New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-10
THE FoRTY-sECoNp CONGRESS-.

legislature on Monday last commence
the long session of the Forty-second Con
gress. 1t is the sixth in which the lie
publican party have had majority ant
throughout the eleven years during whicl
the country has been under the control o
that party its principles and policy hav
been sustained by the people. Itremain
to be seen whether the action Of the pres
ent Congress will be such as that the Re
publican party shall have further leas'
of power from the people. Heretofore thu
long sessions of Congress immediatel.
preceding a presidential election have
generally been devoted to the business o
President making, and it is desirable tina
the present Congress may not trouble
themselves about this matter, but GIVE
their attention to subjects Of more impor
lance and of greater interest to thu
nation. There are abuses in ouI
national affairs which need inves
tiSation and correction. There is
need of a searching and thorough reform
IN the civil service system of the country
and remedy applied which will be ladi'
cal and permanent. The people demand
in the selection of officers that the ap-
pointees shall be men Of integrity and
capacity. There has been too much OF
change and removal on political influence
and political activity rather than compe-
tency and honesty, and the time has come
when such a system should be abolished.
The necessity for the continuation Of the
levying and collection Of internal revenue
or taxes from any source, with perhaps
the exception of liquors and tobacco, does
not exist Dispensing with this obnox-
ious bureau would relieve the country Of
a large number of burdensome and ex-
pensive officeholders.
The tariff upon imports needs thorough
revision and one should be framed
with direct reference to the yielding
sufficient revenue for the payment Of in
terest and the expenses of the government,
placing the heaviest duties upon articles
Of luxury, and making a just discrimina-
ton for the protection Of our home manu-
facturers. All those which weigh on in
dustry, either by taxing raw materials or
or the materials which enter
into machinery, should be reduced to the
lowest possible point.
Ali others, of which there are many
yielding a return disproportioned to the
expense OF collection, or affecting the con-
sumner in a vexatious manner, should be
repealed. Those taxes yielding large re-
urns and yet distributing themselves very
,quitably among consumers, and satisfac-
:orily by them, should be retained. 1t has
oeen shown by the experience of other
as we'll as our own, that sugars,
.offees. teas, wines. liquors, fruits and
spices are of this character. The duties
N iron and steel should be greatly modi-
led.
The land grant subsidies to railroad
ought not, for the present at
east, to receive any attention from this
congress. There is too much land
llready in the hands of railroad jobbers
md spectators, to the exclusion Of the
.ctual settler and emigrant.
There is one last and browning act in
he work of reconstruction which should
eceive the early and prompt attention of
he present Congress. 1t is the granting
If general amnesty to all who were en-
jagged or participated in the late rebellion,
With, perhaps, few leading exceptions.
This would do much in reconciling many
# the disafected people of the South, in
to them the evidence that the
party, acting upon the prin-
iple of the great Lincoln, has charity for
II, without malice toward any; is willing
o forgive and forget.
Another subject of especial importance
0 us here should also obtain the prompt |
elton of Congress; that is, the imme-
late reconstruction and repair Of the
evees Of the Mississippi. 1t is to be
oped that our members especially will
rye this measure with earnestness and
uccess.
The subject of a national system of
ducation might be introduced, and. per-
APPS, embodied in form SO that it might
e examined and discussed by the people.
his is an especial need Of the South,
nd will greatly assist in giving to the
ewly enfranchised race a better oppor-
unity than they now have in some of the
outhern States of preparation for the
roper exercise of their rights of citizen
Zip so recently conferred upon them.
The country, too, should have an early
of specie payments, and the
oner the better, to prevent the 1uctua-
On of values which so frequently bring
IS and disaster upon trade and COM
cree.
Let our Congress attend to these and
her measures Of interest to the people,
ID they may then return to their consti-
encies satisfied that they will be re-
.rded for their labors.
A THREAT.
NIessrs. Packard, Casey, Carter & Co.
l not spend much idle time at the tomb
the late Lieutenant Governor, nor did
ey allow his political succession to re-
lin unopened any longer than they