Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-06
Ths Olf IIltlr PM

morable. Ii Is only wonderful that some such er-
petsnI has not been resorted to before to save time
and money, and despatch the public business. We
have known speech Of two hours to be made in
the Virginia Legislature against a bill appropriate
ing less ,han eight dollars.
The LcwsJurs Wing, in the following sensible
article, u.cTs the prevailing sentnen, on this sub
jest:
THE ONE HOUR RULE.
The best thing which the present House OF Re-
representatives. has done is the restriction of its mem
bers TO speeches OF hour duration. We have
always though, that the greatest clog to legislation
was, To: tho freedom, but the unrestricted ou,ra.
geous extravsgance OF debate, in which days and
weeks were consumed, for no other purpose than to
oostruct legislation, and crafty inordnaIe thirst
tor speaking, which of late years has become pas-
SION with majority OF the members, 10 the annoy
ance OF the real business men of the House. and the
retardlng, il not total defeat Of useful measures
An evidence OF the benefit Of this law. adopted in
the lower House, is exhibited in the rapid progress
they have made since It's adoption, compartd with
the ,ardy legislation OF the Senate. On this sub
lecI we shall adopt the language OF the Lyt chburg
NIrslnAn, IN hich ideas are presented IN a form
50 much better than We can express them, that we
must take the Uarty vi transferring the remarks Of
that paper 10 our cO'hnps~ The NlrgInIan saws (:
The country Wi. nave remarked with astouish-
ment the TACT that The Senate consisting of - mem
bers, has progressed more slowly than the House
Of Representatives consisting Of 2i0 notwithstand
ING the former body had made consdera ble head
way many Gays before the latter was even organ
,Grd. The reason is obvious In the House, the
Wings, sensible that The majority would be, as they
ought TO he, held responsible by the people for the
waste Of time and public money, determined TO put
a stop TO useless debate INDUCED IN Tor the sing le
purpose Of siaving Oft decision upon the great
measures pending before Congress-whe 10 the
Senate, an unlimited license, which has been gross
~ abused, has been given 10 discussion. The Cd %
position members Of the latter body. whenever an
lntmauOn has been given tina, the majority
Of the Senate might find il necessary TO follow
the example Of the other House, have exhibited an
unwonied degree OF passion o. and one Of them who,
Ike all aDOstntes, goes further than the rest
I'VE mean MT Calhoun in order to manifest his low
atty to his new allies, which m ht else be question:
ed uttes the herctlcil sentiment that such iule is
worse than the alien and scGILiOn law, because
while the later only gagged the people. the former
would gag the peoples TCpTsse tsiiUsS Does he
mean 10 say, then, that the peoples representatives
nave rights and arc entitled 10 privileges from
which the people themselves may he dejarrcdl This
doctrine may bc IN accordance with the principles
OF the Hr0 sshoo dmoe50cy, but 70 fsIs no place in
the true Republican creed nor wI, % meet response
IN public opinion. The peoples representatives
ind II necessary 10 tTsmmcl themselves with rules
while the people are uuleilered and unrest ricied
And this for very manifest reasons which find their
'NtnPHucaHoh III the existing condition OF public
business.
The people are rot to be deceived by this cry OF
"gag lIC." lIwouId be better for them # ii were
more frequently applied TO their long. W nded ora
tons who "darkeU cOur SCI 10y words without know
ledge" Icy know that Il the session be protract-
ed TO an unusual length, they will be told that, the
Wings, having majority in both Houses, are re-
sponsI6e for this waste Of time and money. Yet
If the majority are not to use tho power in their
hands, with what justice con They be censured for
the delay which may ocCurl No one objects to full
and ample discussions but there is increasing dis.
gust felt for those intcrmin1bc speakers, who new
er discussing any question, for the purpose Of uhu.
encIug its GeCisIOn consume whole days in talking
about every imaginable theme, whether elcvant or
not from the alton Of the world % the last Prcsi-
dental election. Public sentiment demands a cor
receive to this growing evil; and 50 far from sympa-
thZlng with those whose fights are clipped by tho
gag law the people wi u approve Of every measure
which may have cndency 70 make Congress Los
dy Of law makers instead 81 q mob Of wrangers.T