Year: 1870

portant Measures now PendinR-New LeEis-
lation o be introduced.


The Washington correspondent of the N. Y.
Tribune writes:-


The important legislation now pending before
Congress- or likely to be brought up for action
during the session, may be classified as fol-
lows


l. Measures for the restoration of American
commerce.


II. A further reduction of internal revenue
taxation.


III. Attempts TO make changes in the tariff


IV. Some legislation to secure resumption
of specie payments within the next year


V. A general amnesty bill.


VI A great number of projects for subsidiz-
ing Western railroads with grants of public
lands including the important Southern Pacific
Railroad bill.


There must also be mentioned, as subjects for
debate if not for action, the San Domingo Pur-
chase, the Abolition of the Franking Privilege,
Civil Service Reform, the Canadian Fishery
the Georgia Senatorial Question, proposed in
crease of the navy and a mass of unfinished
work of last session in the way of claims and
other legislation of minor Interest," and this is,
of course, in addition to the regular annual APP
preparation bills, the discussion and passage of
which are imperative.


The most important measure under the first
heading is the bill to admit foreign vessels
to American registry when owned by American
citizens, which was introduced into both houses
in pursuance OF the recommendation in the spe-
cial message sent in by the President in the
closing hours of the last session. IL its present
shape the operations Of the bill are limited to
six months from the date of its passage. and it
can be called up at once in either house. Its
supporters say that the measure is stronger now
than it was last session, and that they then
couldihave carried it through the House by
majority of 80. had they had a days more time.
1t will be strongly opposed by Judge Kelley and
others as an attack upon the vital principle of
protection. The numerous steamship subsidy
bills do not appear to have very brilliant pros
pect. They will be skilfully lobbied, however,
and If their managers combine and consolidate,
instead of fighting each other as they did last
summer, some of the more deserving may
succeed.


Another modification of the Internal Revenue
laws for the purpose of further reducing the
income of the Government, is understood to be
favored by General Schenck and other members
of the Ways and Means Committee. The Gene
raj does not intimate what changes he intends
to propose, but says it is too early to go into
details before his committee have met and COM
pared views.


There will certainly be great deal of tariff
agitation this winter but it is not likely to result
in any new legislation. We shall only have n
skirmish of words preceding the actual battle
which promises to be the great event of the
Forty-second Congress. The Revenue Re-
formers" knowing they will be stronger in the
next Congress than in this, will probably con-
tent themselves with speech-making and
plotting to control the organization OF the next
House.


There is good ground to hope for the adop-
ton of legislation to enable the Government
and the banks to take the short remaining step
necessary to reach q resumption OF specie pay
ments The feeling is general among the best
men in Congress that resumption can easily be
accomplished within year and that it should
| be done before the opening of the next Presi-
| dental campaign as the crowning good work of
| the Republican party. conference on this
! subject of the leading members of the Finance
| Committees of both houses is already talked of.
The nf the Of n (,PDerol
| Amnesty bill are better than ever before. Many
members who, six months ago, were in favor of
| continuing disqualifcations indefinitely, now
| frankly say that they have changed their view
and believe that the time has come to give the
| finishing stroke to the work of reconstruction;
thus settling the whole matter, so that it will
play no part in politics of the future. If the
| present Congress refuses to do this, il will be
| the earliest action of the next.


The strong ground taken by both parties, dur
| ing the recent canvass, in opposition to further
! grants of land for the benefit of corporations,
| has produced such a marked effect upon the
mind of Congress that the prospects of the
| numerous railroad bills which slipped so easily
through the Senate last session are exceedingly
| black. There are about q dozen on the
Speakers table and twice as Tany more in the
Committee on Public Lands. The committee is
favorable 10 most of them, providing the clause
be added which they have devised, obliglng the
roads to sell the land to actual settlers at on
average price of $2 SO an acre; but the House is





railroad land grant bill appears to have any
chance, with the single exception of the South
ern Pacific, which has n strong backing from
men who oppose all other grants, and support
this solely because of the important national
character OF the enterprise.


AS to the San Domingo purchase 1t is as YET
unsafe to predict the result of reconsidera
tion of the treaty. There will be some talk and
no action about the franking privilege. Nc
Civil Service bill will be passed. although seve-
raj members who lost their nominations last
fall solely on account of dissatisfaction with
their distribution of Federal patronage are
ready to change front on the question, con-
vinced by sad experience of their folly. The
fishery question is one for resolutions and
speech-making, and, finally, for Executive
rather than Congressional action. The question
of building iron-clads TO strengthen our navy
and of properly arming our forts, many o.
which are reported by the Chief of Ordnance
to be defenseless for want of heavy guns, vii
come up in connection with the Appropriation
bills.


Altogether we may look for an interesting
but not an exciting, session. A considerable
number of members 90 back to private life oil
the 4th of March, and naturally take less inte
rest in public affairs their terms of offlc
draw to a close. This fact, together with tn
general lull in politics, will make quiet ses
sion, devoted to finishing the uncompleted worl
of last session more than to originating ne
measures.