The Portland daily press., 1871-03-10
Letter from WashIugiou.
WASHINGTON, d. c., March 7th, 1871.
THE OLD AND NEW.

THE OLD AND NEW.
The 41st Congress having departed it may
be worth while to examine its record. There
are two or three important communications
| and compilations adjoining its history. The first
is the one so eloquentIy referred to by Speak
er Blaine in his closing speech. 1t has seen
the seats filled once more which were vacated
during the "baleful winter" before rebellion
famed into battle. The decade is cyclical in
its character. Extremes meet. War at one
end; peace at the other; yet the shoulder
ing flames Of the first fuse and melt the sec
ond in an uncertain incandescence which
scarcely allows the mould of the future to be
seen. Still, the 41st Congress was the repre-
sentative of the whole-of all sections, It
marks and closes the transition.
There are other consummations chiefly of
administrative details. The new Indian policy
has been welded into law. After three years of
e~AAa unr the House has wrung reluctant ap-
prevail from the Senate of its provision ahol-
shing the treaty system for the future. This
is the most important step yet taken for the
final fusing into citizenship of the Indians.
Other good legislation in the same directicn
has been adopted. That the Indian policy
will be progressive and benefcent hereafter
there can be no doubt.
The passage of the Southern Pacific railroad
act probably cldses the land subsidy system.
1t is time, not so much that benefit has not
resulted from its adoption, but because it has
created outside influences and demands
whose chief results are to create corruption
and "speciap legislation with all its evils
The continental system is now complete
with road for each geographical division.
That ought to satisfy our new m asters-tne
railway Barons, to whom would suggest that
they let the yoke rest lightly, at least until
our necks grow calloused. Having added
about 100000 acres at the present Con-
gress to the 124,000OO0 already bestowed on
the other Pacific railroads, we can afford
to take breathing spell, rest for space and
see what good is to result. -rt-..f
Perhaps no Congress has closed its career
with its record so bare of important legisla.
tion-especaiy in the closing days. Those l
have namedare the most prominent topics
considered. But it is probably better it
should be so.
THE FORTY SECOND CONGRESS
meets under circumstances of different
character from those that have preceded it for
ten years past. All the States are now, or
will be. represented in December next. With
the exception OF the Ku KIux outrages and
the possible danger that may arise if they are
allowed to 90 on unchecked, We are at peace
with all the world, and in fair way of adj
justing all causes of difficulty with other
nations. To me politically the one thing on
which Congress and the Republican party
itself is to be congratulated, is the fact that
the two-thirds rule is broken. We have
a large majority, but not large enough, with
the known diversity on unsettled questions,
to make carelessness safe or indifference
profitable.
PERSONNEL AND PECULIARITIEs.
Look ng over the new House, to one who
has been an observer of those that have pre-
ceed-d it, there are certain little noticeable
poilts worth mentioning. First among these
is the fact that there is larger number of
new men elected by both parties than has
been usual for years past. In all there are
l23 new members, of whom less than dozen
have hitherto had any Congressional expert
ence. Another TACT, and it is a perth ent
one is, that among these new men there are
more than usual hitherto unknown to politics
and there is also greater variety OF occupa-
pations. New York and Pennsy lvauia cspec-
tally sent men to represent their diversified
industries and occupations. Mich gan is an
example. In the changes made in her dele |
cation, the two representatives and the new
Senator, are set down as mel chantsIsnd bank |
er. Wisconsin sends railroad king-Alex-
ander Mitchell. 1t had better be the chief |
than the Attorney. Minnesota's representa-
lives are new men, the one an editor and the |
other trader. The Southern men are divid- |
ed among various occupations. There are
seven teachers; one keeper of livery stable |
light or ten planters, two or three doctors,
bout the same number Of merchants,
Willie the rest style themselves lawyers,
hough the profession is only cloak for pur-
uing Office holding as an occupation. Be-
des the diversity of occupation, there is an
ther curious fact. BY far the larger body of
hose elected as Republicans, are men OF mid
lie age and over. Looking at them from the
allery, they appear, generally to be men from
to 30 years OF age, large in physique and
all OF visor. Taking Lavator as guide, and
ne physiosnonical signs indicate that there
a good deal of oratorical or rhetorical abili-
among the new men. On the Democratic
de there is larger infusion OF younger men
those ranging from 80 to As.
PARTY PHYsIOGNoMY. ;
There is another noticeable sign, and that
that on the Republican side the great body {
representatives are men of fair skin, light
air and compassionate the nervous-san-
line temperament, while on the Democratic
de there are not half dozen fair men to be
und. Nearly all, north and south, are dark. !
ran a uarthv enmployiopod noreo,,, l,.., |