Year: 1866




The resolution introduced into the House
by Mr. THADDEUs STEVENS to furnish the
Government representatives in foreign coun-
tries with copies Of FoRNEY's newspaper,
at the cost Of the contingent fund, is q small
enormity in comparison Of the other enormi-
ties sought to be perpetrated under the same
auspices, yet it has had decided success in
its line. Strange to say, the people are more
aroused at the political petty larceny at
tempt, which would cost the country merely
the contemplate sum Of ten or twenty thou
sand dollars annually, than they appear to
have been at the passage Of the Freedmen's
Bureau bill, with all its complications, which
without revolution would have cost them
their constitutional liberties. This contrast
is no proof Of n want Of due vigilance nor
does the case stand without a precedent.
The murder of slave to procure his blood,
to be handed around reeking in a bowl and
tasted as pledge rendered inevitable by the
atrocious act Of fealty to a conspiracy, at
the meeting made memorable by the deliv-
cry Of the best stump speech OF ancient or
modern times, was an insignificant deed of
slaughter in comparison to the piles of car
mage which succeeded the deed in q few
weeks afterwards at the foot Of the Alps,
where the conspirators were badly whipped,
and the lieutenant Of the gouty ANTHONY OBJ
tanned bloody victory Yet it was this in
significant murder of slave that aroused
the Republicans Of Rome. Its atrocity cleo
trifed the people into the conviction that the
cause which demanded such sacrifices was
infamous, and the warnings of their chief
magistrate, hitherto unheeded, summoned
them to a successful defence.


The contingent fund of legislative body is
peculiarly sacred, because, from its very ma
ture, its disposal is left mainly to their honor.
According to the ruling Of the Chair in this
case, when the question was well put as to
the power of the application of the fund to
such purpose, it is nt the absolute disposal
nay, caprice Of the House; and the decision
would have publicly informed Il man Of
higher principle than Mr.. .THADDEus STEVENS
of the impurity Of his proceeding. The
reason given by the member in defence is
forced one, and evidently proves his own con-
sciousness of attempting an outlay, Of the Eon-
tingent fund for an unnatural purpose. He
AYERS that our public servants in foreign cOun-
tries would be thus correctly informed Of the
proceedings of Congress. How? The state
ment is scandal to the man who utters it,
and slander on the press Of the country.
1t is not the proceedings Of Congress that the
infamous resolution gnnLu IN La
to Ministers and COnsus abroad, but the
lying commentaries thereon, daily pro-
mulgated in the Morning Chronicle The
proceedings Of Congress are more copiously
and accurately published by The REPuBLi-
CAN; and il correct information was the oh.
ject, as announced by the member, our
ministers and cOnsuls are already sup
piled. 1t is not then, the publication of
the proceedings of Congress the concurrent
resolution intends, if its object be as stated
by the member from Pennsylvania. 1t is
another and very detestable object; and in
the selection of an agency to carry out that
object, the instincts Of Mr.. STEVENS are ad-
mirable. Other newspapers-the Globe, for
instance, as one-could better supply the
servants OF the Government abroad with full
Congressional proceedings; but what editor
could equally ill his daily columns with the
clamors and the commentaries and the ieal-
ousies and the venalities and the other attri-
butes OF THE EUSIcH OF THE CHRONICLE
These are the virtues in which Mr.. TuAppEus
STEVENS most delights and in what other DO
litical catamite Of the country connected with
the press could he find them so wonderfully
blended. OF course, among the members Of