Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1842-03-09
M. PICKEN'S Remarks on the Re-
ireHchmenr Resolutions.

Mr.. PlCkENS said he was in favorof
The general principles Of the resolution re-
ported by The committee, and glad Of the
opportunity Of lending it his support. As
To the merits Of tue details it proposed he
was uniformed and incapable of Judging.
as he dill uor know The State Of the facts.
These he was willing TO leave TO The COM
mitIce. II might he thai Inc reforms they
proposed would ogerate hardly in particu-
lar cases; hu', as 10 the general scope and
aim of The report. il had his mos, cordial
approval. He was glad 70 ind that a,
last something was likely 10 be done toward
reform in the expenditures Of the House
itself. Ii was due 10 the honor OF the body;
it was due to their s,anl:ng before the
country, The reform should begin as near 10
themselves as possible. 4 voice: but
uoi TO touch ourselves, chi" 4 laugh. l.
lie hoped, IN arranging ine details Of The
measure, the committee would act Judi
cIously, so Us 10 occasion Us little personal
hardship MS possible. l.. there was one in
diyidUai on whom lie reform would ope-
rate hardly, it YVES probably the gentle
man who had charge Of The Congressional
stables. A. 10 the details, however, it
must in great manner be contidcd 10 tho
discretion ofthc committee.
Yet, while giving his cordial assent to
the proposed reform, as far as it went, il
was, after oil, hut small commencement;
i, was but first step. He was aware that
tia. House had lost must o. that rcputa-
ton aud influence in the country which il
had once enjoyed; he readily admitted the
lacl; hut. as Ia The causes which had led 10
II, he could not agree with The gentleman
from Virginia, (Alr. Wse;) he believed it
was TO attributed mainly 10 The practice Of
adopting, without due dcibcra,ion and de-
bate, nicasur, which lad been previously
prepared IN caucus out nf the House. Ii
WAS thus that IN irrcspo siblc body Of u
divIdaals excrici control over the indc-
peGdcn, action Of thr House, and mea-
Sures were forced through the FORMS Of le-
sslat!un IN siusic day which ough, TO
nave undergone a foil aud deliberate con.
sidcraIlnn and The am?!cs, discussion.
These were the Causes which had so
lamcnrahiy weakened ,hc moral influence
oi ihis House IN lhc public mind. Tic
trusted tna IN future great public measures
would be discussed, holly aud fairly in
The liousc, where they ought 10 be discus
scd. wholly indrpcudcl OF the influence Of
es bel elsewhere. These had al
way, been air. P's. sentiments. He had
o.icu avcw cd them both in and out Of tho
House. They were lis sentiments sill ;
snd he hoped to see the day when they
would be adopted ari acted upon by
general consent.
Mr.. p. was FOR auober reform in the
arrangements of The House, aud tha, was
the removal Of these vile desks, which sep
Grated mcHbcrs from each olher so as 10
prevent their seeing or hearing each other.
They interrupted all sound delibera!ion:
away with them; and let gentlemen be
hrough, together face TO face, eye 10 eye
These desks were fit only for lazy loun-
gers who came up here not TO do The duty
Of legislation. but tn get their eight dollais
a day. To remove rhcD would DC an im-
porlant practical reform: i, would greatly
reduce the expenditures Of the House: it
would lessen them nj least one third il
tiIC III VIC eSoStUgSr
and diminish the amount of paper ami
stationary consumed. Let gentlemen sir
where they could see and heafea ciiicT,
and where deliberali0n could be done il
half the tIIre. y
There was another reform which hc be-
ieved would excr, yasl influence Of the
lisnily aud true Independence ofiheHnuse.
The trainers nf the Constitution intended
hal the Legislature should be a cc-crt!i-
laIc branch OF the Government branch
If it no, noninaIly bntreally independent
aud which should operate rs arheckto tho
,lheT hrauches. Hewaui,s nas go SO far 3
IS say thai shis Aanse bad fallsn Esan
his higf, cstatef bur this be you'd say,
ha.ifshcre eas my ilIiug which ycpded
u loweriis slasidiae asd 10 lessen It's tn
glseuce, ii waslhc existing mileage sHd per
iiesp nav d its rlcmbrrs. Lei tbs whole