Year: 1870

There are various measures OF general I'M
portanoe pending before each OF the two
houses. In the Senate yesterday the House


bill for the total abolition Of the ranking privi-
| lege in all its ramifcations was discussed. The
Western Senators were anxious to amend 1t,
especially In reference to the country newspaper
press They appealed for the restoration of the
twenty miles free transport in the malls to the
newspapers of the rural districts as really ne
cessary to protect them against the widening
circulation Of the great city dailies. We think
1t likely, too that the protection asked will be
given; but we are half inclined to suspect that
these amendments are slyly intended and may
possibly operate TO defeat the bill between the
two houses. Against any such designs or ten
dencies we would advise the friends Of the
measure that the Congressional privilege OF
franking books, pamphlets, speeches and
letters by the ton, to say nothing OF fancy
goods and presents of various descriptions, has
become burden upon the public mails which
must be removed.


The Senate bill expanding the currency
Of the national banks to the ex-
tent of forty-fve millions for. the benefit
of the South and West (short Of cur
rency) is before the House Committee on the
subject; but why the Treasury should be
called upon to pay two or three millions in in


erest for this increase Of paper money, when
it can be saved by issuing greenbacks instead
Of national bank notes, is question for seri-
ous consideration, as, indeed, is the main ques-
ton, why should the Treasury pay twenty or
thirty millions, more or less, for this national
bank currency in preference to greenbacks
upon which this interest can be saved? 1t is
apparent, however, that the national banks are
| part OF the republican programme, and that
| nothing short of democratic onslaught upon
| them, like that of General Jackson against
'.Biddle's Monster" will shake them. The
| Funding bill reported to the Senate from the
| Finance Committee is measure embodying
| some of the practical financial views of the
administration.


| Southern reconstruction has been settled by
| the House bill (the same as the Virginia billy
! for the admission into Congress of the State of
Mississippi Texas, in her turn, will doubtless
be admitted upon the same terms, and then there
will be an end of military governors and the
Union will be re-established. The fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments of the constitu-
ton clinch the work done; but there may
be, during the present session, general
law passed for the enforcement Of these
amendments with special reference to Della


ware, Maryland and Kentucky, where negro
| equality in the matter Of civil and political
rights is not yet recognized These three of
the late slave States, in short, not having hecn
officially involved in the rebellion, have


escaped Congressional reconstruction, and
| have progressed very little beyond the thir-


teenth amendment, abolishing slavery. bill
from Congress that will wake them up may,


then, be looked for.


The Mormon bill introduced in the House by


Mr.. Cullom and recommitted to the Territorial


Committee is clearly intended as q warning


to Brigham Young, with its sweeping pains


and penalties of disfranchisement, outlawry,


fines and imprisonments against Mormon con-


cubinage, bigamy, Brighamy, polygamy,


spiritual wifery or whatever else that sanity
| institution of plurality Of wives may


be called, and the great high priest and
prophet of the saints will do well in put
! ting his house in order for timely evacua-
| ton. We have no idea that it is the inten-
| ton Of the two houses of Congress to rush
| this bill through; but we do believe that its


design is timely warning to Brigham Young


that he must make up his mind to dispense


with polygamy or abandon Utah. The


Gentiles, by the Pacific Railroad, are crowd


ing around him; and the day is fast approach


ing when nothing but the protection of Con-


gress will save him and his people. To secure


the protection Of Congress the Mormon ruler
! must come to an agreement either to leave the


United States with his congregation CT to


abandon polygamy under ps5 revelation.


This, we believe, is the warning intended by
Mr.. Culloms bill.


The House passed bill yesterday for the


temporary relief of the poor of the District of


Columbia, instructing the Secretary of War to
issue rations for this relief. The destitute


poor of Washington and Georgetown, which


make up the District, are chiefly the negroes


drifting into those cities in consequence Of the
| war. Thus at least twenty thousand desti-


tute blacks have been added to the population


of Washington, and as they cannot be permit


ted to starve, and as the city is not responsible


for them, Congress must feed them till other


wise provided for. We think, however, that,


instead of being encouraged in idleness and


vice, it would be well to provide for shipping


off these starving negroes to some public


works or to some of the Southern plantations,
| where their labor is wanted, and where tn ese
vagrants may be turned to good account.
In short, there must be period fixed for this
| feeding of Sambo in idleness on government
rations, and the sooner the better it will be for
him, even in Washington.