Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-03-10
THHyIRGINIAN.
A. W. c. TERRY, EDITOR.
The close Of the xxxlss Congress.

| Anc close OIL the AXKAW Congress
AS an acceptable substitute for original
matter, the absence Of which IS explained
by an indisposition that units Us for la
bour, we occupy our editorial space with
the closing and exciting scenes Of the thir.
ty-6rst Congress.
1.-THE first session of that Congress was
marked by turbulence and convulsive
throes that shook the whole body polite
and held it poised on the pivot of madness
ready to beoverset in an instant by the spir-
it Of faction; so has the late session been
distinguished, until just at its close, not only
by the absence of excitement, but by posi-.
tive insipidity. 1t was emphatically a
''do-nothtng" session. The whole work OF
three months was crowded into as many
days, and the consequence is, much Of ii
was left undone and more still, perhaps
badly done. So hurricdly was the Senate
compelled to transact business in the clos
ing moments ofits existence that, bills had
to be read by construction and signed with
the rapidity oflightning,to getthem through
Can it be wondered at that the laws are So
often defective, when the Legislation Of
Congress is made in such haste, and marked
with such levity!
We subjoinan extract from the editorial
correspondent of the Richmond Times who
was an eye witness to the closing scenes
Of Congress:
| CONTRARY to approximations, universally enter
tanned, the Appropriation Bills, which are nccessa-
| ry TO keep the wheels ofgovernment going were f.
nally passed. Some of the friends ofthe River and
Harbour bill, at o'clock Monday morni- q Irwin
rersevered Tor seventeen consecutive hours in on.
da'"Oring To obtain vote and having forced the
minority iuiy to disclose their purpose of defeating
the bill by factious delays agreed postpone it in
order that the appropriation bills might be acted
upon. IL was difficult concession for indcpen-
dent Senators feeling themselves to be ia a clear
majority, to makc.-But the country will applaud
them for ii, whilst it will rebue the extraordinary
course pursued by the minority.
When Alr. Clay made his motion Monday morn
ing to take up the River and Harbour hill he dis.
rinctly declared, tina; if III, minority would avow
|
occupying the remaining hours of the session with
offering amendments and speaking, lis friends
would give up at once, and pass other business
The ayowal was not made, aud for the evident r. a.
son that gentlemen in the minority were unwilling
| to stake themselves such an issue. But thew az
forwards did what they declined TO say they meant
10 do, protesting all the while, with strange pre-
sumption OF public credulity, that they only wished
TO improve the bill, and by no means to waste time.
| far
Filtic carnestness, that in cnusing Mr.. Elects re-
port on the Mississippi delta TO be read, he did moi
mean TO consume the precious time of the Senate,
but simply to lay before the body instructive mat
| ter pertinent to the amendment he had offered.
| Nh. Clemens, however. was rather more candid.
After reading Mr. Folks message on Internal I'm
provcments Cor a speech equally long, | could not
| tell which, in voice dcsgncdly too low TO be
heard, he snid be had several other documents of
| the kind to read.
| One fact was particularly observable in the dis
cnssion, viz: that nearly every Democratic Senator
who opposed the bill, rcpudiaied the old Virginia
doctrine that Congress has right to appropriate
the public money for Internal improvements Gen.
Cass ayowed himself the friend of the improvement
drivers and harbours, but he thought this bill OBJ
jectionablc yet it is still doubtful how he would
have voted. Mr.. Douglas, the junior candidate of
the North West for the Presidency declared out
right that he would vote against the bill, (he il
much bodcr man than Gen. Cass) but he limited
,,'s 20 t'le ia't mar tle appropriations
~ ''i 81 u'''', 'i'e eSuiateS submit
- ~ i"o'o was i'I nm
VI a -'% '"qs on'iic'er so was MT
defined his position" The Simon Pures such as
Messrs Mason, Hunter, Nulee, &c. did not choose
to cmbarrass their Northern friends by obtrudine
'''i'' 'oi'S' u'tioh mo the
,Ti,,
u " - Puss,u al '"e pi'seu' SESSION. docs
.oiu'ii'' ''ll 'ar t''', mos, i'nP"r
n - ri l"s''' ~ '''' dst eisi' n"uIs oi
Sc go, ~ "iii'n 'ie iesisi'iion
'i - I''S IN ~ oe '"'luurteo Is grew
-. va aI'o 9lro1'n 70 tne country Inc or
ai"ns "n" in'' 7i'.us'Die business Is postponed
4 Nh, !, III, uuys u eie session. aha
rn,;on Tbe Ls nn.t ,i,a II, ,,a9 I; III
sbnpc IN which thew hapnnn u ~ u u, in
One treat reason of his itntc Of ,hircs i at Tho
Senate leaves ii to the House to originate the an
propriafion bills and the rules of the Uouse ,noLe !,
almost impossible, to progress with nny ncnsnre
until lis consideration becomes imperative MANY
experienced members are of opinon that the entire
abolition of the present complicated system of rules
and return TO the old rarliamert,rv law wonld he
wise Some change must unoucstiouablv he object
cd or the government itsefwill sink INA dsrennte
In addition to the culpabe neglect Of business
which has marked the present session. it is the com
mon and am pained TO believe a t,,e. ascertain
that. corriptinc influences were never 50
IL or so efficiently brouobt to be,r unon ve,al ,o
prcscntatiyes The vast number of persons who
conrrerate in Washington 10 prcss priva,e chi
or proposals arc aprly called an Outside oYrrrss
and its importance has oflnte been reatlv cnb.rccd
bv the peudencv of those vas: contract proposa. f
steam lines, dry docks. Sc. which fgnre 10 arrcl,
!" rio lioee'ui'Ss o. lne r'sniar congress
oil in ,be sc,., roro H.. c;a,,1 -, ~
perfcctlv snfr Mr.. Psarce of Nnrvland ;ns;sted
upon stating his views of the case. which wo,,ld
lave exhausted the tvsutv minutes 1ce, It.,
twelve. and Mr. Fnote permitic, tho resol,,ion 70
e-n. Ii is surIniscd Il cannot say how corrertly)
that N consequence Of the disanpoiptment NJ.
-. 4, r,,y !, urn 10 Richmond. III. cl,v worr.
hlrt - IT may 49, - 49, 10y ""i M