Year: 1869

The Late Session Of Congress.


The thirty three days, to which the
XLIst Congress limited its first session,
were, on the whole, well spent. We are
grateful for some excellent legislation
for some very bad Legislation
prevented, and for the early adjourn
ment One or two measures that ought
to have passed were lost between the
two Houses; but on the other hand some
exceedingly worthless ones shared the
same fate l est


The act by which the session will be
longest remembered is one for whose
prompt passage we have to thank the
sagacious craftsmanship of Gen. Grant.
We mean the law that closes the series
Of Reconstruction measures, and pro-
vides for s.the crowniDg of the edihce."
No timelier, wiser enactment has, In
these latter years, marked our progress
toward restoration. We hail it as the
end OF the policy os hatred and revenge;
the end Of irritating and useless dis
franchis ements, and the means of bring
ing to the next session of this Congress
q full representation once more-for the
first time since l860-of every State in
the Union. 1t has another and not less
grateful significance. 1t is the first
movement of the new Administr alton in
matters of national policy.


Next to this, We reckon the act to
strengthen the Public Credit, a measure
which this Congress only gained the
honor of passing because of Mr.. John
sons perversity in depriving the last
one Of it through his Pocket Veto. Its
excellent effect was Immediately percep
tible.-if now we can only reinforce 1t
by using our surplus gold to buy up our
bonds in the market, and by relentles S
and thorough collection of our Customs
on the highway to an era of sounder
finances. The bill to enlarge the judi
cial system by the addition Of oae JUS
tice to the Supreme Court, and by the
appointment OF Circuit Judges who shall
relieve the Supreme Judges of a part Of
their present onerous duties, is q meas
ure the necessity of which the court
dockets have long demonstrated, and
the good results of which may soon be
seen in the more rapid disposal of causes
throughout the various circuits. The
| conclusion of the Tenure of Office dis
cussions we can hardly commend SO
highly. 1t retains the principle which
We hold to be important, but it does it
in blind, bungling way that was only
accepted with satisfaction because it
| seemed under the circumstances to be
the best thing then attainable, The
long disputed Indian Appropriation bill,
which was finally cut down to six and a
quarter millions, ought. we fear, to have
been reduced yet lower. The expert


ment Of giving two millions Of this
amount into the hands of Commission
of Friends, to be disposed Of according
to their best Judgment among the Indi


ans, promises well, but, after all, it il
one of those measures which can only
be judged by the result. We have the
consolation that, in any event, they car
hardly make things worse than at pres
cnt The grant of further time to ths
1 liquor dealers for taking spirits out o


bond is one of those unfortunate piece:


of legislation which now and then be


come o law in some mysterious ant


doubtful manner. f.s.e.


We have enumerated the main fea


Memphis and Ell Paso bill, offering


chance to Company which proposed t.


build a Pacific Railway without subsi
tdy, failed; and so did the Census Gill
.Isbnt, on the other hand, three or fou
j Objectionable measures that once seem
ed likely to pass, the National Ban


tinkering. the West India buncombe an


the beg carly disability peddiing, me


the same end Altogether, these thirty


three days OF the XLIst Congress hav


given us some valuable legislation an


nothing very bad. 1t is not always tha


we are able to signalize the close of


session by verdict SO complimentary
IN. Y. Tribune.


The Union Pacific is not likely to &c


the bill for its benefit through this ses


sion. What more benefits do they nee


or deserve? That Company. on its ow


showing, has had as, 100000 given t


it in money, FIRST mortgage bonds an


100000 acres Of land, estimated a