The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-05
sPE EcH OF
HON. JOHN G. CLARK,
OF NEW YORK.


Delivered in the House Of Representatives. Of
The United States, Jan. 80, 1889, in Com
mittes OF the Whole, on motions pending 10
refer The Presidents Message.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN 1T is with great reluc-
lance l address youths is no common
place remark, for feel il, and my hitherto
unbroken silence assures me that the COM
mittee will give me credit for the sincerity
in which the remark is made. had hoped,
to have claimed an exemption from the de-
batting mania, the "Cacoethes Loquend,"
which pervades this House to an extent some
what alarming. But il seems that have
caught slight touch of the contagion. This
can excite no surprise, when my vicinity to
one Of the {" infected districts" is taken into
consideration. Having rights and feelings,
in common with my fellows around me, /
cannot, consistently with my sense Of duty,
sitShy, and see them assailed and outraged
this, have no object or wish to wound the
feelings Of any. If know my own heart,
there is not lurking within ii one particle Of
unkindness towards any gentleman Of this
Committee. My position is one Of entrench-
ment--I attack no one--My operations are
purely efensive.-Without referring to per-
sons, or descending to particulars,to any great
extent, propose to speak Of what has trans
pired and is transporting around US, elsewhere
and here-what is matter Of common noto-
riety. Being both by instinct and inclination
given to silence, my apology for breaking that
silence, and violating that rule l had pre-
scribed for my action here, must be found in
the importance Of the few matters 10 which ]
may refer, and to yindicate my conduct and
motives from unkind assault have listened to
some remarks made here, to which would
gladly have replied on the spur of the occa-
sion. But such was the struggle for the floor,
that l despaired Of obtaining it. Indeed what
chance has your silent man, diffident and re-
firing as he usually is, Of obtaining possession
of the Speakers eye or ear! His timid enun-
citation of " Mr.. Speaker" is the soft note of
the "sucking dove" to the stentorian lungs Of
the debating lions, rampant for the floor.
most sincerely wish, Sir, (and in this wish,
| feel assured, yourself, large majority of
this House, and larger majority of the nation
will join) that we had more dummies on this
floor. am passionate admirer of silence
and of silent men. They are the real salt Of
the earth, and particularly of this Babel body.
They combine nneteen.twentieths of the real,
solid, useful talent of the House. admire
them for their quiet, retired and dignified de-
pertinent, for their devotion to the public bust
ness, and for their economy of the public time,
which is public money. The man whose in
genuity should devise some plan by which the
public business, might be transacted in ST
lence, would be entitled to the nations graft
tude, and more especially to the benediction
of the thousand applicants to your justice as
claimants, and to your generosity as petition
ers for your bounty. Splendid rewards should
be offered to the literary talent Of the country
for the best written dissertation, on the SUBJ
lime virtues of silence. We should have be-
fore US some striking memento Of silence,
which would constantly remind us, of the i'm
portance of action, the true eloquence of
legislation. would employ the ablest
sculptor of the age, whose chisel would impart
life and beauty to the cold and inanimate mar
BILE, to execute statue, or without giving Of
fence to the enemies of Heather Mythology
Goddess of Silence. Her countenance
should be bright and radiant, beaming with
thought and intellect. Her pedestal, the
musty and forgotten volumes of Congression-
al speeches. Her brow should be entwined
with perennial wreath, made up Of the De-
claration of Independence, and the tesla
mentary legacy of the father of his country,
as fit compliment to the lustrious authors
of these deathless productions, and due to
them as notable examples Of taciturn wisdom.
The fingers Of her beforehand should rest
imPressvey on her meaning lip. In her
LETT, should be displayed a scroll inscribed
with the adage, as old as wise, "Have care
OF whom you speak, of what and where, and
when" Then, sir, l would eject from the
niche over your head, if niche it be where
niche is none, that unmeaning figure Of colos-
sal proportions, and place in its stead this en-
blematic parsonage. 1t should then be a
standing rule of the House, that every men,
Der on entering this Hall, should gaze in
tensey on the "Genius Loci' and pray to
him who "tunes the silent music of the
Spheres" to give him the grace, and wisdom,
and the courage to be silent
Ii this would not produce the desired re-
suits, would resort to penal enactments.-
Speeches should be graduated and limited by
tme-thirty minutes being the maximum.
An infraction of this law, should subject the
violator to the loss Of one -sixteenth of an inch
ofthe offending member
| am aware that the enforcement Of this
rule would operate, with great severity on n
portion of the House-and should not be
surprised, that under rigid infection of its
penalty, some gentlemen might return to their
constituents, Lfngms tohs an,issis." Such
result, however, would not be matter for
regret. Both the country and the sufferers
would be sainers-the former, in the transact
ton OF its business and the latter, in the
great and increased fame, they would acquire
by their able and Junius-like essays, on sub
jects connected with the great interests and
glory of the country.
But this, sir, is no part of what intended to
say, and | beg that the time thus far con-
Il L L Il 4 Il