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Our Congress

Our Congress image
Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
August
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

It is a fact, worthy the attcntive consideratiorr of every patriot that Congres, ns a body, is faSt losing the respect nnd confidencc of the nation. This. unquestionub]y,is owing to the diameter of the individual tnembers. Let each inember h dése; ving of respect an I coniidcnce,and the wholo body will be respeclaMe. On the otherhnnd let cvevy inember be disslu!e, viciuus. and neglect.'ul of nis duties,& the whole hody will fall n to contempt,&. will ultimaiely be abolishedby the people. In the present congress. mnnv of the members are openly and outrageously vicious The reporters mention some that arise io speak [)ai -ti.-illy intoxieated - some are sn much liquored thnt thcy get asleep-and one mêinber fas boen known to spew nto bis desk froni the eflects of a previous debaueh. Profane swenring is very conimon among the memberg, cspecially ihose fro:n (hc south. "'fhc President sets them the éxampie, Gamhling and horFnc:nr prevnü extensively. ln debates, some members vie with each other in personal abuse, and the l.nvest kind of black gunrding.- In some late cases, which are familiar to the public, these quarrols have resultad in personal vior !cn:e. These tliings nay be thonght of s:nall iniportnnccby poütieians who care little ornoihing about moml principies. Uut a correct moral depoitrnent is b largo ingrediënt in thesum t:t.-il ol those qunüiies which secure the respect and eoniidence of mankind. Without these., it would 'avcbeen impossible for Washington and Franklm to commnnd that vcneration which isso justly entertained for them by their countryrnen. Had these disiinguished men been known to posterity ■is profane swearcrs.gamblere.fist-fighters.duelists and hceatious, their tnlems might have been ad' mtred, but they eould have been regarded as belonging önly to that class designated by Lord Brougham as -clever devils.' But no only do p.ivate vices tend to sink the wKole body in public esteem, but a neglect of their appropriate business will also have the s.ime effect. The length of ihe sessioñ is n-iich comphinedofbysome, but we think .wiihout rooson. The whole country would be wüling to pny tf.e memberswithoatmunminngforcouünu'diossion the wh!e year if the neeessarry business of the riatiönrcqnired-it. Neglect of business ia the real ëvi) tiíát is feit. A ft er mhking every nllownnce for the necessiry delays atten.Iinir the ncfion of' large bodies. it caánoí be denied that a large 'hare oi'ihe timespent a; VVéehingiáú iíkerally ■ e:l. During one week n ülPiiber. iho Séhate fiat orjly"; fiotirs. It is customary for lipth Mouses to adjourn on the hoüd.ijs. and also while tiie races nre held it Washington; also on ipepial occasions, to visit ships of war. and for - !.urp.)Sc.s. Yhcn tl,e -'Divine Fanny Isler' was in Washihgtonthe Ñ. V. A nerican saya elfe was presentcd fornialiy to tlie President ñd his Cahinet. IC.-md. in a bo-hj. they ai'tenecl her performances. Khetj is visied the C ipi-1. tiie two Iloiise.s being in sossion, and ie legislative proccedings wer-; interrupted or suspenduL througfi gallantry or cuiiosi;y, during ïer visi1!! The followhig item shnvs tho dinity of the House.On.VGKF.SSlO.VAL DlGNiTY. -Ov.e thy lust fl ('!c the House of Repsentatives was iúund to be withu a quorum, vhen somc waggish inembcr ca!ed oui tothe Speaker, lo gire thema song.- Thisproducsd an ungrncious thump from his naliet, and a r'oar of laugluer Trom the disorderly niembers. We extract the fol.Wing froin the Cleveland Plaituleaier, merely remarking tint il ihi two Hou'93 liAd been compösi'd of all democrats, the rtsult would probabiy have been worse Kstead of bettor. What a Pictuhv.! -The whiffs have been n power sixteen moh'.ha. eleven ofwliieli ihoy hnvc (ilr-eMy speñt in legisiatmg nt Wasliington. and stil! continue n session. The pay f inéuibere. ii eight dollafá n dny. wiil ninoünt to sivm Imnrlrptl e'.gltiij six ihousaij.fi nina huvdrctl tïgh'.yfo-ar dollars, bosufes uiijfiage feea. which w.núd svvelJ ihe amouiit to ONE MiLLIOiX! What service have tlicy renit'èied to the people in return for this tax upnn tlicir toü and indusiryl One duel has been lought. one niember expelléd, onda imtional cïebt of'seventecn millicns coniracte'rt. 'WeU donp. good and íaithí'ul servunts!" Cluce. Plaradealer. The remedy of tliis state of things lies only witli the peoplo. White tliey chose to bestow a ;:ii!lion of co!lars.(vliich costa somebody a million of hard days woj-ks) for tlio amount of buüiness wbicli is nowdone, there wiil beenough to pocket ihe pny. Tiicre are men in the country who would transact our national ailairs very different ly; and wlion the people please, ihey will be seiected to doit.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News