Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-12-08
The New Congress.

session at Washington, on the bth INST Inc
executive department and the Senate remain
in the hands Of the Republicans, but the House
OF Representatives is transferred to the dem
ocratic party. Hon. Michael c. Kerr, Of In
diana, was elected Speaker The new
Speaker is an able, dignifed man, who en-
tors upon the duties of his Office untram-
melled by any pledges whatever. lie is, OF
course. a partisan, or he could not have been
elected to the office but he represents the
best side of his party. He is in favor Of restor.
ing sound currency, and belongs rather to
the Tilden school of politics than TO the Ohio
and Pennsylvania side. His election is a
severe blow to the initiation portion Of the
democratic party. Gen. Lamar made nota-
ble speech at the caucus which nominated
Mr.. Kerr, and if his address should fore
shadow the action of the party, it will be
likely to do little or nothing to shock the
patriotism Of the country. We confess it is
our chief desire that we may have an hon
est and patriotic government that we can
love and revere, one which shall knit all the
people together in a generous and loving
brotherhood, and we shall welcome the hand
that brings it, But the millennium in politics
isnot yet very near. 1t will probably be some
time before the aspirations Of the best and
most patriotic citizens OF the country are
fully met change of parties is not likely
to produce the reforms which are the con
fessed need of the nation.
On the question Of our finances and the
resumption of specie payments, the line Of
division in sentiment runs through both par
ties. The organized force of neither of the
parties can be concentrated upon the policy
and duty of restoring metallic currency
and making paper convertible into specie.
And this is great question before the
whole country at this time. 1t is quite OBJ
vious that the old party distinctions cannot
be preserved on the most vital matter con
nected with political action. IT, therefore,
the new House Of Representatives is to be
run in the interests Of the party which con
trolls it, nothing will he said or done upon
the subject of the finances. The House will
devote itself to investigating the administra-
ton, to making political capital out of the
failures of its predecessors, to exposing all
the abuses which have been fastened upon a
system of patronage, the most enormous
that is known in history. 1t will occupy its
time in hunting for notes and beams in the
eyes of its neghbor 1t will doubtless find
enough of them to awaken its utmost aston
ishment and surprise. But if it is to he
managed in the interests of the country, it
will inaugurate such legislation as will
tend to restore the confidence and prosperity
of the country. The present majority in
Congress was elected by the votes of both of
the political parties. 1t will only retain the
votes which elected it by more devotion to
the country than to the party. 1t must at
tend to something beside investigating and
exposing the shortcomings and sins of the
opposing political party, or its lease of power
will end as suddenly as it was given. 1t is
well enough to admit that much that is bad
has bsen done under Republican rule. The
present Secretary of the Treasury and the
Postmaster-Gsneral and the District Court
at st. Louis, and the committees of former
Congress have proved it, and have devoted
themselves to its exposure aud to the res
toration Of official purity. They have been
working with great energy and purity of pur.
pose, to reform the abuses which have crept
into the widely extended aud complicated
civil affairs of the government. But there
will be much that will escape the most lynx
eyed inspection. Under our system of Of
fetal appointment and removal it would be
simply impossible to eliminate all dishonesty
and knavery. When the hundreds OF
thousands Of civil officers are practically re
moved or appointed, by those persons who
have no sort of responsibility for their con
duct; when the gift of almost all the office,
in the country is in the hands of the Sena
tors and Representatives, who are more
anxious to serve their own future than tC
secure the welfare OF the Republic, it woul,
be singular If official fraud and rascality
were not continually repeated to the end o
the chapter. The evils of abuse and wion,
and shameful dishonesty ripen in our inner
tied system. They belong to both partie
alike.
So long as the system remains, it is Of lit
tie use to hunt up its particular evils If
tree will invariably bear grabbed and SOU
fruit, it is better to lay the axe to the root o.
the tree, rather than watch for the falling o.
the apples in order to tread them under
foot. II the democratic majority in Con
gres' can find nothing else to do than to dis
cover and pick the rotten fruit Of the pres
ent administration, for the sake of gettin.
possession of the tree TO cultivate the SAM
sort of fruit for itself, its mission will b.
likely to terminate with the next election
But If it should make AN honest and faith
full effort to cut the whole tree Of govern
ment patronage down, root and branch, an,
cast it into the fire aud burn it TO ashes
and to substitute in its place an Off
cial tenure, in all the subordinate of
fees of the government, which cannot b,
shaken during efficiency, fidelity and goot
behaviour on the part of the officers, i
Nouiu w hl'It W utttiNe ana 10 WIN thi
votes Of the country than any party ha
done for the last forty years. At presen
our civil system is the clingng curse of tn
country. II party cannot rise above tn
tramping ground of political moles, but /
content with destroying all things to feed it
self, then we trust that the day of iudgmen
will soon come for all parties. But until W,
come to the time when country shall b,
greater than party we are compelled L
choose the party which thinks least of itselt
and most of the real welfare of the country
II our choice lies between two evils, we shall
certainly select the least. But, meanwhile
we shall do what we can TO reduce the di
mansions of the evil, aud TO work for thai
political millennium, when politicians will b,
statesmen, and the elector will be able /,
vote for Presidents, Senators and Representa-
hves, whose distribution Of official patronag,
will be confined to the few vacancies mad,
by death, incompeteney and dishonesty; ant
whose time and energy may consequently b,
given TO the discussion and settlement o
principles and measures that will advance
the prosperity and dignity of the republic
Our system is intolerable Is the remed
impossible