The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-01-16

CONGRESSIONAL DEBArEs.-DUPLrcITY.- fifty |
three points given by our correspondent from |
Washington, in yesterdays Herald, as being at
least fifty three distinct and different topics, which
will all Of rhem or less, be separately touched
upon In the course OF the debate slavery, which
threatens the country, afford singular illustration
of the utter hopelessness of all discussion, the
utter inutity Of all debate, the entire impossblty
of ever coming to rational and just decision in
any NATTER unless debate or discussion Is strictly
confined and limited to one single matter or issue.
The ancient trainers of the legal system which
once guided the courts of law, formed upon the
Saxon model, were so sensible of the truth above
enumerated, that they only allowed one separate and
distinct item to be brought forward at time,
which was called the issue, which always consisted
OF simple and distinct proposition. Hence,
double pleading, or Juggling two matters, or two
ideas before jury, (Which they called duplicty,)
was strongly dscountenanced, and if a pleader at
tempted such thing, his case would be turned out
Of court. We want some such system assuredly
at Washington city, and IN the halls of Congress,
not to prevent dupllcIty In debate, not to confine
the matter to one point by preventing two things
only being mixed up together, but to prevent
greater evil than double pleading, or dupliclty-
even to prevent " fifty -threeiclty" in debate.
Let us hope, that if there Is any wisdom in Con-
gress, that wisdom will take the matter in hand,
and think of it before 1t enters upon the debate
CUBA-ANNExArIoN.-Th credulity and igno-
rance of the English press, respect to the United
States, could hardly be better proved and illus
trated than by the instance they have lately given
of circulating articles which represent the United
States as about to invade Cuba! We do not no.
tice this affair for the purpose of wasting word
in attempting to prove the absurdlty of such an
idea, for absurdlty Is often made respectable by
attempting to dlsprove 1t, which, by the by, is
always most difficult thing. But the folly Of any
respectable public journal giving substance and
taDgibty to such silly rumors, which are but the
idle offspring of gross ignorance and malice, Is
something passing explanation. The London
Times, in giving currency to such statements,
knew, no doubt, at the time, that such a report
was worth about as much as a report that the Gov
ernor of Coney Island was preparing an expedtont to
invade the territories of the man In the moon. In
vasion is not, and never has been, the policy ofthe
people OF the United States. We did not invade
Mexico, In the late war, aggressively, though we
put down the armies which menaced us on our
frontier, and pursued them to the very. seat of
government Yet that war, because it seemed so
much like invasion, was not favored generally
throughout the country, much as the prowess and
exploits of our brave generals and soldiers were
applauded and admired. If ever we get Cuba,
(and we do not want it,) Cuba will come to us, we
shall not 60 to Cuba. The people of Cuba will So
licit, and we shall simply consent to the annexa-
ton, if it ever occurs.