Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-07-23
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FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 23,ls4 l.
THE GAG LAW.

Focos interposed every obstacle which their
ingenuity could invent 10 the organization of
the lower House. BY their factious oppo-
stion, they succeeded in preventing the
Wings from adopting any rules until nearly
three weeks after tho commencement of the
Session. A few southern, impracticable,
anti tariff nulliicrs, like Wise and Mallary,
uniting with the great mass of the Loco
foco party, determined that the House should
not proceed to business without adopting
the odious 21st rule, which, in effect, denies
to the people one Of the most important rights
secured to them by the constitution the right
of petition namely. And, although the fault
was to be imputed solely to the factious OPP
position fthe Tories, yet the Locofoco par
ty from Maine to Florida, raised one fierce,
frantic howl, charging all the delay upon the
Admin stration, and dcnouncing the Wings
for wasting tho time and squandering the
money o! the people in fruitless and idle de-
bate. But mark the sequel.
Tho Whigs,by harmony, compromise and
firmncss. finally succeeded in organizing the
House, Without adopting the 21a rule
The House being organized, wo INDUCED
hope that the fury of the opposition would
cease. But no. Gathering strength from
disappointment and rendered frantic by the
union of the Whigs,i it ragged with ten fold
greater fury than before. Every measure,
proposed by the Administration members for
the relief Of the People, encountered the fer
cest opposition Of the Tories. Hour after
hour, day after day, and week after week
were spent by the Locos in idle and windy
defamation. Meantime the Tory papers,
from one end Of the union to the Other, char
ged all the fault npon the Administrations
"Behold," said they,the fruits ofwhig Assem-
dcncy Four weeks consumed at the expense
ofthe People, by a reform administration, in
an extra session of Congress, without adop-
ting single measure for the relief of the
country !" Thus Toryism, in doleful tones
howlcd out its lamentations. With patri-
otto solicitude for the dear people, whole
reams Of paper and oceans of ink were gen.
srously expended in recording their indigna-
ton. But now To- how changed their tune!
A Wing member, disguised 1t the factlous
conduct ofthe opposition and bored almost
to death by the frothy andlong winded ora
tons Of Pickens, Rhett g. CO. rises in his
place and proposes rule by which no menu
Der Of the House shall be permitted to speak
more than one hour at a time on any one
subject. The rule, though opposed, of course
by every Tory in the House, is promptly
adopted by tho Wings. Under tins rule the
Administration party has been able to adj
vance with firm and steady step in the pro-
o~"-- q ''.~;. L--'"-.s. Til. land Rili has
been carried through, the loan Bill has pas
sed-evcry Loco foco voting against it altho'
it was rendered indispensable to pay a
debt contracted by themsclvcs-and the
Navy pension Bill has also been adopted
Rendered desperate by the successful OPP
Grafton ofthc one hour rule, by means of
which the Wings have been enabled to car
ry through the House their favorite meas
urcs, the Tories have changed their song
They now sound the buglc of their party on
a different key. The batteries of their wrath,
which had been before discharged upon the
Wings for the reluctant and ,ardy pace
with which they were proceeding with the
business Of the session, are now opened upon
them with grape and canister, for the hur-
ried gait and hot haste with which. they are
advancing. They denouncc the rule as an
abridgement ofthe freedom of speech an
odious gag law and thus it will be seen
that whatever course the Administration par.
ty adopt or however they proceed with the
business Of the session they are sure to en-.
counter the iercest opposition of tho Tory
faction. and this we have all along expec.
ted and are prepared to meet them. Blu
Notwithstanding allthc clustering of the Tor,
papers about the one hour rule we have no
yet seen man of sense among their party
who does not regard it as useful, wise, re-
publican measure, admirably calculated t.
confne members to the subject matter be.
fore them, and to prevent those coarse per-
sonalities in which they have heretofore 81
largely INDUCED.
Hear what the Madisonian says on tn,
subject.
The operation of the rule Of the House limltin
speakers TO one hour works admirably. The speech
cs are more condensed and efIectve-the Hall
more fully attended-tho House is kept on the qi rr
and business goes on with unusual facility Its indee
great discovery. The people will approve it, an
both parties will, in the end find happy rule.
saves time, space, labor, passion money. The news
papers will be thankful for short speeches-they wi
be more generally published and read and the reader
will think much better of their authors "Brcvity
the soul of wit" man of education and good sens
will speak with precision and brevity II is the emE
ty-headed and weak minded who are verbose. Cor
densation IS an evidence oftnlent-thc opposite is
sign of shallowness Mr.. J. c. Clark, ofNew Yorl
entitled to the credit ofproposing rule like the OIL
we have alluded TO, at the beginning of the Goth Coz
( gIess, and MI Warren, of Georgia, and Mr. Holme
IL