Smyrna times., 1872-12-11

SOME MATTERS OF INTEREST. Generally
there is not much done in Congress till after
the holidays but at the present session several
measures have already been introduced that
have excited the attention of the public, and
one or two are eliciting deep interest.
One measure is that looking to the abolition
of the U. s. Assessors. and placing the whole
work of the Internal Revenue business upon
the Collectors. The taxes have been so much
reduced, and the duties of the bureau thereby
80 much abridged that the latter officers can
well attend to it, while the Government, by
discharging the Assessors, will save over
$500, 900 in salaries. 1t is also proposed to
consolidate the Revenue districts, making one
where two or three now exist, thereby still
further reducing the force of officers and the
expenses of the Government 1t is probable
that both of these measures will be carried, in
which event Delaware and the Eastern Shore
will, in all probability, be consolidated into one
Revenue district. Then the next important
question will be-who of the officers are to be
retained.
Another measure that has excited considera-
bic comment, and still more opposition, is that
introduced by Senator Sumner, in the form of
aresolution, to strike from the public records and
reglmental flags, the names of the battles the
late civil war. This proposition Mr. Sumner
makes in the interests of reconciliation 1t
rather startles the people, and they are asking
the question whether the Senators sensibiities
are not little overwrought If the era of
reconciliation must be retarded by so trifing
circumstance, we may we'll despair of its coming
soon. If this is done, how long will it be
before battle monuments will have to be torn
down; the National grave-yards plowed up and |
Mr.. Greeley's History of the Great Rebellion |
suppressed allin the interests of reconciliation.
How long will it be before orotors will be pro-
hibited from alluding to the Union victories,
and lame soldiers prohibited from telling how
they came by their cork legs, lest they wound the
sensibilities of some one who was opposed to
the war and make him irreconcilable? How
long would it be before the pension to soldiers
widows and orphans would have to be stopped
that is, if the sOldies lost their lives in the
preservation of the Union? How long before
all this would have to be done to prevent
exciting the sensibilities of few men who
rebellcd against the flag of their country2
Another measure that is thought to have
political significance is that intro
duced on Monday by Gen. Banks-a bill to fix
the Presidents salary at $500 after the 4th
Of March, 1873. Also, proposing an amend. {
ment to the Constitution providing that the
President shall hold Office for six years, and be
ineligible for reelection, aud that tie President I
md Vice President shall be elected directly by il
the voters on the same day that the election
Tor Representatives to Congress takes place. /,
1t Is reported in some we'll informed circles i
that there is reason to believe that this bill h
covers political movement Of much more i'm
portance than would appear on the surface. 4
The New York correspondent of the Phila Il
Ledger wrote as follows to that journal on II
Monday:
General Banks, next to the late Nr. Gree h
'ey, during the recent campaign, was the man +
perhaps most trusted by the Democratic n
Liberal element; and it is not believed that he
would take 1t upon himself to initiate measure :,
Of such importance without consulting with his 4
colleagues. Persons iu a position to be well 3
Informed on the subject say that there was Ii
some such consultation, or caucus, in this city,
The week before Congress met What the r
drift of the movement is. exactly. :
outsiders cannot as yet discern, but those who n
are supposed to be in the confidence of the :
Opposition speak Of it as an event that will
LEAD to results, IN party sense, of the highest .
ln pOrtsnce.
|