The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-03-08

passage OF measures recommended by the Executive and
mperatvely necessary put beyond hazard the speedy
termination OF the war Abiding statement that
IN time OF war, the present Congress, having suffered
eight weeks to eapse without referring the Presi-
dents message 10 the committees of the House of Repre-
sentaves, has passed during twelve weeks of session
up to the Sd instant only fourteen acts public and pr-
vate, and JOINT resolution, the Iniegencer seeks to
this criminal neglect of the most urgent pub
lie business by the whig majority of the House, as fol-
lows
We challenge a comparison between the action of that
body during the past welve weeks that of the
House OF Representatives in which the administration had
majority OF nearly two one, during the precise
period of its first session Upon the third OF March, he
date taken by the Unon instead OF the number of
and resolutions passed this session. there had passed
acts and tao joint resolutions and the
BILE thirteenth of May of that yearmore than months
later than the dateat Congress had passed only
treUe which, the day mentioned the
hastily added bringing the number up to four
teen-the exact number already passed by the present
Congress.
In the nelligencers elegant and classic phrase
this most lame and impotent apology more than sac
knouledges the corn to whole accusation We
charge the present House of Representatives with a
most strange and guilty neglect and delay of measures
demanded by the public safety and the highest public in
terests IN time Of and the only defence which
be rumped up is, that more than two years ago. when
the country was IN state Of profound peace, demo-
cratic House did not override most haassng and peril
nacious wing opposition, and legislae swiftly
when there comparatively little immediate urgency
in the public AFFAIRS than the present House has done
when the position Of army in Mexico and the whole
state of relations with Mexico make the urgency
most pressing; when in fact, the very hope of Sc
cure peace hangs in great measure upon the prompt
ness and fidelity with which Congress shall discharge
its Legislative duty
But how, in another point of view, stands the
comparison which the Inteigencer has challenged be.
tween the action of the House of Representatives of the
last Congress and of the PRESENT. Within little more
time than took the present House TO refer the Presidents
message the las. House had passed the great vote of the
otce to the Oregon territoy-had passed it after
the fullest and perhaps the very abes debate ever heard
on that floor some ninety speeches having been made
upon had passed it the head of the most violent
wing oppostion-and, in addition to all this had, with
the aid of the Secretary of the Treasury dgested into
shape in two great measures, vast and comprehensive
and most wise planof reform the whole commercial and
financial system Of the country Even while all this was
doing in the early part Of the first session of the Goth
Congress, did not fail from time tme to call upon
its democratic majority, in strong TERMS to make more
haste in their great and good work. Yet now, when we
come to compare what that House really achieved with
what their wing successors of the present House have
accomplished it seems almost as if we had turned from
contemplating the abos of Industrious and healthful
giant, to scan the unwilling dawdngs of querulous and
refractory pigmy AS to what the ntegencer says of the
capacity and the decorum OF the present House, we make
no objection to it at all 1t is the will ony-the patriotic
will to forget faction and remember the need of the coun
try--i is this only that is wanting.
And, to estimate Alright the present comparative def
cheney this respect let compare the action of the
House in the two Congresses al time when, from the
similarity the actual condition OF the country,
fair comparison is possible. We have what the
present House has done in twelve weeks of time
Let us see how with the last House in war time
War was recognised existing the 18th of May,
1916 In tmelpe days from that day inclusive Congress
passed nine acts and two joint neutrality-suspicious. as
many the present Congress has passed tceve ,ceeks
Again within less than ttOcUe weeks following the day
of the recognition of the war; the last Congress passed
one hundred and seuenyree acts and ,ceny joint reso
utionsy Again within tcslre eeks of the last session
of the last Congress-the country being STILL as now in
war--there were passed hundred and f1yfve acts
These facts show how the business of the country in
time of war has been attended to the House of Repre-
sentatves when alternately under democratic and wing
control.
The nelligence refers the delay OF the passage of
the ten regiment bill in the Senate Doubtless its delay
is to be regretted but has from the action of wing
senator's avowedly anxious to delay or defeat the
ure and avang themselves for that purpose OF the set
tied usage of the Senate to permit its debates to proceed
almost without other limitation than the good pleasure of
the individual senators who may desire 10 take part in the
discussion.
AS if to get rid of its main topic the 1ntegencer closes
its article by repetition of its silly notion that the two
articles recently published from two London journals,
showing that the British public has already begun to
terrain more Just and liberal views of the with Mex
co were written dictated by Americans in the interest
of the administration. The Integencer most strange
" speaks of silence this point We made no haste
to contradict the Integencers ridiculous assertion upon
this NATTER because did not think worth contra
dieting But when found it paraded day after day in
the columns of the wing organ, stated that to
accidentally obtained, it totally without
foundation The articles quoted bona de evidences
of growing public sentiment in England, and, as such,
they do credit so far they CO. to English intelligence
The "Inelligencer" berays most uneasy conscious
ness of all this in the desperate and futile efforts which