Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1835-06-25
A TRUE PICTURE.

we eAuact me following from an article
in the National inteliigenecr:
No one who has been familiar with
the history Of Congress but must be
sensible Of the deterioration which the
character Of the popular branch has
experienced since il came under the
dominion Of the principles Of 1.-The
party" That body is no longer an as
sembiy of independent Representa-.
hves. each having equal rights and
equal weight. Of the majority there
are few who investigate for themselves,
or who by their votes express their
individual opinions. Almost univer.
sally, and on almost all occasions, they
express but the will Of "the party, u
whether il be their own individual
will or not. This is the principle well
known to control the deliberations of
the Legislature Of that State whence
the rirss Of this political plague has
been communicated to the General
Government. There, in the place Of
ITS origin, the influence Of the Spoils
system is irresistible. II bears down
all opposition, and carries every thing
before it. But in the General Govern.
ment, however II may have affected
the Executive branch, il has never
been able completely to master the
Representative body. There is indeed
IN that body majority esteemed TO be-
long to "the party" but that majority
cannot DC rallied to every thing the
party desires to accomplish. Some
times 1t Is rallied only with great diff
Guilty, and after much drilling and Ia
boz. and low and then il cannot be
rallied at all. Yet il is ALWAYS sufFi.
GENTLY powerful in numbers, when CO.
operating, as il always does, with the
Executive, TO Pyereni any action which
" the party" disspproves. This has
been seen IA different instances, which
u u not necessary for Us here TO par
tcularize. The effect Of the conflict
OF the party orders with the not-whol-
iy-extnct sense Of independence in a
part Of those who conprize what is
termed the majority, is, that the House
OF Representative collectively, and a.
Legislative body, appears to have al
most lost all regular volition. five
look back, for example, 10 the history
OF the last Congress, we shall find. thai.
with the sole exception Of the honors
oneTedto the memory Of LAFAYETTE;
an occasion which called forth an ex-
preston Of genuine patriotic feeling
The House Of Representatives mani
tested no energy, and made little pro-
gress' II had, 50 to speak, neither
power nor. win. les want Of power
and progress was not that wise and
mastery inactivity" which MIR. BURKK
somewhere commends: il was rather
the rolling Of hulk in the trough Of
the sea, constantly tossed and agiiated,
bat making no held-wsy. For illus
sEations Of this, We may refer 10 the
case Of the Kentucky contested cleo
ton, At the session before the last.
when, after a months debate. the
House voted that il uas not able 10 de-
eide aquesiion 80 plain that boy from
the lowest form Of = country school
would have been condemned 10 fools
cap ifhe had boggIed 81 Il for an instant
and TO the French question, presented
20 earnestly to Congress by The Prcs.
dent At the opening Of the last session.
Pondsred upon in sullen silence Coo
three entire months. and at last got rad
OF BY q lPasmodic effort which had the
AR Of any thing but voli:ion."