Year: 1866

The Coming Elections for Congress They


Bring n Revolutions


With the adjournment Of the present Con-
gress the issues which 1t has raised with the
administration are carried directly before the
people. The constitutional term Of this Con-
gress does not expire till the 4th OF March
next, but the popular judgment upon its sins
of omission and commission will determine in
the approaching Congressional elections, the
Important questions. whether the policy Of the
radicals IL to be continued or overthrown ;
whether the present demoralizing reign Of
radicalism is to be perpetuated or superseded
by great reaction Of public opinion resulting
in wholesome political revolution.


Let the tree be judged by its fruits. This
thirty-ninth Congress, in ih long session Of
eight months, has fully developed the character
and quality Of its leading men and measures,
Its plans and purposes, its merits and demerits;
and by its fruits let it stand or fall. 1t has had
splendid opportunity for doing great things
for the country and for winning golden opin-
ions from all classes, parties and sections; but
what has it dones What have these eight
months Of Congressional legislation produced
for tho relief Of the Treasury or the people I
Nothing-literally nothing. There was . fine
opening and an urgent necessity for general
bankrupt law, but after dilly y-dallying from
time to time with this important mat
ter, it was at length laid on the
table, to be taken up for action at o
more convenient season. Then, again, we had
expected something in the way of healthy re-
vision Of our national bank and paper money
systems from top to bottom, whereby the pub
lie credit would be fixed upon more solid
foundation, and from which twenty, thirty, forty
or fifty millions Of money now parcelled out
among the national banks and brokers, shavers
and jobbers, would be secured to the Treas
ury; but between the jobbers of Congress and
the brokers Of the Treasury Department
nothing in the way of reform or relief upon
this momentous business has been DONE Men
of co61 reflection and experience, before the
meeting of this Congress, had entertained the
idea that we were on the high road to low
prices, easy taxes and specie payments; but
from the first Monday in December last down
to this day these delusions have faded away,
till nothing of them remains. On the other
hand, cool, experienced, patriotic and dispas-
sionate men are beginning to doubt very seri-
ously the stability and security of our financial
system, with the government divided and clash
ing upon all the great issues Of the day, like
house divided against itself, and with radi-
col majority in Congress resolved upon its re-
construction party policy of rule or ruin.


The return of peace suggested to Congress q
tightening of our war burdens Of taxation,
great retrenchments in all the departments Of
the government, and largo savings Of money
in this way towards the extinguishment of our
three thousand millions Of national debt But
what has Congress done in this directionf No
thing. Our Internal Revenue Tax bill has
been revised, but its taxes remain substantially
the same, with the addition OF one cent a
pound upon home grown cotton, towards the
encouragement Of the cotton culture in other
countries, as il Congress desired to cast away
the commercial balance Of power which we
hold in this great Southern staple. Instead Of
retrenchmsnt, in the next place, this historic
Congress-" as 1t is called, in Buncombe elec-
honeering amendment to an Appropriation
bill, In the shape of soldiers bounties (which
the poor soldiers will be cheated out of by
claim agents and other sharpcrs) has made
draft upon the Treasury for two or three hun
dred millions Of dollars; and upon this Bun.
combe amendment another has been fastened
raising tho pay Of the members Of Congress
themselves from three to five thousand dollars
a year. This Is Congressional retrenchment,
as illustrated in this wasteful and extravagant
Congress.


And what has been done in the way Of
Southern reconstruction by this radical and
revolutionary Congressi The most of the ses-
sion has been expended In committees and in
vcstigations, In resolutions, reports and de-
bates, never ending and still beginning, but
practically the two houses have done nothing
upon this subject except the re-enactment of
what the President had done before. In
their war upon the administration, in
their efforts for the indefinite exclusion
Of the excluded States, the radical Stevens and
his followers have only made confusion worse
confounded, and created embarrassments and
dissensions where harmony otherwise might
have prevailed; 80 that from FIRST to last this
late long session of Congress has been product
i've Of nothing but q new crop Of political
discords, disordered and dangerous agitations.


Shall such Congress with such record be
endorsed BY the people In the coming fall elec-
tionss This is the great question now before
the country. Are the people prepared to ratify
Congressional system Of reconstruction which
politically and financially is manifestly carry
ing US, people, treasury and government, head
long in the downward road to revolution,
bankruptcy and anarchy. This is the question
which the people are now called upon 70 con-
slider in view OF the elections for the next Con-
gress. Ia this government, resting upon the