Year: 1866

The Senate and Retreuchnent. :


The Senate Of the United States was at one


time body distinguished as well for Its dig


nifty and talent as for its probity and high
toned sense Of personal honor. But II has
within few years taken long leap In con-


trary direction, and, instead Of acting - .
| check to the wild extrnvagance Of the lower


house, now only serves as . wheel horse to the
jobbing cart OF that proHigate body. When
| the subject of increasing the compensation Of
members sixty per cent came up the other day
not voice was raised in opposition; but, on
the contrary, the principal difficulty seemed to
| be to ascertain to what extent the salaries Of
the employees Of the Senate Chamber could be
raised at the same time Not a word was uttered
about the unntness Of thus increasing the pub
lic expenditures at time when the people
are groaning under mountain Of taxation.
Congress had put through during the session,
involving an unnecessary expenditure, directly
from the Treasury and indirectly from the
people, Of two hundred and fifty millions.


But, while thus piling on the public expense,
they, with a GOODNESS particularly refreshing
with the thermometer at ninety-six, appoint a
committee to see where retrenchment can be
effected in other departments Of the govern


ment! For Themselves they retrench by


cutting down their mileage fifty per cent and


raising their pay sixty per cent They are
content to take only twenty cents a mile for
mileage-constructive and otherwise-when
every one knows that the cost Of railroad
travelling in any part Of the country, except,
perhaps, the Pacific coast does not exceed five
cents per mile. Numbers of Senators also have
a wrangle about the pickings and stealings of


the Sergeant-at-Arms, who is on the one hand


accused of speculating in Pennsylvania avenue


and Wall street, and on the other is defended


by an honorable Senator who had known him


for quarter Of a century, and never knew him


to commit dishonest act. The gentleman


was probably acquainted with the Sergeant


alarms before he went to Washing


ton from the West and spoke from


knowledge Of his character up to that


time. But if the Congress does really


mean retrenchment-for we hardly think it


would both lie and steal in the same breath


let the committee 20 to work at once upon the


Treasury Department Let it's retrenchment


committee account for the thirty million def


cheney under ex-Secretary Chase's administra-


tion. Let them investigate into the honesty


and the morality Of the Treasury officials. Let


them find out who are the confederates Of gangs


Of counterfeiters. Let them explain how enor-


NOUS commissions have been given to outside


par les for work that ought TO have been per-


formed by the regular Treasury Department


officers. Let them demonstrate, if possible, the


necessity Of having any Treasury Department


at ALL If the most essential part Of the financial


business Of the government il to be transacted


by irresponsible and greedy outsiders. If Con-


rress requires Its retrenchment committee to


investigate these things and show them up In
their true light before the country, it will do
something to justify strike for higher wages.
The FAT MELTING ESTABLISHMENTS AND OUR
JUDoEs.-The Board OF Health is making every


exertion In is power to arrest, SO far ~ pos
sible, the progress OF the cholera in this city;


but It is met at every step by some Of our
judges with injnnctions. First II is in one
court, then in another. There are several
nuisances in our midst which assist the pro-
gress Of this disease and poison the atmosphere
ar ound them, a. any person can see by passing
up the avenues near either the East or North


river any hot day. The moment that the
Board Of Health attempts to abate or re-
move these nuisances either Judge Cardozo or
Judge McCunn steps IN with an injunction, de-
claring that they shall not be touched. What
il there about these fat melting and bone boil
ing establishments that McCunn and Cardozo


are SO fond of Why is Il that they have
higher regard for these nuisanccs than they do


for the lives and health Of our citizens? Is II the


votes Of the proprietors Of these places, or what
| is ity The Board Of Health will be perfectly
powerless to prevent the rapid spread Of the


cholera II they arc constantly interfered with
in this way. II has already obtained such .


headway that IL will require the most extraor-
dinary exertion to prevent IL raging as an
epidemic before the dog days are over. Should
this be the case the public must bear in mind


that Judges McCunn and Cardozo used the
Po"ei Vi snoT Juuiciai PoSiuons W ueip ~


along. Unless they can be brought by public
| opinion to . sense Of the evil which they are


committing, and induced to'change their course,
then IL will be essential that . law shall be
passed recognizing them as the greatest nu-


sanccs In the city and providing for their imme-


diate removal They have already disgraced


the city quite long enough.


The CONGRESSIONAL REroRT on THE MEMPHIS


RIors.-The committee appointed by the House


Of Representatives to investigate into the causes


Of the late terrible riots in Memphis have sub


mitted their report. II the committee had


been sent South for the purpose Of making