Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-06-01

weeks, comprising the session, nave oeep mo
nonoli,ed in the discussion Of questions whic"
have nroluced no efficient result; or, IN other
words. in abortye legislation
With reference to the proceedings IN the oe-
not. few remarks will suffice. During the
e.rly mar, Of the Session, it was the practice oil
,ba, bodv to 81, only four days in the week. he
Grs, nublic measure Of importance on which 1t
.c,ed was that which arose out Of the nomina-
,;on Of minister's to Panama, by the President OF
,ha IJniied States Here, as on the same ques-
ton in the House Of Representatives, the Oppo-
s;,;on took its stand. From this chosen posi-
ZION. by mutual understanding, concerted and
combined movement was TO be made againsi
the administration. To give effect 10 this ex-
traordinary combination, the Senate spent i've
or six weeks, with closed doors, in angry and
stormy elimination on the one part, ana nr'n
and manly defence on the other. The nomina-
lions were ultimately confirmed. OF all the oth-
er acts Of the Senate, but little can De sad
The Bankrupt bill was laid On the table. A
party in the Senate appeared to be intent upon
LAYING the terrible ghos, which seems to nave
haunted tha, body all through the Session, CALI
ed Erecuiirc Patronage. This dreadlal phan-
tom has proved as fatal to the wisdom OF the Sc
nate, as TO its dignity Mr.. BRANCH resolved
il 10 be a monstrous horrible sprlte-
"Cui lumen ademptum."
Mr.. RANDOLPH, 10 prove Mr. BRANCH was cor
rect. talked necessarily for three or four weeks,
t. show that all the great men whom the coun-
try had heretofore delighted to honor were no
better than selfish and designing knaves; that
there had been no honest men in times past but
the old gentleman who brought him up, stand
ing gin ioco parenies:" that the only man fit 10 be
the next President is General JACKSON; and that
he would not vote for him, if his party did not
curb Executive patronage and defeat the Bank
rupt bill. MIR. BENTON, to test the feeling OF
the Senate, made report to show that this pa
tronaee is of the most terrific character, and
brought in six bills 1--WE believe there are six OF
,hem) TO take away all Executive influence in
the Post Office, the Army, the publication OF
the Laws, &c. These bills will be fertile SUBJ
lects for denunciation, defamation, and invec-
tive, during the next session, should they ever
be called up
The amendment made by the Senate in the
Judicial Bill, was fatal 10 that measure. The
course which that body took IN the first in
stance, by adhering to its amendment, and re-
fusing the request Of the other House Tor con-
ference. was considered by them disrespcc,lul,
and had no small influence in deciding the fate
of the bill.
The other measures which were before the
Senate, were of subordinate character; and an
immense mass of bills is lost in consequence Of
the extraordinary extent to which the mania Of
speech making has been carried, and the indis-
position 10 act in concert which has been pro-
duced by the new character Of the general pro-
ceedings Of that body.
When it becomes necessary to introduce, for
the first time in forty years, resolutions for the
purpose of limiting the licenlious range of dis
cussiop in body heretofore remarkable for dig
nifty ard decorum; Of protecting its own mem
bers from personal insult from each other; OF
throwing shield between senatorial slande-
rer and the members Of the other branch of the
Legislature; and Of protecting the citizen who
avails himself of his privilege to witness the
proceedings Of the Senate from direct abdse;-
we say, when it becomes necessary to erect these
fences TO preserve social happiness and the
courtesies Of life, from violation, as j, appears
10 have become in the Senate of the U. States,
every thinking man will concur With us in OPT
Mon, that this body has changed Its character
for the worse; and whether this be owing to the
change in its Chair, or to the change in its
members, it is equally mischevous to its fame,
equally to be regretted by ali who value the re.
pu,a,ion of our country
Some weeks before the conclusion Of The SEES
sion, it will be remembered that a Committee
was appointed to select the most Important
measures from the mass ofpublic business, with
a. view that these should be acted or by the
House before any of the other business was
called up. Independent of reports OF Commit,
tees which were made the order of the day, that
Committee made ont list of about III bills,
which were 10 have priority. Of these III
bills, about 60 are left untouched: exclusive Of
which, we believe there are about twenty bills
from the Senate. The Committee recon-
mcnded that all the business in the four first
classes should be "disposed of this session.
About forty bills in these classes remain unact-
ed on. 1t istrue these bills have priority in the
orders of the day for the next session, but, as
that session has constitutional limit, and as
all the great measures Of this session will, if
acted on at all, be taken up at the next session
de novo, and discussed over again, there is but
little chance that the application and good ma
nagement Of the second session OF this Congress
can redeem the lndisposition 10 business and
unskiliul management exhibited in the first.
meeting has been held in Philadelphia, Of
the friends of General Jackson, at which, after
sundry wise resolutions, by way OF seasonable
precaution, committee was appointed TO take
all proper measures to ensure the cleo ton of