Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-03-09

The defeat Of the bill for equalizing
bounties, which was an enormous bid
for the soldier vote, is another item
that spoils the Radical programme.
The leaders in both houses, even in
Gliding the immaculate Vice-President
Wilson, were committed to this three
hundred million scheme; but they can
make no political capital out of it be-
cause the Northern soldier is not, ike
the Southern negro, to be fooled with
unfulflled promises.
Financially, the dead Congress did
the country no good, but harm eontin-
ually by its indeterminate course, pro-
longing the uncertainty that generates
business stagnation. It's first session
met within a few months after the
panic, and, Notwithstanding the uni
versal popular pressure to do some
thing, seven months debate resulted In
a bill that afforded no relief whatever.
The people of the North avenged them
selves at the ballot box, but, even after
this significant warning, the second
session contented itself with merely
patching up a sort Of bill, which all
Republicans could vote for, Just be-
cause 1t meant nothing. Promising
specie resumption IN 1879, long after
the party viii be dead and buried. it
made no practical step toward render
ing resumption possible. It's most
salient feature was the ridiculous pro-
vision for fractional silver, and yet, no
appropriation was made to buy the
necessary silver.
While thus triaing with the matter
nearest to the interest of forty million
people, suffering the after-pains Of a
universal panic and depres-
sion, the Forty-third Congress, IN
creased the depression among
the people and in business cir
cles by its forty million tax and tariff
bill. The people asked for bread, and
Radicalism gave them a stone; the
people asked for relief, and Radicalism
gave them more taxes. The ten per
cent horizontal tariff upsets all the cal
culations Of commerce, and requires a
readiustment Of values unfaverable to
consumers.
As a matter Of fact, the Democratic
and Independent press speak rather
gently of the defunct Congress, thank
full that, with all its faults, 1t did no
worse, and left undone SO many very
bad jobs blocked out for 1t by both the
White House and the lobby. It is the
thorough-going Administration organs,
ike the Washington Republican, which
speak out their minds On March 4,
that mouthpIece Of Grant greeted the
outgoing Congress with an editorial in
which It says that more than one half
Of the members of the present Congress
viii deservedly retire to the seclusion OF
private life with a record for steward
ship which it denominates as white
feathered." 1t declares that "the
finances have been tinkered at,
ard piece Of sentmentalism
known as the Civil Righs bill
has been enacted into law" The
Republican members are further
charged With haviAg wasted their time
In frivolous debate" and, fearful Of
their own personal interests, frightened
by the ballowings Of their political op-
ponents, and generally demoralized by
an abiect and cowardly spirit Of self
distrust, they have yielded themselves
to be the willing tools Of the indepen-
dent press. As Republican representa-
tives, they have proved themselves to
be despicable failures. With rare ex-
ceptions, the strong minded, bold, de-
termined craftsmanship which H.
lushated the earlier period Of
the party's history stands forth
in marked contrast with their
chicken-hearted and pusillanimous dill
ly-daI,y, makeshift lack Of policy" It
goes on to say-this article written
with Executive aPproval-that the mis-
take Of the Republicans was made at
the outset IN the organization Of the
House. Speaker Blaine was chosen
because he was a goodparliamentarian,
and Lot because he was known to be a
steadfast Republican. He had pre-
viously planned a deliberate disruption
Of the Republican party, and had at
tempted TO organize a conservative one
with recruits from its ranks. "But
his greatest mistake" adds the article,
''was the selection Of committeeman
from among those whose political Gu
ticles had been lacerated by Credit
Mobiler and back pay scandal" AZ
ter stating that "a mean conspiracy"
was started in the Republican ranks in
Congress to destroy Grant, the article
criucises Congress further, and then
says: "The truth is, the party has too
many politicians and too few statesmen.
too many schemers and too few
patriots"
q This manifesto Of the denuuciation
and decay Of the Republican party,
put forth in a column Of double loaded
type, naturally created a good deal Of
bitter comment at the Capitol, and pro-
voked a good many irritable replies to
the illusions made to on every hand
by the Democratic members.