Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-12-03
Meeting of congress.

mttt4HS VI tOHeiCSc'
The forty-third Congress began work Mon
day, and it will bave.enough of it to do. II
would be a rich blessing to the country i
tlc national assembly would realize that il
can best accomplish its mission by spending
full half of It's time in Efforts not to pass
laws.
No session has of late years been looked
forward To with SO much interest by the
country as the one just begun. Measures
of great importance must come before 1t;
those that need the wisest craftsmanship.
The panic of the last fall, and the failure of
many great business firms h ave led men to
look Tor such d treatment Of financial ques-
tions as shall in some way give relIef, The
men who assemble in Washingto this week,
wealth; while there they are not produ-
GERS in the ordinary sense Of the term.
They must be more than human if they can
- give relief " otherwise than any one who
has money at his Command can do. A rich
man may give as he chooses Congress Is
limited 10 It's ways OF giving.
The making OF greenbacbs is not the crea-
ton Of wealth; their issue is not always the
medicine nee!ed by d sick business season.
They stimulate for the time but the reaction
comes surely. There is only one way out OF
financial tr0ubIeS-work and tue use OF mon
ey earned in a careful way. Those WAC owe
and have property mus. pay their debts
those who haven't money must earn It.
That is all that will bring US out OF panlcs
and financial depresslons. This looking 20
Congress for some great and unknown boon
is nonsense. They may help by the passa &c
of laws that may fund our debt at less rate
of interest; by cutting down appropriations
and by spending just as lit:le of the revenue
as possible. There may be such state of
the money market that little temporary
relief may be had by the charging or con-
tracing of the circulating promises to pay
of this government that pass for money.
There may be something done by the rear
rangement of the banking system of the
y.
There are ways, Of course, in which Coz
gress may enact the role of the almsgiver.
Employment of poor men in public works
may keep the wolf from the door of some o.
them. Charity is not the forte of nations
however it degenerates into la7oritism and
the best way is to accustOm the country Il
the notion that grown men are to consider
themselves weaned and not to run to the Ma
ton as to a mother when they want help OF
sustenance. SO We expect little permanent
good will come Of any of the many plnaceas
which will be offered for curing our man:
troubles
The happy settlement Of our troubles witt
Spain will relieve Congress from the neces-
sity of voting away millions that wou!-
have to be paid at some time 1t will ais },
we hope, save the country from a deluge Of
spread-eagle Oratory that is supposed by IN
initiated constituents to have been deliyere
to other than empty benches on an . Of
day." and circulated in pamphlet form &c
the burdening Of the mails and the DISCUS
of decent minds. The departure of u .
franking privilege would hardly overcom'
the desire of those who want our eag lie t,
spread over Cuba to keep up their seniin
of g slOsh " through the mails
Congress will also have great opportu-
nifty OF avoiding the doing of much injury t,
the country by killing the various wild
schemes of Kanawha canals and Colorad
irrigations and Of assumption Of the dc IT,
of about everybody that owes anything.
a rigid scrutiny OF every bill that yot
money can Congress best help the fnancla
difficulties that beset us
There is the avoidance of Credit Mobile
morality and lying to be seen to, and there j
the repeal of the salary grab bill. Mr., Hal,
will give gentlemen chance to walk RICH
up and put themselves on record
Many of the leading men in each grea
party look to this session as one that shal
In great measure map out the political charts
for the next two or three years. The Re
publicans look to retrieve their somewha
shattered reputation as party, aud TIN
Democrats haze about concluded to try all,
get reputation themselves We wish then
all success We rejoiced to see the resolu
tions of the New York Democratic Stat
Convention when they were too virtuous b.
fore election to have man who even tool
back pay, on their State committee.
would be amusing if it was MT sad to loo
az the companion picture after the election
the Democratic Congressional caucus. Their
Fernando Wood, salary grabber, receive
the nomination for speaker, and Holman
who ventured word against salary grabbin.
was denounced by Eldredge as a low dema
gogue. The difference between the Ney
York convention and the Congressional eau
Gus was that the members of the former di
not share in the profits of the salary bill
The members of the caucus d. share in then
and mean to keep doing 50.
We hope there are honest Democrats enough
IN Congress to give substantial help to thos
OF the Republican members who Will nelthe
steal themselves nor allow others to steal
under whatsoever specious pretence tn
money is to be seizei The majority of tn
Democrats in Congress showed their tru
colors in their course at their caucus
Charles A. Eldredge of Wisconsin was f
spokesman for them. He is disgrace to hi
native State of Vermont and to the State
prison district of Wisconsin which he rer
resents.
CALIFORNIA SENAToRsHIP.-Senator Ca:
serly of California has sent in to Gov. Boot
his resignation as U. S. Senator from tina
State. Casserly by this action has doubles