Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-02-18
Congress

NNh1lNbo
Has now been in session over ten weeks
The Washington press daily floods the land
with the speeches of members, most of which
may truly be considered most %grieyous in
Elections.
However, we may find, no doubt,
Some crumbs Of comlOrt-and we need 'em;
knowing though speeches may come out,
We are not always forced 10 read 'etn.'
Speech-making, is doubtless expected of
most of the peoples representatives at Wash
ington; but talking without acting is hardly
worth SO per day. The main object of the
members appears to be, not TO legislate for
the good of the people, but skiIllulIy 10 pre-
pare the way for the presidential candidate,
each political clique laboring to promote the
success Of its own avoEiie. And they are so
afraid their king will be clieck-mated, that
they dare not make an important move on
the political chess boald. The Ten ltegi-
ment BiIl-the nail upon which many Of the
Washington speeches have this wiuter been
hung-had not at the last advices been acted
upon. The Wing members dread coming to
a vote; and it is natural they should, for pc
%liticians have a kind Of hydrophobic hor-
ror Of defining their position when times
are so critical as they now are. The politi.
shrewdest sailor on the sea Of party cannot
calculate the effect of Il move, and fears lest
a sudden squall should come upon them from
an unexpected quarter and PROSTATE all their
hopes. We have read Of sra captains buying
good winds from Lapland witches, which
ihty united and set free as occasion mightre
quire; but if politicians have had such deal
ings with Lapland or any other witches, the
charm Of the wind seller must have lost its
power, for there is not a demagogue among
the buyers who can tell with any certainty
whether the knot he wishes, Yet breads to UNI
tie, will bring him ii fair wind, or Il storm
that will beat right in his teeth.
But action of some kind we suppose will
have TO come sooner or later, and it may be
that while we are writing, the democratic
Senate, and the vet more democratic House
have concluded, after ten weeks Of talk, to Do
something-not because they wish to, but be-
cause they must; and whatever Is done, viii
be done in obedience to the command Of sla
very, or else it will prove a rare exception tC
the practice of both houses of the American
Congress. What a solemn farce it is for thu
people to send TO Washington year after year
a parcel of men who pretend to act for tn
benefit If their constituents, and to labor 70
ciples, while they are ever bowling down t
do the bidding CT slavery, squandcring til,
public money for the advancement of thei
individual or party'S interest, and making til
nation infamous in the sight Of every lover G
truth. But what better than this can be eX
peeled of such a Heterogeneous mass as Con
gress is composed Of! There are %professe,
lovers Of peace and men Of war, dueilists an
anli-duellists, ayowed abolitionists and deter
mined shareholders, men OF piety and invete
rate s~collers, tee-tolallerS and drunken black
guards, who all meet upon a common Iegis
lative platform, each recognizing every othe
as a fit lawgiver and raler, a true represents
tive of American repubIicanism and America
morality, and bound together by the houi
oath Of allegiance to this bloody Union.