Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-06-18

OF Government paper money, were usually dis.
posed Of upon the day they were introduced
The disposition Of the Treasury Note Bill pre-
senIs a sample Of all the important bills; and we
therefore extract preface to a speech from one
Of the members Of the city Of New York. Ii
needs no comment; like the oppressive act Of the
House, it speaks for itself:
"TO my constituents.
81 deem il my duty to publish the following
speech. which | had prepared to deliver on the
floor Of the House of Representatives ofihe Uni
ted States on the bill authorizing the issue Of
Treasury notes, loan, and for other purposes
In view Of the constitutional organization Of that
body, decent regard to public opinion would
seem TO require that all bills authorizing the Gre
alton Of national debt should there receive de.
liberate consideration. Yet, on the 2lst day of
January instant, bill for raising, on the credit
Of the United States, aud pledge Of the public
domain, the large sum of S28 100000 was call.
ed up and put on its passage by the arbitrary ap.
plication of the precious questioR!-allowing for
discussion just one hour and ttreHiy minuieS!-
without any exposition from the Secretary ofihe
any report from the commit
any explanation even from their
Chairman, Of its effects upon the credit OF the
country, its currency or its business. | private.
ly appealed 10 the chairman Of the committee
reporting the bill, and other administration mem.
bers to postpone its passage one day only, in or
der 10 give me and others chance Of being heard
on its merits. But il was unavailing; no debate
could be permitted! Thus are the most impor-
tant measures, deeply involving the honor and
welfare oflhe American people, hurried through
The house without discussion, without iluslra-
tion-whilst day after day is frequently consum.
ed on some unimportanl or frivolous subject.
"lr this system continues 10 be pursued. the
House of Representatives might be persuaded,
without publicloss or Inconvenience, by the lrea.
sury bureau, which dictates, in this instance, at
least, its legislation.
"WM. S. MILLER,
"Repessnidtipe Of Sd Congressional District,
NeU York.
"WashingtoD, January %, l847."
We cannot forbear to remark that the chair.
man ofthe committee of Ways and Means, tho
reporting all the heavy appropriation bills, never
explained one ofthem to the House. The GUS
tom was to report bill, and, after it was called
up, TO follow almost Immediately with a resolu-
ton already printed in blank form, and always
upon the clerks table, for the termination of
debate. We have seen many and many Of these
resolutions adopted where the time for closing
the debate was just five minutes. We have known
resolutions adopted where one minute was pro.
posed. Thirty minutes has often been the lime
for disposing of important public bills. The mo-
ment n discussion commenced upon any point
affecting the character or practices OF the Admin
stration, it was the signal for the "gag," and it
came at the earliest moment A dozen men,
with Argus eyes, were upon the watch. The
chairman had no eyes for Wing members, and
he ruling party no bowels of mercy for their
opponents. 1t was solemn mockery all--the
form oflegslotion without iIs soul-action with
out Judgment, deliberalon, or knowledge of the
subject acted upon. 1t was thus the Army Bill
was passed, appropriating within fraction Of
ihrly.three millions of dollars. 1t was thus the
Navy Bill was also passed, the Civil and Dpo.
matte Bill, and all the important measures of the
late session, and of the Twenty-ninih Congress.
School boys would have given more observance
to the proper forms of legislation. The hour
rule was wise and necessary invention TO pre-
vent the abuses of speech, but the minute rule
was introduced TO show the contempt ofthe DOM
inant party for what, until within a few years,
has been known and esteemed as The privileges
Of discussion. Ii was natural enough, perhaps,
that when war was going on for conquest, or
had been provoked by Executive indscretion or
usurpation, that conceament should be denied.
1t may have been policy, too, for party de-
manding that every dollar Of postage, and every
penny ofrevenue from customs and lands, should
be exactcd in gold and silver, TO cry "hush" and
"be still" while authorizing the issue aud re-
issue of wenty-oight millions Of paper money.
All this was natural enough. Nevertheless, il is
the duty Of freemen to expose and condemn men,
so inconsistent, and measures so i'll in accord
ancc either with high professions, or the public
good. "Minute men" may do very we'll for the
field Of battle, but men whose ideas are mcasur.
cd by foot rule, and then compressed into
minute, will not do for the field of intelligent dis
cussion. This abuse of the independent action
of the legislative power went so far at the close
Of the last session of Congress, that the commit
tee Of Ways and Means refused even to report
at all upon the noble bill appropriating half a
million of dollars for the relief Of the iamishng
poor in Ireland and Scotland. This bill was
slrangod in a committee room, and the House
by party vote refused TO instruct the commit
ltt Iclull luG Ulll VI llC upon
direct vote, the same majority had not the cour-
age to defeat it. The gentlemen had skill enough
10 throw out their nets 10 catch Irish votes, bul
not hearts equal TO the great philanthropy of sup.
plying morsel Of bread TO the hungry. 1t was
lawful to exhaust the Treasury for cannon and
balls, and bombs, and shells, and all the impIe.
ments of death, but for deeds of mercy there was
no tune, and no power. There was no good
will; hence all these stumbling blocks. There
was no inclination indeed to do an act of tardy
Justice to the aged widows of Madison and Ham
ton-none TO the memory of Jeforson-none
10 the widow of that gallant Captain McCrea,
who, after forty years honest, devoted, patriot
&c, and untiring service, died, leaving wife and
family dependent upon the charity of the brother
officers of the beloved and worthy partner of her
bosom. There was time to vote newspapers and