Year: 1864

Country.


There are some signs in the late proceeding


OF the two houses Of an "irreprcssibfe conflict


between the present Congress and the admins
tration. In the unmeasured financial. military
and civil powers voted to the President by the
last Congress he was amply provided with the
ways and means for bringing the war to a
speedy conclusion. But in a military view.
and financially and politically, he has signaly
failed. The leading members of the present
Congress, who were the leading members Of
the last, thus finding him unequal to the great
requirements Of his position, are evidently re-
solved to drop him, ard to act in reference to
their legislative measures without consulting
his peculiar whims and fancies.


In this view tie FIRST and the most urgently


needed measure adopted at the present session
was that which has resulted in placing General
Grant in the active command of all the
armies OF the United States But leading
motive. if not the principal object, OF


the two houses in this measure was the dis
placement Of General Hnlleck from the su-
preme managing military bureau at Washing
ton; and this object has been defeated Ia the
retention by the President Of General Haleck
at his side as his Chief Of Staff From this
partial and qualified fulfilment-from this
adroit evasion. we may say of the purpose Of
the law-Mr. Lincoln has only added another
to those frequent cases Of offence in which be has
construed or disregarded enlarged or dimin-


shed, the measures Of Congress to suit his own
ideas Of expediency.


II is not surprising, therefore, that, 10 con-
tempt Of bis preposterous projects of emanc
patton and reconstruction, the Senate should
proceed, as 1t has proceeded, to that broad
practical and comprehensive measure of the
abolition Of slavery through an amendment of
Senate substantially warns Mr. Lincoln that
his petty tinkering devices of emancipation
will not answer, and that If he desires the
abolition Of slavery in the reconstruction OF the
Union there is but one course to pursue-the
course of action ordained in the supreme law
Of the land. Let us hope that this commenda-
BILE movement Of the Senate will not be lost
upon the administration, although our amable
President, in his rustic simplicity, may still ina
gine that his way is better than the constitutional
way Of action. In any event. it is a matter Of
satisfaction that the Senate has resolved to fol-
low his abolition jack-o- Lanterns no longer.


The House OF Representatives, next, in its late
emphatic and unanimously adopted resolution
against the Napoleonic seizure of Mexico. has
not only given great satisfaction to the country,
but has administered a deliberate rebuke
against the namby -pamby, wish-washy foreign
policy of the administration. The House de-
clares that we have had too much of this, and
that the country is strong enough, and ready,
even with this great rebellion upon its hands,
to maintain its dignity before the nations of
Europe. II this administration cannot be
brought to face these responsibilities it must be
This is really the position of the
House OF Representatives, without dissenting
voice.


In yet another matter-the new Tax bill the
House is laboring to extricate the country from
its perils without special regard to the policy
Of the administration--the foolish policy OF put
ting off the payment Of its debts. A new Tax bill
to the extent Of three or four hundred millions
will give something OF substantial value to our
Treasury notes. Nothing else will keep them
from depreciating to fearful collapse. A
general bank bill Is a mere matter of form, and
taxation. But there is yet one thing, and the
most important Of all, upon which this Congress
is called to act, and without further delay. We
mean this thing of setting aside this blundering
and incompetent administration, beginning with
Lincoln. There is but sorry pros
pect that under his management. the Union
will be restored or the war ended by March,
1865 or by March. 1869


Why then, with this opinion evidently pre-
dominant in both houses why is it that there is
no movement in either to secure an acceptable
Union candidate for the succession? Why wait
upon that self-constituted and irresponsible
gathering of vagrant politicians known as the
National Party Convention. Let il be super
seded and abolished by the independent action
Of the responsible representatives Of the people
in Congress. Why not? general caucus of
the war and Union members Of both houses,
regardless Of party lines, could in a single sit
ting do away with all the packed conventions
appointed upon this business Let Congress.
then, while about it, make thorough work of
the present incapable administration by pro-
viding for the people the candidate and the op-
portunity for complete reform.


We have had twenty-cight years Of these con-
vention nominated Presidents and every one
OF them has been failure; till here we are, in
the midst of the most terrible war in the his
tory of mankind Now let US have change.


The STRIKE QUEsrIoN.-The excitement cre-
ated amongst the working classes by the bill