The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-06-07
CORRESPONDING OF THE EXPRESS.
WASHINGTON. Nav 81

WASHINGTON, May 81.
The Army Bill was debated awhile to-day,
but no material advance was made in the con.
sideration of the subject. Mr. Gushing Of Mass.
made one of his interesting speeches upon the
Bill, and adverse to the proposed reduction of
the Army. Neither the condition of our For.
eign relations, nor affairs at home warranted,
as he thought, the contemplated movement to
bring down the army. In tempest of reform,
as he regarded the present feeling in the House,
and it seems to be nothing more than a whirl
wind that may last but brief period, but
which nevertheless may do a world of mischief
in its destructive influence, it is proposed to
make innovation upon innovation. or course
every thing done in the sacred name of reform.
A few days may change this headlong feeling,
but it is probable that if the vote were taken
to-day, the majority in the House would vote
to reduce the army TO what it was twenty lone
years since.
Mr.. Gilmer Of Virginia took issue with Mr.
Gushing in his opinions and replied at length,
beginning speech which he will close to-day.
Many of the members seemed to be surprised
that these two members should be upon the
opposite side of the same question. both pas
sing as the friends and defenders of the Exec.
utive, and christened by some Of their amable
colleagues as part of ''the CorporaPs Guard! !"
The debate in the Senate also gave rise to
like remarks. Mr. CritteDden of Kentucky had
been advocating the small ratio of representa-.
ton, upon the ground that the Legislative and
not the Executive power had been encroached
upon. The one man power was tremendous,
while the power of the Legislative was weak
in comparison. Mr. Sewer of Arkansas, in his
rorcb II t,nohla tnoct doup nd dro ont
style of eloquence, thought there was no dan.
ger of that,f in the wing of the Capitol where
he was there was not one 10 raise voice for
the President, while at the end of building his
friends were limited TO some six men IN all,
who sneeringly called 'the Corporal's Guard 2
The Apportionment Bill was debated through
the day upon the question of ratio. Many men
of many minds, saith the proverb and there
were as many opinions almost as there were
Senators, in regard TO what should constitute
the proper rates of representation. The num-
bers run as high as ninety-two thousand,
and fell, like the degrees of thermometer
from hot to cod day, to forty mine. There
was abundance OF material for spinning out
lone debate, and no lack of a disposition to kill
time 10 almost any extent in sustaining favor.
lite opinions. The question, in one form or
another, now for large ratio, now for small
one, and now for state of betweenity, was
discussed from noon till nearly nghtfall, and
then left without disposition of the question
The subject indeed seems TO be difficult one
to dispose Of not only in the diversity of opin-
ion which prevails in regard to the proper ratio,
as one merely local, but from the many opin.
ions as to the effect of an addition or diminu.
ton of members. Any change would be an
improvement upon the present number, per
haps for the reason that thereare now too few
to represent the masses-too gmany to make a
compact and orderly body. An enlargement
of the body might have the same effect in the
House of Representatives as the large repre-
sentation has in the British Parliament There,