Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-03-20
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.

which prevented General Cass from doing
his whole duty to the country in the matter
Of River and fIarbor Improvements, in the
Senate, but i, was his "concientious scru>
pies"
The phrase, in which he declared his nten.
ton Of taking 60 part in vo ing or acting ar
ter IL o'clock Monday night, is liksly.to be
come quite as memorable as his allusiou 10
the "noise and confusion" al Cleveland.
I'm A MERE LOCKER on" said General
Cass. when his name was called after the
hour we have mentioned, and from that mo.
ment he was as mute as an oyster. His voice
was weaker than it was at Cleveland for it
was not heard at ALL The General sets up
| for better conscience than other people,
and goes in for the law as he understands it,
without regard 10 the understandings Of his
brother Senators, This matter OF the termi.
nation Of the session was put in its true light
in single remark of Mr.. Jefferson Davis
Owe have 10 do not with the calender Sd OF
March but the political Sd OF March, and
we have RICH! TO say when it ends; but let
us fix the hour" This is so in accordance
with the uniform usage Of Congress, and is so
clear in itself, that we must confess we are
surprised that General Cas- should not have
seen it in the same light But he is a strict
er constructiouist than even so straight>laced
person as Mr.. Jefferson Davis, and exhibits
most tender conscience on all bis political
as well as all his religious duties. On Sat.
urday nigh, at IL o'clock, he gave the 60 by
TO the River and Harbor Improvements on
religious scruples. On Monday night he
withdrew himself from the contest on the
ground Of his political scrupes. 1t is de-
ightful 10 witness this maiden sens bitity in
a man who has been SO long engaged in the
soaring striles OF par!iSanship. A conscience
like this, is as beautiful az rose in its morn.
ing freshness; but we fear that it is some,
thing too delicate for Baltimore Conven.
ton. They want conscience Of "sterner
stuff"
"l'm a mere locker on" said the General
when the fight waxed warmest over the Riv,
er and Harbor bill, and when i, was doubtful
whether the struggle would no! occasion the
loss OF all the appropriation bills. 1t was
no sert OF consequence what was going on.
the General was "only passenger" His
whole course on the bill has been precisely
tina, which we foreshadowed on Friday morn>
ing last. If anybody can tell whether he
was for or against the bill, whether he desir
ed its defeat or passage, or which side he was
playing for, he is better at divining than we
pretend 10 be. We watched all the proceed
ings OF the day and night on this bill with
the deepest interest, end shall lay them be-
fore the country in their minulest details.
The noble and decided bearing OF Mr..
Clay in this n'~s' ;rnrnrtan. J.Latv,
matter OF universal observation. He did
everything that gallant leader could do 10
secure the passage OF the bill; but the rules
Of the Senate threw too much power into the
hands Of the minority and he failed to gain
for the people Of the lakes and the Mssis
sippi the lrfling boon which be solicited with
so much earnestness and zeal. And when
the whole matter was over, and the bill was
lost in spite OF all his most strenuous exer>
tions-and when, few minutes before the
close Of the session, Mr.. Hamln, from the
Committee Of Commerce, caused Light.
house bill to be passed through all its stage S
by general consent, no man who heard Mr..
Clay's emphatic appeal can ever forge, it,
Il wish the country TO take notice." said
the Senator from Kentucky, "of the facility
with which Lighthouse bill for the Allan
tic coast is passed through all its stages with>
out obection--whle a bill for similar pur.
poses on thejwestern waters is opposed and
defeated by means the mos, extraordinary. >"
As tie debate on the River and Harbor
bill is destined long 10 exercise an importsnl
influence on political affairs, and as the great l.
est disappointment will prevail at The defeat
Of this benefcent measure. we wish 10 remind
the country that the present Administrator
has taken the strongest ground in recommen
ding the Improvements which it contemplate;
TO The attention Of Congress. --RepuJlic.
NEW POSTAGE BILL.
We take the following sketch of the