Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-12-12
CONGRESS- AND THE MESSAGE.


The two Houses Of Congress assembled on
The Sd inst, aud as It's officers had been clecs.
ed at the last session, at once proceeded TO
th. trans futiou Of business. The Speaker Of
the House announced the Standing Com
nittee, Is the a1t business in order, retain.
Ing Banks as Chairman Of Foreign Affairs,
and Dawes Oh the Committee Of Ways and
Means. Butler, it is considered, has been
"suubbed." The proceedings Of the week
were only preliminary movements as to fu'
turs legislation, which will sventuase in
most sug,y and stormy discussion. The pOO'
pie Of the country, generally, anticipate but
little good result from its deliberations, and
The sooner tho "sud Of the beginning" is re-
allied, the more will be enhanced the per.
nauout peac. aud prosperity of the nation.
Tho Message Of tho President was sent IN
90 tho fnt day Of meeting. Asa matter Of
National concern, more than Of any intrinsic
merit, We publish it entire on our first page.
Iu most important Recommendation, after
years Of needless and cruel delsy, is the sugges'
ton to Congress of Amns'Iy, TO those who par.
tisipsted 10 the Rebellion, having previously
slksn an oath to support the Constitution Of
The U. s. For tue suspension Of the haLsaI
corpus in time Of peace, and within the
confines of what was once, at least, a free
aud sovereign State, NJ word Of defence is
made, but simply referred to rs though it
might be tho exercise of every day authority,
whom in the darkest days Of Euglaud's his.
tory it would have cost the King bis head.
The annexed extracts from comments Of
prominent journals of both parties, indicate
the general character Of expression upon the
MeMage:
From th. Philadelphia Age, d,n.l
The message is on its face q bid-ths bid
Of a candidate for re election. Nor does he
much mind that it is st the expense of his
party. He ready, he says, to abandon their
tariff doctrine, to abandon the income tax,
which he himself Fixed on the party by
Recommendation in his previous message; and
be even hint. 10 an ambiguous way thst he
wants a resumption Of specie payments
Even the Ku.Klu1 law, which he himself
helped to pass by special message in its ia,
yor, after Buffers bill had been indefinitely
postponed, even that precious scheme for
military despo,ism is treated rs q law, the
wisdom Of which is not to be inquired into
The rapid diminution Of the public debt,
which has hitherto been the boast of the sd.
ministratiou, is said now to be too rapid, and
the taxes tha. contribute to 1t ought to be
lightened. One Of the least dignilied parts
of the document is bitter onslaught on the
late Russian minister, CutscOEy, which is en-.
tirsly out Of place in message to Congress.
From tLs New York Times. rep.l
We have repeatedly pointed out thut there
we're three subjects 90 which the people
asked for modification Of the policy whieh
has been pursued Of late years. These are,
civil service reform, revenue reform, and am
nssty. The Presidents views On these are 10
direct accord with the views Of the mos, lib,
sral leaders Of public opinion.
tFrom the New York Herald, iudl
Int word, whether considered as embody.
ips the yiOws Of q statesman ambitious only
to promote the material prosperity aud moral
Advancement Of bis country, or as as politi>
cal campaign document from candidate for
another presidential term, this message is
we'll calculated to strengthen Gen. Grant and
to weaken bis adyesaries throughout tho
II,;,.j S..,o.