Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-03-11
II. MARY'S BEACON
LEoyA.DIowEAD.
THURSDAY MORNING, March 18th, 1878.

1t II not a success. 100 much was,
doubtless, expected of it. It was. ex-
pected, perhaps, to emit miracles and it
ha. done nothing of the kind. Be this
as it may, it is certain that nobody that
was white has been made black. and we
have yet TO hear Of a well-authentica-
ted case where any genuine Ethiopian
has dispossessed himself Of his original
darkness. 1t is not success. 1t is
not enough for the blacks and j. is a
little too much for the whites. The
former disfavor it because of its school
omissions and the latter denouncei it be-
cause Of its social tendencies. The law,
SO called, is destined inevitably to an
early contempt, but whether thus or
otherwise, we apprebend but little diff
ficulty from it in these quarters. We
give the black people of this commune
ty credit for common sense and some
manliness of character, and we conse-
quently expect the old laws ofsocialad-
justment and companionship to 60 on
as usual. The trouble, if trouble there
is to be, will be of foreign importation,
and this can never become serious whilst
native whites and blacks concur to main-
tain their old distinct but peaceable So
cial relations.
1t is difficult, in presence of the con-
fusion which at present obtains as to
the things done and left undone by the
late Gefunct Congress, to measure out
either praise or blame with any approx
imation to justice. Weeks must eiapse,
the fog which envelops much of the leg
isiation of the last days of the session
must be lifted, before a fair judgment can
be passed upon recent Congressional
achievements. There is no going astray,
however, as to the dnimus of the late
body. From the first moment of its
late meeting to the last, its animating
and controlling impulse WAS to win
back by any means at handy fraud,
usurpation and revolution-th party
power it had forfeited during ~. The
Force Bill was one of its pet measures.
This, though passing the House, was
laid out in the Senate. None of its
subsidy bills were allowed to win. The
defeat of the Bounty Bill is another for
tunate failure. Pinchback is postpon-
ed. The Civil Rights BIZ was more
successful, but the radicals allowed the
school provisions to be stricken out of
it and ultimately passed it i'll such a
form as to leave little doubt that the
Federal Courts will set it aside. The
New York Herald, speaking Of the f.
nancial outcome of the late Congress,
saws, that it adjourned without passing
any law calculated TO set the wheels Of
business again in motion. The meas
ure it did pass, it says, is not worth the
white paper il is written on. Allbank-
kers. all business men, all financial wri-
tiers, unanimously agree that it practi-
cally amounts to nothing, and that
it leaves the currency and business
prospects i'll precisely the same condi-
ton in which il found them 1t enacts
that specie payments shall be resumed
in 1879. but as it rrescribes no meas
ures forfacilitating that result it is as idle
and futile rs the 'bull against the COM
ct" This worthless bill was passed bv
both houses and signed by the Presi-
dent at IN early period of the session.
The Only other measure touching bust
ness interests is the Tariff and Tax bill.
which became law n few DAYS ago.
Ills last bill. instead of relieving bust
ness, Expresses ii with new burdens. In
creased taxes on whiskey and tobacco
and ten per cent increase Of the tariff,
extending through the whole range OF
duties, not only deranges and unset.
ties business calculations. but olstructs
trade by a necessary increase of prices
and n consequent narrowing of the
market. But this is rot the worst con.
sequence of the Tariff and Tax bill
Its most objectionable tendency lies in
its disccuraging effect asa prediction
Such bill is prophecy. and an i'll.
hoding prophecy, of continued and
indefinite depression of business. TIL.
previous rates of duties and taxes wer,
amply sufficient TO meet all tie wants
of the Treasury if business should re.
vive between ROW and the meeting OF
the next Congress. Tie passage Of
such bin is, therefore, a formal ex.
preston Of the opinion of Congress:
that there IS 70 prospect of rsviva
of business during the coming season
BY the passage of this bill. Congress:
has spread wet llarLtt over tic hope,
Of the business community. The onl,
excuse for such bill is belief tha
the business OF the country is destirey
TO remain in its present stagrant con
dition; for nothing is clearer than tia
the former taxes were sufficient, il VI,
could count upon an early resuscitatioI