The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-12-01
From tie National Ittetligencer.
Legislative HiStory.

L
of those who have attended to the Legis-
lative history of our country that with the
growth of our Government the complexion
Of the Senate of the United States has
gradually varied from that which it ap-
pears to have worn in the infancy of our
political institutions; and that the charac-
ter of its deliberations more and more
nearl y approaches the Representative
chamber
The Senate, on its first organization un-
der the Constitution, secluded itself from
the public eye, and appears to have been
considered rather in the light of Privy
Council to the President than as a co-or-
dinate branch of the Legislature. Indeed
if we mistake not, it was so termed in
conversation occasionly, if not in official
proceedings of that day. There are not
many probably of the present generation
of readers who remember the fact that in
the first session of the first Congress of
/ the United States President Washington
personally came into the Senate, when
that body was engaged on what is called
Executive business. and took part in their
deliberations. When he took the Vice
Presidents Chair, and the Vice Presi-
dent took that of the Secretary of the
Senate; one or other of the Secretaries
heads of departments occasionally accom-
panied the President on these vists.--
The President addressed the SEN
ate on the question before them, and in
many respects exercised power in re-
spect to their proceedings which would
now be deemed entirely incompatible with
their rights and privileges. The practice
however, did not long continue. An oc-
casion soon arose of collision of opinion
between the President and the Senate on
some nomination, and he did not after
wards attend, but communicated by mes
sage what he desired to lay before them.
At this period the Legislature as well
as the Executive proceedings of the SEN
ate were always transacted in secret ses-
sion, and the public knew Of the procee-
dings of that branch of Government only
from its messages to the other House an
nouncing its decisions. 1t became eyi-
dent, however, that, in practice, all re-
possibility to the constitution under such
circumstances was ideal; but it was not
until the goth of February, 1874, after a
considerable struggle, that the Senate
came to resolution that its Legislature
proceedings should, after the end of that
session, be public. and that gallaries
should be provided for the accommoda-
ton of auditors. On this question we
find the yeas and nays registered, nine
teen members having voted for it and
eight against it.
From the day of this triumph of popu-
lar principles the Senate has gradually
parted with the character of reserve
which appears to have belonged to it
By the increase of its members from the
admission of new States into the Uuion
It's legislative business has become so la
borious that its peculiar character of an
Executtre Council is almost overlooked, =,
notwithstanding the great Importance of
this feature in our Government; and the
debates in the Senate are of much greater
length at this day, in proportion to the
members composing the body, than those
of the House of Representatives.