The Whig standard., 1843-12-07
THE PRESENT HOUSE OF REPRESEN-
TATIVES. es 5q5a

! .44 ts-
THE PRESENT HOUSE OF REPRESEN-
TATIVES.
It has been said that no House Of Representa-
tives, since 1916, has had so few old members IN
it as the present, and we do not recollect TO have
seen. SO many young men, in any House with
which we have been conversant, as there are IN
this.
When nearly all are new hands and strangers
to each other, curiosity will be upon tiptoe as to
who are likely to make a figure in the body,
either as speakers or as pariamentarians and tao
ticians. We have seldom found any deficiency OF
speakers in the House Of Representatives, though
it is not every man who thinks himself a speaker
and occupies the time Of the House, that can
command its attention for any length OF time.
To do this-to be listened to with patience
even, not to say with profit and delight-requires
talents Of high order; clear, sound under
standing; faculty Of perceiving the strong
points and bearings Of question; Of separating
and analyzing the various constituent points OF a
subject, and Of dvesting it Of all exnaneous mat
ter, or clothing, and showing what is foreign to
it, and what really belongs to it. The Speaker
must not only be able to see the subject clearly
in all its points himself but he must be also
able if he would command the attention OF the
House, to present it in SO clear and agreeable
light that others may see it as he sees it, but
capable Of clothing his IDEAS in a dress OF such
rich and glowing colors as to delight, if he does
not convince, OF he must not expect TO become
parliamentary speaker, and command the atten-
ton of the body he addresses. Rant and fustian
may be tolerated for few times, but it soon
falls to its real market value, and is never in
quired for fhs -l&
We have in our minds eye gentleman who
has often been in Congress, who rarely intruded
himself upon the notice of the House; never, in-
deed, except when some intricate and difficult
question, or one of considerable importance arose,
and he never spoke without commanding the
closest attention from all sides of the House.
In cases of difficulty, when others seemed to be
at loss, a few words from him would inyarla-
bly, throw strnge light upon the subject, by
means Of which the proper course was generally
made so clear and manifest that others only
wondered they had not before perceived it. Such
a man will always exert recommending influence.
He was not a pleasing speaker-not an orator.
not brilliant or imaginative-he had not the
power Of enchantment---he could not make the
blood course through the veins with a more ra.
pid flow, but he could always command silent
attention, and lead the House by convincing its
understanding. Such man in public body
like the House of Representatives is worth a,
score of fine orators, who, like Madame Castel-
Ian, excite admiration for moment by their de-
licious and varied tones, but are forgotten the
moment the music of their voices cease.
We have not seen enough Of the present
House of Representatives to form any correct
Judgment of the amount of talent it contains, but
we shall look for exhibitions of it among the
Younger portion of the members in due time.
The Wings being in small minority, will not,
probably, be disposed to take an active part in
the proceedings Of the House, and will not,
therefore, be likely to make manifest, al least SO
soon as their opponents, the latent abilities among
them; in due time, however, they will become
known.