greater
strength than was displayed in the cam.
paign OF 1868. We are sorry to add that
the result thus fur has been but little
better than a general disappointment oI
the hopes which were in1ulged. For
nearly six months Congress has triilcd
with the people, until there Is danger
that the party itself will be made to
suffer for the dilatoriness of It's representa-
tives. Instead Of adopting q wise ana
well.COnSidcrcd course of action. Con
gress has frittered away month aftel
month Of precious time in dreary and
proitless debate it has allowed itself tC
be diverted from the essential work be-
fore il to the consideration of thousand
paltry schemes of legislation; 1t has spent
weeks upon struggle between local in
terests over L tariff bill-a bill which
ought not to have been introduced, and
which there was never any prospect ol
passing from the beginning; It has paltcr.
cd with mn overwhelming popular de,
mand for relief from excessive burdens
of taxation, and has almost entirely failed
to suggest any well-digcsted and symmct
rical financial policy.
Meanwhile, the time has passed by for
the Inauguration of new enterprises for the
current year; labor Is sorely depressed
trade is paralyzed; capital Is idle, and
stagnatiOn prevails in almost every
branch of business. Those who are
accustomed to feel the political pulse
Of the people detect unmistakablc
signs of dissatisfaction. There is grave
danger that the Republican party, six
months ago strong and full Of vigor
will find itself materially weakened by
the inetlicicncy of Congress. It is unac'
countablc that our representatives do moi
see the mischief which must inevitably
accrue from thcirdO-nOthing tactics. The
people are fast losing patience, and, un
less Congress makes haste to retrieve It's
error, they will be likely to visit the Re
publican Legislatures upon the party
itself. .
In the interest, therefore, of Rcpubli
cans we appeal to the majority in Con
gress 70 address themselves diligently IL
the work in hand, and to make the only
amends in their power for the neglect o
the past. 1t is not yet too late to makt
some show Of diligence and business
like spirit, and thus to save the party from
the mischievous results which otherwise
surely follow.