Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-07-01
CONGRESS-,


find unmeasurcd fault with Congress, and
lay to their charge every evil under which
the country is suffering. We say il is the
fashion-that is, it is Systematically pursu-
ed by the Loco Focos, and they are readily
seconded by the few sycophants who are
content to wear the nondescript badge of
Tylerism. According to these sage confed-
crates, Congress has done nothing, is doing
nothing, and never will do any thing but
wrangle and pass bills for their own pay
They will have it that the public business
has been grossly neglected, merely because
some hot heads, and some scoundrels have
wormed their way into the National Halls of
Legislation, and occasionally disturb the de-
alterations of Congress. These quarrels,
we are sorry to say, seem TO take more hold
of public attention than the real business of
the country which is all the while going
steadily on, and to which these occasional
rows are mere episodes, in which the useful
business men of Congress play no part. Yet
many people read nothing but the account
ola blow-up in Washington, while they are
too lazy or negligent TO read the regular re-
ports of the proceedings, and so they make
up their minds that, as they have "heard
nothing from Congress exc, pit that there was
duel expected between Wise and Stanley
it must needs be that nothing is going on
there except the said duel and they there
fore gravely conclude that the members are
pack of lazy, indolent, good nothing
fellows, utterly unfit for their places.
But let US see how this matter stands. We
have 1t from good authority that Congress
have perfected more business during the
present session thus far, than has been done
by any former Congress in the same time
for many years. Some people think tina,
the great bills which are much discussed and
thought Of every where constitute the chic
business of the National Legislature. Bu
how completely are they mistaken! 1t is
the untold multitude of private claims, and
estimates and appropriations for compare
lively unimportant objects, all necessary to
keep the vast machine Of government in mo.
ton, which furnish the field for the toll and
labor of our Congressman. 1t is in Com
mltteeS, not in the House, that the work OF
the House is done. The few spouters who
claw of from the Committees, in order to be
at leisure TO speachify when occasion offers,
reap all the glory, while the real, useful,
shrewd business men, who, in the seclusion
OF the Committee Room, work even on to
the end OF the session, amid musty deeds,
pay rolls, estimates, and swarms of hungry
claimants, and interested spectators, these
men, the workies of the House, who consti-
tute majority oft, are left to do the labor,
content with having faithfully served the
country, and more than earned their Eight
Dollars day. Let no honest man fall to
beraling Congress for neglecting the business
of the Country, until he really knows all
they have done, and have to do. Such a
course is highly characteristic of Locofoco-
ism and Tylerism, who have both an inter-
est in making it appear that Wing Con-
gress, are very naughty set of fellows but
let every true Wing weigh the evidence be-
fore he condemns Ich a body of men as the
present Congress, simply because Wise is a
blackguard, and Profit knave.