Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-05-13
From the Louisville Journal.
The Febleness of the present Congress.

Inc feDleneSs OI Tile present. Jung less'
When President Taylor took his seat in
the Executive Chair on the fourth Of March,
lS49, the United States Senate contained
four gentlemen of great distinction who are
not now TO be found in that body. Those
four gentlemen were acknowledged by COM
mon consent to be the ablest members Of
that body, and would have shed lustre on
any body of statesmen the world has ever
seen. Of course we refer to Mr.. Clay,
Mr.. Webster, Mr.. Calhoun and Mr.. Ben
ton. The brilliant though cratic Carolinian
has been removed to the world that lies be-
yond the tomb's dark shadows, while his
great contemporary and opponent, MIR. Clay,
is still lingering dimily amid those shadows,
awaiting his not-to-be-delayed removal ''be-
yond this visible diurnal sphere" Mr..
Webster's presence will not probably again
give dignity to the Senate, and of Mr.. Ben
tons return to that body there is hardly a
chance. So long as four such men contin-
ued members of the Senate, it was an emf
nently respectable body, however much me-
diocrity, utterly contemplate in such n
place, in which there is so strong an aroma
of ancient greatness, might surround them.
But these giants are hopelessly gone,
from the places that once knew them, and
from which they have often rayed forth
light on the minds of their listening country
men. The Senate is greately weakened by
their removal from its councils. That body
now resembles forest, once majestic and
magnificent, from which the all overshadow-
ing oaks have been removed, and which,
with the exception Of very few stately
specimens, contains nothing but "scrubby'
trees.
When one thinks of the Senate and re-
fleets on what it has been in former years
he can scarcely resist the tendency to des-
pair. Who are to take the places of the
of giants formely of that body? Who are
to be the great leaders in Senatorial
contests? Who are the men that are from
time to time to address their countrymen in
tones of lofty wisdom from that place of old
renown? And to whom in that body shall
the country look hereafter, when peril thick
ems and the black cloud of discord hangs
mutteringly on the brow of the horrzon?-
On whose shoulders have the nantes of the
prophets fallen?
Alas, if hereafter faction and discord shall
rend this Union, we fear much that no great
man will be found in the Senate whose ac-
cents of honeyed wisdom can persuade his
countrvmen TO cease from strife. When
again the political ocean shall be dashed into
fury by the tempest, what voice will be able
to hush its clamor, and to command with q
spell of power its angry waves to be still.
The Senate still contains few men of
eminent ability and of acknowledged wis
dom. What amount of influence they would
be able to WELD in critical period we can
not say. We fear, however, that no one Of
them is so enthroned in the affections of the
country as to be able, however wisely he
may speak, to bid the raging passions of the
human heart to cease from their warfare tc
evoke the spirit of harmony, and to quel
the demon of discord.
A large majority of the present Senators
are utterly without influence. They are
distinguished by their INSCRIPTIONS parti
IAN zeal far more than by ability and com.
prehensive patriotism. Such men are un'
fit for stations in body which has beer
pre-eminently distinguished for wisdom, ant
where the recollections of the past are
blended with great eloquence and grea
deeds, the eloquence which moves tht
world of the human heart, and the deeds
which give unfading laurels TO the brow:
of tbs actors. In the places of the mighty
statesmen of the past, in the seats of thos'
worthless who have achieved world wild,
and enduring fame for the republic, ar,
now seen little men who are addicted to thu
whims of partyism, whose minds cherish
no thought that rises above the most vapiC
common places of common men. AnC
worse than mere common place is the fac
that several of these men are the creatures
of vices that society contemns, men who's,
chief feats are recorded in the annals o
blackguardsh drunkenness, debauchery
peculation and fraud. Men, whose asso
citation would be condemned by all thos
whose instincts are gentlemanly, and who's
sentiments are truly honorable, are nov
seen in the Senate of the United States
where in former years were to be seen me-
in gigantic intellccts and noble moral ma
lures! The change which has come owe
the Senate is disheartening. The rever
ence which used to be felt for that body
now unknown, and until some man, worth
to be named among those great and shinin
light which have now passed beyond it
walls, shall rise and vindicate it from tn
charge of littleness, the country will nc
look in that direction for counsel and instruc
ton in periods Of fearful peril and disaster.
five turn from the Senate to the House c
Representatives it is turning from a plac
of shadow to gross darkness. The preser
body of Representatives is the feeblest tn
country has known. There is not ma
capable of leading the forces of either part
in the House. Speeches in which there
not one brilliant or wise thought, are cheer
ed as if they were worthy of the world
attention. Such speeches are precisel
worthy of such body, but such body
utterly unworthy of the American people
is unworthy of that magnificent republi