Year: 1870

| A retrOSpect OI tue laSt session OF COuBreSs


reveals the somewhat curious fact that while


there was no apparent conflict of opinion


between Congress and the Executive, there


was at the same time very little harmony OF


action between these two branches Of the gov


ernment, and that while President Grant has


retained, If not increased, his popularity,


Congress has decidedly lost ground In public


favor. II Is not surprising that this should be


80. There were many important matters In


regard to which it was expected that proper


action would be taken by Congress; but


weeks and months wore by, and finally the


session closed and the expectations of the
people were disappointed. Prominent among
these subjects was the restoration of Ameri-
| can commerce, to which the President called
attention in his annual message, In special
supplementary message, and finally in an ear
nest remonstrance against adjournment until
the necessary legislation was had on the
| subject. But all in vain. Congress either
had not the will or had not tho ability to grap-
pie with the question and to resolve upon the
only practical method Of restoring to Ameri-
can ships their share of the carrying trade of
the world.


There may be some excuse for the principle
of protection where the market is under the
exclusive control of the government. and peo-
pie resorting to that system for the purpose of
developing home industry; but where no such
exclusiveness can exist, as on the ocean,
which is free to all, there the principle of pro-
lection is the stupidcst absurdity, and can
only result in utter failure. How could an
American shipping merchant, whose ship cost
him from twenty-five to forty per cent more
than the same vessel would cost an Englishman,
Frenchman or German, and whose sailing
expenses were also much heavier, cx-
pect to maintain competition with such
odds against him lie could not do
it, and consequently there Is no longer
any American foreign commerce. The re-
medy was plain. Keep up, If such be the po-
Icy, the protective system at home but when
you have to compete with free trade on the
ocean, do it under free trade principles. Let
the American merchant buy his ships where
he can get them cheapest and best. Let every
thing used on board his ships be free from tax
and duty. And at the same time, to keep up
shipbuilding at home, let all materials used
in the trade be also free from tax and duty OF
all kinds. BY these means, aud by these
alone, could our foreign commerce have been
regained The President knew this, as the
people knew it, and he three times brought the
matter to the attention of Congress. But, dis
tracted by variety Of other subjects, by tax
and tariff bills, by land grant jobs, by dis
graceful election contests and by the thousand
and one trifing matters that occupied every
day of the session, Congress found but little
time TO give to this most important question;
and when it did find time to consider it, the
opposition of the protectionists defeated any
measure that could have brought relief. On
this question, therefore, President Grant stands
fully exonerated, and it is On Congress that
all the responsibility rests.


On other questions besides this there was
an absence Of accord manifested between the
President and Congress. Notwithstanding tho
urgent desire of the President to have done
with the reconstruction tinkering Of Georgia,
1t was only in the closing days Of the session
that bill for that purpose passed both
houses and even that was intentionally left
open to opposite constructions, SO that it
can hardly bo deemed 1nallty. The action
of Congress, too, In regard to Cuba, St.
Domingo, the tariff, the income tax and other
matters has not tended to enhance its reputa-
ton or make 1t popular with the people.


We have seen, too, how leading republicans
in both houses set themselves up against the
Executive. There was Mr.. Dawes, Of Massa-
chusetts, the chairman Of the Committee on
Appropriations in the House, who made
famous onslaught upon the President and his
administration on the score Of extravaganza
in public expenditures but he subsequently
reconsidered his position, virtually retracted
his charges and gave certificate of economy
to the administration. Then there were Sena-
tors Sumner and Wilson, Of the same State,
who demonstrated against the removal of Mr..
Motley as Minister to London, and Senator
Fenton, Of this State, who made q similarly
fruitless outcry over the New York Custom
House changes. But oil these manifestations
| of opposition were powerless and only served
| to strengthen President Grant and to exhibit


the weakness of those who would set them,
selves up against him.


The upshot Of the whole thing is, that the


republican party has, chiefly through the un


popularity of Congress, weakened 90 consid-


erably throughout the country that some of it


most observant leaders expect large acces-


sion to the democratic ranks In the next Con


gress; while, on the other hand, Presiden


Grant, unaffected by the willing out Of th'


republican party, stands before the peopl'


with popularity undiminished, but rather In


creased, by the events Of the last eigh


months. Let him enjoy bis relaxation o


Long Branch, buoyed up by the reflection tina