Year: 1871

attendance Of the members in both houses,
Immediately takes its place. With the present
lull in European affairs, from the restoration
OF peace between France and Germany, we
may, therefore, proftably turn our attention
from the discussion Of European topics in this
article to the important political consequences
depending upon this new American Congr ess
aad the administration Of General Grant in


reference to our next years Presidential elec-
tion. Down to our late Southern rebellion
excepting 10 England, with her hypoorisies on
the slavery question-the election of our Presi-
dent every four years was hardly matter of
| greater interest or significance in Europe than


the ups and downs Of the annual revolutions
in Mexico; but since the suppression Of our
great pro-slavery rebellion, and with the
reconstruction Of the Union upon the broad
and strong foundations of universal liberty
and equal rights, the United States have
become great power among the nations, and
the movements and probabilities of our polit-
| cal parties In reference to the Presidential
| succession, from our financial and commercial
relations with Europe, and from eur manifest
destiny" on this Continent, are calculated to
attract the attention of statesmen, churchmen,


politicians, fnanciers and merchants THROUGH


out the civilized world


! new Congress marks significant
change in the relative strength of the two
great parties in the House of Representatives.
The two-thirds vote, and more which the re-
publicans have held in that body since the
accidental promotion Of Andy Johnson to
the White House down to this day, has dis
appeared, and now stands reduced to some
thirty odd majority on full vote The repub-
lican party in Congress, on the one hand, in
parliamentary tactics, is thus in many things
made subject to the vote of the democratic
minority, aud in all things it is brought within
reach Of the Presidents veto. These are
wholesome checks and balances. But it was
perhaps well for the country that, under John
sons administration, the republican party held
two-thirds vote in both houses; for other
wise, in the conflict between my policy and
the policy of Congress on Southern recon-
struction, this business might have been not
only still unsettled, but in the worst and most
mischievous state Of confusion at the present
day.


But, Southern reconstruction and the negro
question being finally adjusted, the country,
under what we may call new constitution,
enters upon new career, aud new issues are
taking the place of old issues, and upon these
new questions coming into the foreground the
Presidential election of 1872 will be deter
mined. The new Congress and the admins
much to strengthen and consolidate the repub-
lican party on the one hand, or to distract and
disorganize it on the other. The late Con-
gress, in the all-important matter Of lessening
our burden of taxations, internal and external
has failed to meet just expectations, and
land superfuoGs income tax. The game of
''thimblerig, by which that bill was defeated
between the two houses at the late session,
cannot be played by this Congress with i'm
punity. This tax must be abolished, for, if
not the payers of its assessments will know
the reason why. We adhere, moreover, to
the opinion that unless this Congress in good
season shall cut down our internal revenue
and tariff taxes to an extent which will give a
sensible and grateful relief to the country the
people will provide decisive remedy in the
elections for the next Congress-


The President and his Secretary of the
Treasury, upon that beautiful idea of hurry


ing up the redemption Of the national debt at
the rate of over a hundred millions year,
have been doing wonderful things. But the
taxpaying people have been seized with
another idea, quite as brilliant as the first, and
it is this-that the present generation, after
bearing all the other trials, self-denials and
heavy sacrifices Of the late terrible war for
the Union, have the right to transfer portion
of this debt to the generation that is to follow.
The administration, therefore, is called upon
to tack ship upon this question, and a fine op-
portunity is offered to General Grant in
reconstruction of his Cabinet. 1t was given
ont as by authority from Washington ssvera
weeks ago that with the meeting Of the new
Congress in March, there would be Cabinet
reorganization, aud that this reorganization
would certainly embrace a new Secretary of
State, new Secretary of the Treasury, new
Secretary Of the Navy and new Postmaster
General. But upon this proposition the inter-
ven tion of the Joint High Commission may
have changed the mind of the President; and
yet new Cabinet in full accord, and appointed
| by and with the advice and consent Of the new
| Congress-, is measure which cannot be wisely
abandoned by General Grant.





taxations, as suggested, the country, in our
| domestic affairs, does not ask for much beyond
the careful system of economy and retrench-
ment pursued by the government. Compared
with the lavish extravagances Of Tammany
Hall the collections and expenditures Of Gen
eral Erant's adminiatratinn frix q na q uondor