Year: 1868

Oensrc~ and the Country.


: For extreme abuse Of it's powers, for sbss-
lutte atrocity In pandering to the worst passions
OF brutal race, and for the impudent pretencs
or patriotic purposes, the present Congress has
hardly an equal in the history of bodies pre-
tending TO derive authority from the people.
Assembled st a time when the errors and evil
courses Of its predecessor had well nigh dis
gusted the nation with It's victory ever tho
South-when that preceding Congress had
thrown away the results of the national viotory
80 far as related to the restoration of tho
Union-it had the opportunity, by fairly repre-
senting the people and moderating all tho
extreme tendencies of faction, to establish peace
and secure the harmony of the sections on Q
basis that would have been acceptable 10 ell.
Its power was given for that end only, and Il
betrayed the trust. II is made up Of honest
men and of rogues Its honest men are amid,
feeble creatures-political imbeciles, with hard
ly an exception. Its rogues are the ordinary
political adventurers, with no other purpose
than securing the party plunder. appropriate
means were found among few leaders to con-
troll both classes Driven by domineering
demagogues, the honest gave way in mere
faulty and want of will lured by glimpses Of the
spoiis to be won, the others gave way TO tempta-
ton, and so faction remained the supreme
power, and this Congress has outdone the other
in everything evil. 1t has made it impossible
for the next to surpass it in evil character by
the addition of an item to its offences against
society. 1t has committed against the people
Of the States acts infinitely worse than those
for which the Declaration of Independence
arraigned the British tyrant; and Its reconstruc-
ton acts, its financial measures, and it's pres
ent proceeding against the Executive, include
in one mass the sum of all outrageous infa-
nous, scandalous legislation.


All this is apparent to the people. From
every part of tho country arises the protest.
and the elections declare that the voters are
awake to the danger and determined to pro-
vide for the national safety. Every State Of
Importance In the nation pronounces Its detes-
tation Of this factious fury. Even in isolated
New Hampshire political bigotry could not
hold its own in Connecticut, that centre Of
the sounder life of New England, the declara
ton against radicalism is bold and clear while
in the great Middle States and from that far
State on the Pacific, inhabited by the most in
telligent and energetic community on the earth.
the people have declared with overwhelnl-
ing power that they have no sympathy with
the murderous policy of the Congress that now
pretends to act in their name. What effect
will these unmistakable utterances Of tho
people have upon the men in. Congress3
They show to the violent leaders
that their time is short, and thus stimulate
them to hurry onward and accomplish the
whole programme of their destructive policy
while they may. Hence they lash their quon-
dam adherents with whips of scorpions. Hence,
after every utterance from the people. we see
that the ven0mOus fury of radicalism grows
wilder, more and more regardless OF every
restraint and every limit. On the other hasd.
among the men who had all the disposition,
without the strength, to be honest-wh0 fol-
lowed the radical lead because they were
bullied into accepting it as the will Of the
people-there is some show of tendency to
act from better grounds. These men 6nd In
the popular verdicts something to hold fast
by-a point to rally on against Che extrsva-
gance that has swept them onward. This
gives a faint hope that some moderation may
yet atone In part for the past course Of Con-
gress. 1t is, however, faint hope only.
No fact is clear save that some division must
result in the radical party; but which side
will prevail is yet to be seen.