Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-12-27

Or The ,hirl lecture before The Mechan-
ic.' Association was delivered on Wednes
day evening, by H,race Greeley, Esq, Of
New York. As We predicted, there was
larger audience III there has been on
any previous occss on, notwthsL ndirg the
inclcmercy Of the weather.
Mr.. GreeIey's subject was" The Am
cr!can Congress" After some brief intro
ductdry re1 arks, he con mcnced a series. .of
sketches Of the most prominent and notable
members OF the las, House of Representa-
lives, Of which he was member he
spoke Of Winthrop, Vinlon, Stephens,
1oomIs, Rhelt, Hudson A'hmun, Cola
mer, Wentworth, Holm,s, Mckay, More
head, Schrnck, Caleb Is. Smith, Charles
J. lngerso Meade. Sawyer, Vensble,
Houston, Boyd, Potter, Cobb, Burt, 7.
Butler King, Root, and others, giving per-
sonal descriptions Of each Of these gentle
mep, Ih'p marked charac srstics las men,
<nd IAs pos Oh each occupied ii oongress.
Tc the oli,cian and close o. server OF men
and things, these pen and ink portraits were
readily recognised as correct and faithful
in the main. Mr. Greeley said, as every
onc who knows anything abou, political af-
lars at The Capitol is full aware, that 1t s
not those who are constantly jumping Vi
and or ing OF, " Mr.. Speaker" and who
are orclcst conspicuous in the ncwspa-
prrs, who are the mos, useful men. Far
from it your John Randolphs and Wises,
said ho, never Lurden themselves with the
labor and work of the House, are never
there when ihee is nothing of special inter-
est undcr consideration, and are always at
their curriers' in ample season for dinner
II is the har,l-working coma ii,es-mcn, he
SAID, who are the ractical and valuable
members ri Congress. I he House, he said
VAS a modern bcdldm, a sc-ne Of constant
confusion and angry turmoil.
After skeicbing these portraits, Mr. Gree
Icy made a tew suggestions in regard TO
Congress. ona reformation. He was in
favor of a reasonable reduction of ths pay
of members he would have a graduated
scale Of rates, such as six dollars per day
for c cry days actual attendance upon the
House, no, including Sundays, and four
dollars per day when member was detail
eda: home by hi. own indisposition cgh,
dollars per day for each member who had
served six years and over in either House,
AID tNelvc dollars per day for the Char
mhn Of each Of the ,hr principal Com
mi,tccs. He was opposed 10 paying the
members an annual salary, as in thai case
thsJ would NJ, attend half Of the time, and
both Houses would often be without quo
rum,-Our fath'rs were wise men, and they
had shre~dly guailed against this con,in-
gency by making the paw per diem allow.
ahce lie was also opposed 10 the voun-
tary service system as this wosld shut the
doors Of Congress ~ ains, all but the rich,
nd those who had friends 10 be served and
taken care OF. As to the Mileage, he
thought that ought to be lcss, as the rates
OF fare and the time consumed in travel
ling had been greatly reduced in th"se
days. He would no, nantes, niggsrdly
iarsimony, but would allow fair mileage
so that man might travel comfortably to
Washington and have hisexpences all paid
The mem! ers fom Louisiana, he sal !, now
receive two thousand dollars each in mile
age, when it only costs them a hundred
dollars each TO travel 10 the Capt. j, aud
there was no eathly reason why the p.o.
pie should be taxed so severely aud uni al
ly by lhls system of mil ,agc.
lie thought that too much regard was
manifested in the seleciion Of members Of
Congress for strict party Ines, aud thus the
beet and most useful nen were often shut
out from the National Legislature. Too
much time was wasted, he said, in transac-
ing The publ c'busincss. And in this res
peci he was particularly severe on The press
Of Washington, charging tho conductors
with Jerelieiion OF duly in not speaking
out on the snhpct Washington editors
aw both Houses ldjoum iOr ihice days at