Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-11-28
THE. MEETING OF CONGRESS.

LIE -WEEIING OF CONGhEOO.7
On Monday next Congress re-assembles
IN Washington. OF course the Cuban
question will first occupy it's attention, land
prominent Republican Journals say they
expect cautions, but positive legislation"
onsthis subject. The Baltimore sAmeri-
can" (Republican) speaking of the work
before the body after disposing OF Cuba,
says ..4,as-.s-s..-ss-e s.~s-s.-=ss
ssWhen Congress has fulfilled it's duty
by Strengthening the Administration and
vindicating the right upon this question, a
multitude of other matters will come up
for consideration. Investigation will prob
ably blossom into extraordinary fruitful
ness. Somebody will want to have com
mittee of Congressional SOlOnS pry INTO
the doings of that terrible "ring'' which
has been stealing the revenues and heap-
inc up the debt Of the city of Washington;
another will demand that the same process
be applied to the doingsof Gen. Van Buren,
and his associates in The, American COM
mission to Vienna the questions at issue
between the Trearury Department. ana
New York importers may also demand IN
vestigation and of course there is a mine
of scandal in the relations OF the Treasury
with jaw Cookies bank at Washington that
will certainly be worked to its fullest ex-
tent. All Of these inquisitions will be
about as PLEASANT and profitable as Con-
pressional inquiries usually are, consuming
a vast amount of time and result in-noth-
ing.n
The Washington Republican speaking
Of the warning of the American in re-
gard to Investigations, says it is s'timely"
and that cit is to be hoped that the ma
jority in Congress will have the courage to
resist the efforts which will undoubtedly
be made in that direction by the opposi-
tion.'' The same paper speaking Of the
political situation which greets the Repub-
lican party in Congress, says:
It is not the financial question, the Span
ish complications, the question OF trans
portation or the tariff that the KeppDllcan
majority in the next Congress will have to
deal with and settle to the satisfaction OF
fhe country if in the future it wishes to
maintain the political supremacy it has
held during the last thirteen years. The
grayest duty that deyolves upon it comes
if AT the very threshold Of its organization.
Congress meets while the echoes OF the late
elections. with all their lessons OF warning
if not of menace, are reverberatmg from
one end of the country to the other. II IS
to be hoped that the warning or the men,
ace, whichever it may be, will not pe lost
nnon those who are charged with the great.
est resnonsibility that, in party point of
view. ever fell upon party majority.
From one end Of the other the Journals
of the Republican party are apologlzlng Tor
fine defeats Of October. In this State we
are fold that it was ''the war of races =
in that the sswhisky interest - IN one the
orangers. in another something else.--
These explanations and excuses are all
very well so far as they go but the trou-
BILE is they do not 60 far enough, ana II tne
gentlemen who are intrusted with Jne lead
ership of the party shall accept anu IolloW w
tbam thew viii be simply acting the part OF
the ostrich, Mr.. Buckle, in his History
Of Civilization, says there is not on re-
cord a single instance where a party Cd
tanned poWer and failed to abuse it. This
is not the exact language, but 1t is the IDEA
of one of his terset and most Philosophical
sentences. There is not the slightest use
in blinking at facts and poking. our heads
in the sand. Any attempt to deceive the
people will end in utter failure ana lgnomlc
NOUS defeat. We admire the deyotlon OF
some of our contemporaries we give them
the fullest credit for their efiorts al tne
present time but, in our opinion, tnelr
course is a mistaken one, and their advice,
if followed. will be an advice OF Which, IN
fine near future. we shall all have reason to
renent. Facts-the facts Of the last SEES
sion Of Congress and of one or two OF the
Congresses which preceded 1.-THE dark
transactions of some of whose members
only came to light last spring. should pc
looked fairly and squarely in the race, ana
the party lines should be drawn III strlcG
accordance with the course that duly anu
prudence alike command. The great qaes-
fion that each and every Republican rep
resentatiye should ask and answer during
the next twelve days-before Congress
meets. a week from next Mondays, did
we bl11nder in the last twelve months did
we ssabuse our power,'' as every other par
tv that ever existed in the end abused it.,
and. If SO. what steps shall be taken toward
the recovery of that public confidence which
was so generously reposed Ill the party a
year ago? l.
To Our mind the answer is as plain as
the sunlight. Personal kindness and con-
sideration may blind the eye and warp the
Judgment but the blunder, II 1t should De
made. will be fatal blunder. The times
in which we live are full of sternness, and
stern action is the watchword OF the hour
It will not do to depend in the future, as
we have in the past, upon the errors and
the crimes Of the opposition. The hour
has gone by when the accidental aids Of
blindness and stupidity upon the part OF
ours adversaries can be relied upon as the
sure and certain pathways to success. There
is a feeling abroad which it will not do to
ignore. What was only six months ago
mere sentiment and an abstraction has be-
come a conviction that cannot be written
ont of the public mind OF explained away
by the customary cap-trap of the practiced
orator and stump speaker. The coming
Congress alone has it in it's power tore
move it. Will the Republican majority in
that body prove itself equal to the party
duty of the hour ? ...,..., .-..r