, 1873-03-06
WHAT CONGRESS HAS NOT DONE,

WHAT CONGRESS HAS NOT DONE.
Tho session Of Congress- that has juat endod
is aa remarkable for what It hna failod to do aa
Tor what 1t has dono. Tho usofu1 legislation
TINT 1t has provided may bo summed up In par
agraph tho Legislation which 1t has dofeatod or
ignored, and tho important conclusions 1t has
reached aftor threo months deliberations, furnish
matorinl for quarter Of years. Issue Of tlo
Congressional Globe. The ropoa1 Of tho frank
Ing privilege, tho bill to carry into offoot tho
Treaty Of Washington relating to nsllorios. the
reduction Of postage, tho reduction Of tho intor-
nal revenue forco by dropping tho Assessors, and
the bill authorizing suit against Union Paciiic,
comprise tho principal measures Of Importance
which Congress has provided.
Tho most disastrous Of the many failures
which Congress- has made is to be found of
course, in ita treatment Of tho Credit Mobilior
scandal. On tho very frat day Of the session,
speaker Blaine loft tho chair and moved that
special committee be appointed to examine tho
morita Of certain charges which had been mado
Ill tho public praBs, to tho OBJECT that number
of congressman had boon bribed by shares Of
Credit Mobilior stock. Tho Poland Committee
"aB then created, and, from TINT timo on, tho
Interest Of Congress- was conferred upon tho in
voatlgation. As tho result has proved, tho groat
question was, elbow not to do It," So absorbing
wero tho developments Of this "campaign
canard." thai both tho sonato and the
House gave themHelvoa up to waiting for what
should como next, and neglected tho business
for which they assembled. Tho Investigation
dragged its slow longth along until 1t seemed
likely that no report would bo made, Stato-
menta wore given only to be oontradictod. ro-
yisod, and amended. Tho most important Wit
NOISES could not bo secured at all. screoauts-
at"Arms were sent trapesing through tho coun-
try on swild-gooso clases. Mr. Oakes Amos'
memorandum-book was Forthcoming only at his
good 1ofsure, ind waB submitted in parts to suit
Its propriotor's cony onionce. Finally, a report
WAS made, toward the closing days Of tho sos-
sion, which waa instantly voted by tho people to
bo uttorly impotont, incomplete, and TN
satisfactory. Then 1t Was that congressman
began system OF skirmishlng, with tho pur-
poso Of dopriving the conclusions of tho Com
mitteo OF what little forco they had. Tho vote
was taken at last and the final result was dis
grace put upon the people, md shameful blot
fixed upon~tho National integrity. The great
bulk OF the time, attention, and ability OF this
last Congress has thus boon concentrated In tho
effort not to expol AueH, Drooks, or anybody
else, not to consnro the mon who woro convicted
OF having taken Credit Mobilior STOCK not to
condemn or denounce tho practice Of using
places Of trust to defraud the Government, and
not to rebuko the glaring corruption TINT has
been traced to mombers Of both Houses.
The chronicle Of what Congroas has not done
is swolled by tho results Of the other investiga-
tionB to which it LAS dovoted ita attention. Ono
committee, holding over from q former session,
occupied all Of Its timo in discovering how Mr.
Clayton might be found not guilty. Another
had tho subject Of lr. Caldwol's buying his
sent in tha sonate, but took so much testimony
that 1t was found necessary to report this gou-
tlcman's guilt. The Senate, however, grappled
with the difficulty successfully by not taking any
action On the report. Still anothor committee
was charged with investigating hfr. Pomoroy's
donation Of $1,000 to tho Independence National
Bank, and found Mr. pomeroy not guilty. Judge
Sherman and Judge Durell wero undor invosti-
cation, but tho result was not to report articles
of impeachment against thcm, though the guilt
Of both WAS established to tho satisfaction of tue
people. Tho caso OF Mr.. Colfax was rotorrod to
the judiciary Committee, which concluded not
to impoach tho retiring Vice-Prosidont. Tho
Senate had o Credit Mobilier Committee Of it's
own, which agreed unanimously to report Pat
toraon'H expulsion. But tho Senate was true tc
the Congressional rulo established for the ses-
sion, and resolved not to tako any action on tho
report, in spite of q demand on all sides, oven
pattorsons. that tho report should not DO passed.
over In silence.
In addition to whnt Congress Inns not dono in
tho caaoe Of corruption that were brought ur be-
fore it, must bo counted tho legislation Which
tho iutereBta OF the country demanded and
which Congress has not granted. Mr.. Sherman,
Of the Finance Committee, urged tho necessity
for taking some action with reference to q ro-
turn to spocio payments, and reported bill
which had the germs Of n succoBaful plan. This
bill was defeated, and CongreHa determined not
to devote any further consideration to matter
Of so much Importance. 4 committee composed
OF eovon Republicans reported against tho
Federal interference in the Louisiana
elections, and pointed out tho noces-
sity for Congroas to take Bomo constitu-
tioual attitude that would settle tho Louisiana
troubles md provont recurrence Of tho unwar-
rantea Invasion Of state's noyoroienty, This