Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-02-03
From the Boston Courier.
CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. %,

After all the time wasted during the session
in the mere repetition. by dozens Of members,
of arguments which would have had The same
effect, if used by only one Of them, it almost ex-
cites astonishment TO see the expedition with
which a legislative boGy can act. On Tuesday
Mr.. Webster introduced 10 the Senate an a.
amendment to the Judicial system OF the United
States; il receivsd its three readings and passed
the Senate within about an hour, was sent TO
the House and received It's three readings there
and rassed, within an hour or two afterwards
and was signed by the preside nj OF the United
States he next day, and became law. 1t is
proverbial that great bodies move slowly"
the only reason which can be given Tor the "a
mazng CELEBRITY Of this movement, is the i'm
Dor ance Of The measure Had II not passed.
and had one OF he four Judges Of the Supreme
CourI been taken sick the next day, the whole
:erm Of the Court would have been lost, thus
eau sing trouble and anxiety 10 numbers who
III, upon the always slow movements OF Courts
Of justice.
No o,her reason will he given for the graft
fving rapidity Of thi, movement, than, that ev->
rrv member saw at once the importance OF The
object. No other reason is wanted; but we can
moi well avoid asking ourselves why this ce-
leriry is not often initiated! Hundreds Of bills
important 10 the nation, are often Of far great.
er impor lance to individuals, and which might
be passed within eight and forty hours. WHY
is il no, done! No man, who reflects, Can avoid
seeing the importance 10 individuals, vt the I'M
mediate settlement Of their claims, ard yet we
find here men who have attended every session
Of Congress for years. who have spent hundreds
needlessly, in pursui, Of justice, In This city, <
who have heretofore retired, and who will he
obgrd, to the end of all time, 10 retire in dis
appointment, unless a stop is put 10 this eltrn-
al clatter Of tongues
The course Of bu siness in Congress is well
known. Readers OF newspapers d. not need 10
be informed that no bill passes through Con-
gress peaceably, If speech can, by any possl-
bility, b. hung upon it. Speeches bring replies,
rrioinders, SURE ioInders, until, as Mr.. Crockett
says in his address, SHE House becomes u''er-
" exhsus ed with the subject, and II may truly
be id, tina, il is spoken to DEATH" Looking
at tn, subjrc, fairly and impar'ially,- cialm-
ants ATE actually sponged, il is not too hard to
say sWindrd, out OF all Inc money they spend
IN w ,shing on, that members may talk, ana
and the House exhibits but one long talk from
The be ginning o. session to he end oft. Mem
b.rs d. no, always speak TO enligh'en their tel
lows oor would many Of their speeches shed
much honor uron the country, if accurately re.
ported. It's not tancving an extreme case 10
say that many man owes his reelection 10
Cougr 20 he primers, who translate into
some hing like Christian tongue, The almost
unin'elgibl' jargnn frequently uttered in de-
bate And why-we Cannot help repeating
wby is all this? We know the me, ap6ysical
powers Of some members; we give them credit
| for their ability so show the extremes tension
| n irI &c of. irna
the s,rong.s, when consolidated; we know lhe
violent enunoiation and gssticulalion OF o'her
members, who may foam at the mouth gro"
blue in ahe face, withou, establishing aueh' by
way of areumrnt; we know whai admirable tus-
tian manufactures are ontained within the
c, aniums Of other honorable members; and TO
sum them all up together. we know, hear, and
| read, that every man has tongue in his head,
| and that almost every one Of them ways il up
on all occasions, not TO the -dihc alton OF his
| contemporaries, who are waiting for turn iu
speak, and to he grea: and unj us, drtrlmen, OF
many better mat than the speaker. i, Is in
possible 10 saw whence came this itch for talk
ing; but we find i, in the capitol. and it grows &
spreads mos, pleutfuliy and frulful!y.
No claimant though h. may have waited with
the patience of second Job, until his hair has
grown grey, will complain of this everlasting
| talk iii can be shown that il is necessary
Blu, no man ever pretended that it is necessary
Every member makes one speech TO send to his
constituents; many make oxen. peeches,to es'
tablish a credit in the house: and many speak 20
show ,;,rir knowledge of every subject AL
this may he very gratifying to the friends OF the
membe,, but as it is very seldom necessary
why is it allowed? Referring particularly to
the claims which have heen for years unadj"st'
ed, ills no, upon them tina, members spe H.
They seldom excite debate; but i, is the ques'
,ioas of public nature, where clashing interest:
inci,e ingenious constitutional scruples, thai
members talk hour after hour. and plain pro
position loses its hrst force, from the coats o.
many colors with which it is invested by th'
different speakers who support il. An argu-
ment is Blu, an argument, and i, does not gair
weight, like snow ball, from the many way'
in which it is turned over. Once presen ing
/ il is as good as dozen times; and therefore il
is that this unceasiug pirate is no. only mon
strous absurdity, but monsIrous injustice II
is in vain to hope ,ha, another Congress viii
amend in this par,icuIar-ihey will only make