The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1872-06-20
THE LAST HOURS OF THE SESSION.

THE LAST HOURS OF THE SESSION.
The final scenes of the Congress-
ional session are usually exciting
and sometimes not little undigni-
fed. Particularly was this the case
when, In the later years before the
war, as the advocates of freedom
became more numerous and deter
mined, the defenders of the Peculi-
ar Institution became dogmatic
and tyrannical. Not the least
among the blessings which have
followed the abolition of slavery is
the disappearance of that peculiar
style of Legislation which manifested
itself when other arguments had
failed, either in disgraceful pugil-
ism upon the floor of Congress, or
in appeals to the arbitrament of
Bladensburg.
The session, for many reasons,
has been one of unusual interest. Like
all sessions Immediately preceding
a Presidential election, it has been
of especial Importance as defining
perhaps more clearly than plat
forms, what is the relative position
OF the political parties: for people,
whetheNjustly or otherwise, often
look with distrust upon declara-
tons of principles made with espec-
ial reference to political success,
while they place large degree of
of confidence in what may be done
by this or the other party respecting
the practical and business interests of
the country.
The schism, too, of a small junta
of disappointed Senators from the
Republican party, and the curiosity
to know in what lay their several
grounds of complaint, has certainly
given an interest in the sittings of
that body which all that they have
personally done hitherto, or indeed
are likely again to do, could not
occasion. Their trimming, their
coquetting with the Democratic
Delilah, their loud assertion of the
purity of their own intentions,
coupled with their invective and
SANDER upon the motives and char
acter of others, have attracted an
attention somewhat like that with
which boys are accustomed to list
en- to the saying of the clown in the
ring. The boys are vastly amused,
but are rendered none the better by
the entertainment.
During the session both houses
have passed about five hundred
bills, which have finally become
laws. Among those of practical in.
terest, has been revision OF the
Tariff and the Tax laws. The re-
suits of this are the reductions of
the duties on coal, lumber, iron and
ship building materials, while sugar
and coffee have been placed on the
free list. The income Tax whose
abolition has been SO unsuccessfully
attempted, terminates with the i'm
post now under collection. A
measure of great importance for Sc
curing the integrity of the ballot box
in the South and protecting the col
ored man in his newly acquired fran
chises, was It last secured by the
determined efforts of the friends of
the Administration, to redeem its
pledges made to him. The recon-
endations of the President in his
last annual Message, with regard to
his amnesty, have been followed,
and but few exceptions now re-
main to full and unconditional par
don for the greatest crime against
the State, of which citizen can be
guilty.
These are few of the more prom.
inent measures which have COM
manded the attention of the country.
Much has been done upon which it
may be we'll congratulated. Much
more might have been done, bad
it not been that the administration
has been made the subject of per-
sistent, violent, and unfounded at
tacks. To those its friends deem
ed refntation necessary for the hon.
or of the country which it had for
the time being in charge, and to the
honor both of the country and its
administration be il said that in every
case these attacks have been wholly
or substantially untrue. The French
Army Investigation may be taken
as fair example of the manner in
which the opponents OF the Presi-
dent consumed the time which be-
longs to the people to advance their
own fractional purposes.
Their work is now before the peo-
pie, who are the final judges OF its
merit and the honesty of their mo-
tives, but this may fairly be said,
that there have been many terms
less fruitful OF good results than the
Second Session of the Forty.Second
! Congress, -Registey. .....tf..