, 1873-03-03
A MUDDLED CONGRESS-,

Congress- commenced itB present ansaon with
inaugurato reforms, and to adopt legislation
which would DO Of value to tho whole country
md Of special soryice in restoring pence and
docenoy to tho Southern States. No Congress
has over boon moro abundant in promises or
fortunate In opportunities to secure Bolid bone-
fits to tho country at largo. Tho Republican party
wont into power triumphantly, after SUCCESS
ful Presidential election. It's political organi-
cation WAS strong enough to secure tho passage
Of whatever legislation it doomed proper, and
tho people to enter at onco, with firm
uess aud dignity, upon. tho work Of on-
bodying those dosfres in practical results.
But what has been tho outcomo2 Day by day,
and week BY weok, 1t has grown moro and more
reckless and inefficient The promises have
been brokon. The roforms which wora to be
instituted hevo NOT oyon been touched. Tho
corruptions which have been exposed and
proven by incontro1ortible Testimony atill re-
main unrobukod, and their promoters arc al
lowed to 90 unpuniahed, and virtually unro-
proved. Dad as tho failure or refusal to &C.
compliah any really important legislation nlay
bo, even this might be tolerated but, In addi-
ton to all, az tho session draws to cloae, Con-
gross Roems to have 1spsed into stato Of
utter confusion and crosB purposes, It tracoa
and retraces its own tracks, logislatos without
purpose, votos without knowledge, voluntarily
eliminates itself, and wandors about in it's work
Us aimlessly as Bnow-hakos in March storm.
The very demon Of inoflicienoy and folly soems
to have entorod tho Capitol and taken possession
Of members Us offootually as the devil took pos
sosaion Of tho swine, driving them down stoep
place into tho sou.
Tho Louiaiann investigation is Il case In point.
This was devolyol upon the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections. It summoned its
witnossoa and heard their testimony. Tho ma
.fority of tho Committee, including I'LL tho 1nom-
bors except Morton, nado report, in which
they condemned, In the soyorest terms, tho
high-handod usurpationa Of Judge Durell, and
advocated the holding Of i now election, as both
governments were basod upon fraud, Of which,
however, in their opinion, the McEnory Govern
ment was tho least vicious. 1fr. Morton differed
from lts associates on tho Committee. While
ho condemned the usurpations OF Durall, Ills
opinion was, that as tho State supromo Court
had indorsed the Lynch Board, that settled tho
question in favor Of the validity Of tho Kellogg
Government Tho McEnory party, according to
bat Ill
ton, and as these few 1naloontenta alone STOOD
in the why OF the poace and good govern
mont Of Louisiana, tho only policy for Congress
was to adjourn without doing anything, and lot
the nattor be regulated at tic next election,
two years from nov, until which time thoro
would DO no further trouble. Aealnat thiB view
Of tho caso the majority contondea, TINT as tho
stato Court WAS itself Of Duron'a orea-
tion, that fact vitiatod itH deoieions.
Tho Committee opposed A1r. Morton In tho
most strenuous manner, and Mr. Carpenter, in
what WAS perhaps tho great speech OF tho sea-
sion, set forth the facts Of this gigantic fraud
and usurpation In tho most emphatic manner.
Tho report Of tho majority and Mr.. Carpontor'a
speech afforded ray Of hope that at last Justice
would bo done to Louisiana, tue dc ,fac.o Goy-
orlment OF which, oyory ono admits, not into
power BY the moBt lagrant and tyrannical uaur-
patton, and that this ye1ed question would DO
removed from tho political arena. But, In tho
twinkling OF IN eye, tho sceno changoa. The
President sends in request to Congress TINT
1t shall tako some action relatiys to Louisiana,
aud Expresses indirectly his opinion that tho
Kollogg Goyarnmeut should DO sustained Under
this application OF the lash, oil the oommitteo,
o1copt Hill, Of Georgia, and 3lr. Trpmbull, who
are not in good standing In tho party feyep III.