The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-03-09
THE RECORD MADE UP.
From the Chicago Post.

The Thirty.first Congress expired to
aay at noon. Without entering into a
close analysis Of it's work, but simply
casting glance backward over the peri
cd of its service, we are enabled to say
with earnest emphasis, Well done! In
modern government, the legislature that
does no mischief is conspicuous success
The Thirty-first Congress has originated
no great measure of public p 'licy that
will stand as monument of its wisdom !;
but it has fought Lobbyists bravely it
has generally held itself above suborn-
ming and corruption, and has relegated
to the "tombs of the Capulets' all of The
vicions schemes for Substituting steamship
companies and squandering public lands
for private corporations
The Congress shat dies to-day has ex
hibited good deal Of negative virtue
No previous American Congress has been
30 necessarily and vigorously piled by
steamship jobs, land grants, and ocean
cables, and by none have such measures
received more determined resistance or
. more fatal repulse. There were, on
December 1st, twenty four different
schemes for subsidies 20 81 steamship lines
and presents to private companies, p" for
the encouragement Of American com
merce," and every one has been buried
cut of sight.
When the session began, there were
twenty-three bills for land grants in til"
House and thirty two in the Senate, call
ing for transfer TO railroads of ga, 900,
900 acres of public land,-enough to
make fifty-three States like Massa
chusetts and ten ike Illinois Thes-
vampire schemes of plundGr have been
KILLED, and the robbers who engineered
them have been uncerenouiously kicked
cut of the lobby. Three railroad grants
emily have passed. and they are certainly
the least objectionable On The docket, and
their passage Will minister to the direct
benefit of "a large number of people. L
any grants are justitiable, it is those
which have been given to the through
roads to the Vest, 100000 acres for
the Oregon Branch Pacific, IL 100000 for
the supplemental North Pacific, aud s,
100000 for the Texas Pacific.
The Thirty -tirst Congress has not peen
revolutionary in Its methods. 1t has not
had the courage to olish the Frankng
Privilege, with which duty it was espec
tally charged 1t has not materially i'm
proved the laws for the raising of reve
nue., but it was elected before the appeal
for reform became either loud or manda
tory. 1t has refused to pass a suppl
mental appointment bill, and thereby
give representation to three million dis
franchised speopie in the West! but il
had precedent for its cowardice-or
rather, for its audacity in wrong doing
in the refusal of previous Congresses to
srdaln justice.
But, with all its faults, which were
maiply the faults of lethargy. the Thirty.
first Congress has cntitled itself to pub
lie gratitude, III that it has perpetrated
little that is absolutely evil, and has
Wig llantly defended the national treas
ury, which is the dependence Of the pre-
sent, and the nations lands, which are
the dependence of the future.
The above is well written article, but
we think that the Post, is designating
the last Congress as the Thirty first, il
nearly quarter Of century behind the
age.