New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-01-22
Why does Congress Move so Slowly s-Dis-
posaI of Private Claims.
Correspondence of The Tribune.


WASHINGTON, Saturday, Jan. %.
The People ask. and should ask, why so little
is accomplished in Congress--why days, and
weeks, and months glide away, yet leave no re.
cord Of Congressional progress--why so much
time passes and 90 little else. 1t is due TO Justice
and the public interest that the truth should be
tod, so that the blame may measurably be placed
where 1t belongs. shall, far as possible, avoid
giving cause for individual offence, though | Am
not quite sure that may not be a compromise Of
duty.
Yesterday the morning was devoted to settling
the Pacheco case then liz being a Private Bill
day the bill creating Board of commissioners 10
investigate and report upon Private Claims was
taken up In Committee Of the Whole, and Mr.
ROCKWELL Of Conn. spoke All hour in explanation
ofits scope and provisions using up What renal ID
OF the time devoted 10 its discussion. He closed
little before O'Clock, and it was now time 10
proceed to voting on the various anne men.s pro-
posed, under the five minute rule. An hour thence
forward. when the Members were anxious 70 ad-
journ, might have suticed ~ pass upon half the
sections OF the bill. But motion was made that
the Committee rise, which prevailed by stand-up
vote the Committee rose, snd-against the urg-
ent remonstrances of Mr.. Vision, who is entitled
70 Difference at least from the msority-the House
adjourned
This morning, Private Bills being again the or
der the House went into Committee very early
hardly twenty minutes after the hour Of meeting
and again took up the Commissioners bill. There
was now reasonable prospect that the bill would
be earned through Committee and nearly prepared
for the final action Of the House. But amendment
was piled on amendment, half Of them merely az
excuses for speaking and so were Withdrawn az
soon az the Chsirmans hammer fell TO cut off the
hve-minute speech in full flow The first section
was finally worried through, and the second there
are sixteen) was mouthed over for half ali hour or
90. At O'Clock amendment was ready 70 be
voted on. tellers were ordered and behold no Quo-
rum. The roll was called over Members came
running in from the Hobbies aud oungine places
large quorum was found present the Chairman
reported the fact to the Speaker, and the House
reapsed into Committee again. The dull, dronng
business OF proposing amendments which were
scarcely needed, making FIVE minute speeches that
were not listened to- and taking votes where not
half voted and half of those who did were ignorant
VI ~has eheS were Young upon, proceeded some
fifteen minutes longer, when the patriotic fortitude
OF the House gave way, and motion that the |
Committee rise prevailed. The Committee rose, |
and at once motion to ad journ was made A |
call for the Yeas and Nays was refused, only
dozen Wings and never the sign of Loco oco |
rising in its favor; and at 30 minutes past O'Clock
the House closed the seventh week of the SEES.
sion, leaving but six more TO come
Tho Private Claim Commissioners bill. |
presume, is doomed. apprehend it will never
emerge from Committee, or, if it should, it will
probably be in such shape as to secure its certain
defeat There seems TO be on the part of a large
section Of the House, vague and blind hostility
to Private Claims,-an impression that they must
oH be trumped up rasoaly pretences, because
many are This seems to me wrong. Yet all
must realize that Congress is a very bad tribunal |
for tho settlement Of such claims-that they can |
not be properly considered here-that they inter
fere too much with the proper business OF legisa-
tion-snd that Member with half a dozen claims
from his constituents to look after cannot do his
duty to the whole people so thoroughly as he 9th
erwise might do. | would hail with eadness the |
passage OF any bill which would transfer his bus
ness to more mcthodioa, reliable and fiji tribu
nal. But to-day's ndecision and no progress con
vinoes me that nothing will be done