The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1842-02-10
For ils n rnrdsr

For The n eorder.
Mn. EDIToR: The Loco Foco leaders,
both in the Democratic meetings in this
county, and in that :. fash in ihe pam"
the Muliicaulis Hyena Convention al Ra-
leigh. seem disposed 10 make political ca
pilal out Of the :. one hour rule" adopted
al The Extra Session; rule wisely adopt
ed for preventing endless discussions on
questions which The people had already
decided by immense maloriiies. ] shall
leave 10 you, Mr.. Editor, as being much
better acquainted with the Congressional
history Of our country, the task Of show
ing these profound politicians that the
right Of controlling the action Of the House
Of Representatives has, from time imme-
mortal, been held BY the Republican par
~ TO be the privilege Of The majority, and
that this right has been frequently exer-
cised BY Republican msjorilies in former
times, by as speedy process as at the
Extra Session; particularly during Mr..
Madison's administration. Ny present
object is to call the attention Of your read
ers 10 the absurdity and inconsistency OF
these pretended .economists. in their at
tempts 10 humbug the people about the
one hour rule.
The committee a. Mason Hall COM
mence The TRADE on this subject in their
report, by saying, " Without intending to
advocate long speeches." &c. This SEN
icnee, Mr.. Editor, was not, suppose, in
the original draft, as prepared in HILLSIDE
rough by the attornies Of the party, but
was inserted after il reached Mason Hall,
10 suit the views Of Gen. Joseph Allison;
the same individual who had the holiness
to declare, summer before last, on the
stump. that he had laid violent hands on
petition (which ought according TO law
10 have been deposited in the archives of
the state, and carefully laid il away in his
trunk; which petition he brought home
purposely to injure an eminent gentleman
whom he could not contend with BY fair
means; but when challenged to produce il
by the gentleman interested. could never
find III. But this is not Immediately to
the purpose. The idea, | repeat, was
probably introduced TO satisfy the Gene
raj; for many Of US remember that the de-
lay Of public business, occasioned by the
many long speeches made BY the La,r-
gers in our Legislature. used 10 be the
burden Of his song around the county.
But these Loco Focos. in the same
breath in which they denounce the one
hour rule, profess to be great sticklers for
retrenchment and reform. Now, Mr..
Editor, it can be most clearly proved that
the one hour rule, without infringing on
the proper freedom of debate. is most
effective measure Of retrenchment and re-
form. For every hour lost in useless de-
bate costs the nation hundreds Of dollars;
and in the absence of the one hour rule,
how many hours, and days, and even
weeks are lost, not in the Legitimate dis
cussion Of the questions before the house,
but in ringing the change on all the ex-
citing political subjects which have app
peared in the newspapers months before.
And is not one hour long enough for a
man of sense and information land surely |
the less men Of any other character say
the better,) to discuss any one subject, es-
pecialy when preceded OF followed by
other speakers on the same side! The
British House Of Commons consists of
65s members, who legisfate for $50 mill
lions Of people. The will of the people
Of Great Britain, as reflected by this their
popular branch, is felt and obeyed much
more directly and Immediately than The
will of our people as expressed by the
majority in our House of Representatives;
for If the Ministers. who are supposed to
express the wishes Of the Sovereign, !
bring forward an important project, an
Exchequer Bank bill for instance, and it
is killed by a decided majority of the
Commons, they forthwith resign, and the
Sovereign must, noiens roiens, appoint
others who will carry out the wishes of
the majority. The discussions in the
House Of Commons are characterized by
eminent practical ability; yet on para
mount questions, vitality affecting the in
terests of that great empire, on which the .
sun never sets. they seldom last longer
than three or four DAYS. When bill is |
proposed in the House Of Commons, it
is fully discussed by the ablest men on
both sides. and after they hare brought