The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-26
The House OF Representative.

Whole, on Saturday, and will, no doubt, be
reported to the House to-day If proceeded
with Immediately by the House, a day or
two, il is believed, will suffice for its consd
Grafton and final passage there. Then comes
the struggle in regard to the important mea-
sures which have been adopted and sent down
by the Senate with view to the pacifcation
OF the country, and the restoration OF peace and
harmony between the different sections of the
Union.
We learn that there is growing disposition
IN the House to proceed to prompt, and, as
far as possible, satisfactory adjustment of
these unhappy and distracting questions. Ger
tainly that is what the people Of the United
States now most anxously desire at the hands
of their representatives, and it is what those
| representatives owe to the country, to the
Union, and TO the cause of free government
| throughout the world.
| We are aware that rreconcable differences
Of opinion, and widely variant conceptions by
representatives of the duties they respectively
owe to their immediate constituents, as well
as to their common country, will preclude any
subjects. To each one of the measures in ques-
| ton, as it has come down from the Senate,
there will doubtless be found minority forIn-
dable alike for talents and for numbers That
this minority should exert itself to the utmost
| should put fortl all its strength, and resort to
all the devices which parliamentary tact and
address can suggest, in order to defeat or amend
measure against which it feels it to be its duty
to array itself, is natural, reasonable, and pro-
per. But when this strength shall have been
fairly put forth, and these devices fully resorted
TO without success, then it is the part of wis
dom, patriotism, and duty in minority to yield,
50 as 10 permit the ascertained will of the ma or
ity to have It's way. The rules for the govern
| ment of the proceedings of the House were de-
vised and adopted to facilitate the despatch, as
well as to ensure a due consideration of the
business before it. They have been, in many
instances, framed with the special view of
guarding and protecting the rights of the mi
nority. But to use them. or to attempt to use
them, to hinder and prevent the action of the
House altogether, or for an indefinite and in
convenient period of time, particularly when
such action is peremptorily demanded by the
public interests is an abuse, for which, in our
humble opinion there can be found no decent
pretext or apology whatever.
| We sincerely hope that no such course of
proceeding will be entered upon by the opposers
of any one of he important measures which
now await the action of the House of Repre-
sentatives. 1t would, in the end, be sure to
fail in its object; and it might possibly beget
excitement, and lead to scenes of disorder, con
fusion and violence, which the whole country
would deplore, and none more than the immedi-
ate actors in them, when reason should have re-
sumed its sway. We have no idea whatever
that such scenes are in the contemplation of any
member of the House. We are sure that moth
ing of the kind is contemplated. But who can
tell taking into view the exciting character Of
the subject to be discussed, and the deep feel
ing that pervades the minds of members from
both sections Of the country in regard to it,
who can tell, we say, TO what untoward
results late sittings, and protracted strug-
gle between the majority and the minority OF
the House, each TO exhaust the energies and to
| weary out the pdllcHCt VI lHe OllltT, might NOT
! lead
Should a struggle of this sort unhapply en-
sue, the majority of the House. we should
think. will be at no loss as to the course proper
for it to pursue. at will maintain ;" we doubt
not, in the language Of one of the members Of
the House, ''its constitutional right to control
legislation, with calmness, dignity, and firm
ness; and, avoiding all disordcrly and unbecom-
ing exhibitions of excitement it will, if need
! full, adjourn from day to day, even to the end Of
the session, that public opinion may come up
to the rescue" and rebuke the authors Of 50 in
defensible proceeding.
The importance Of the crisis. the magnitude
Of the questions to be discussed and decided
| upon. the momentous issues which they in
volve, and the peculiarly exciting nature Of the
subject to which they relate, call in an eminent
degree, for self control on the part Of both the
majority and the minority, and a careful avoid
ance, on the part Of each, Of the use of language
calculated to irritate and offend the other.