The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-16

remarkable curiosities in our history of legisla.
ton. There are one hundred and fifty-three of
them, besides twenty-five joint rules between the
two branches; and, with all this, the parllamenta
ry law is in full authority In addition, there
a thousand presidents, conflicting, contrary. and
utterly uninteltigbe to the most astute observa-
ton. The result Ia we cannot look back with profit
to the legislative experience of the past. He then
pictured the effects of this state of things, and
showed how measures were defeated by the "ieger
demain" and the "thimble-rigging' practiced:
One fourth of the session had been consumed In
settling points of order, which were not worth
button The Speaker had been blamed for decid-
ing wrong, when, to decide right, would require
him to be as wise as Solomon and as Old as Methu-
saleh. Appeals are taken, decisions reversed, the
yeas and nays called, and 80 on He had read the
rules all through, and had been 30 filled with dis
gust as to believe that not even schoolboys, with
the master over them, could be governed by them.
Three OF the important bills have been
passed under the gag, when gentlemen had not
had al opportunity Of examining them, impa-
tent was the majority for the previous question
If caprice only is the rule by which public bust
ness is to be transacted, he wished it to be un-
derstood. Inasmuch as the House never did any
thing without a suspension of the rules. it would
be better to abolish them, with the exception of
half dozen, and go back to the parliamentary
law. The committee of which he is a member.-the
Judicary-had not been called upon for reports
for fourteen months; and SO with other committees
In conclusion, he said if things thus continued the
people will come to the conclusion that representa-
tive government is failure. 1t became them all
to secure the confidence of the country; if not it
would be regarded as glorious change to have
master. Nothing will satisfy the people but
prompt discharge Of duty.
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia, wished to say a
few words in reply to the extraordinary speech of
the gentleman from North Carolina. The evil to
which allusion made ia not to be attributed to
the rules, the ssabsurd rules of the House; and
he asked the gentleman to point out single rule
which contains absurdity. A large majority of
ri
not Legislators transact business under them at that
time? Did not Legislators do the same in 1910, 1872
1920 and in 1925! But very few rules for the last
quarter of century have interfered with the order
of business in this House. The evil is in the com
position of the body itself 1.-THE genteman's speech
is to go to his constituents let it carry this message
for him, Mr.. STEPHENs) the fault is in the
bers. Send Legislators and statesmen hither, not
demagogues, and you will soon have the calendar
cleared. The rules good and wise; conform
to them, and you will clear the desks now groan
ing with the weight of bills. Put in the chair
man who understands the rules properly. Let
men be sent to Congress who understand the pub
lie business, and you will hear no complaint about
rules. He believed that the heads of committees
had been remiss, otherwise the public business
would not have been delayed.
Mr.. McLANAHAN inquired how chairman of
a committee could make report unless under the
rules. The Committee on the Judiciary had not
at all been called.
MIR. STEPHENS replied that if the chairmen of
committees had the confidence of the House they
could make their reports.
Mr.. McLANAHAN said it was to be regretted
the heads of committees could not command that
confidence. Let the gentleman point them out
Mr.. STEPHENS replied that perhaps he might
begin at point which would not be agreeable to
the gentleman. He further argued that the me-
glect of business was owing to the members and
not to the rules
Mr.. STUART said he was not going to contend
that the rules are what they might be, but wished
to show that the rules might be better admins |
tered if it was the disposition of the House to do
it. 1t was principle, perhaps enngrafted on our
nature, when evil is existing in the land, to |
charge it to source other than ourselves If the |
House at any time, this day or any other day, |
would undertake to execute the rules in letter and
ia spirit, there would be no evil such as that of
which gentlemen complained. 1t was competent |
or the House, every day, to go to the Speakers
able, and remain at that business as long as the |
majority pleased. Early last session the Home
stead bill, on motion of the gentleman from Ten.
aessee, MIR. JoHNsoN,) was madea special order,
and the majority OVERRIDE the morning hour and
went into Committee of the Whole on the state
Of the Union upon that measure. This was con-
tnued for four months, regardless of the business
lie Lands had come in for it's full share of blame
for retarding the public business; but no sooner
had bills been reported from that committee than |
the opponents of them resorted to every possible
means to prevent direct vote upon them.
MIR. AVERETT said that the Committee on Pub.
lie Lands lit was matter of history monopolized |
wo-thirds of last session, by starting out on the
,bstract notion that if you referred their bills to
he Committee of the Whole on the state of the I
Union it would be the death of them. So they
moved the previous question, without allowing
discussion upon those bills.
MIR. STUART resumed, and said it was unjust
o charge the Committee Public Lands with
,bstructing the public business last session and |
low. The opponents of the measures, he repeated,
escorted to every parliamentary means to prevent
! vote upon them. The House could easily have
ated nv on he for |
question, whether the bills should pass or not
Mr.. JONES, OF Tennessee, wished to ask the
gentleman whether any opponents of those bills
aver got the floor before the previous question was
demanded.
Mr.. STUART was surprised to see the gentle
man 80 short in his memory. Did he not know
hat every one of those bills was drafted on the
same model of the Missouri land bill; and did
ne not know that the last named bill was discussed
airly and freely before the previous question was
jailed upon it? The House as we'll informed
lpon the subject as if the debate had continued
hree months.
MIR. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, (Mr. STUART
yielding the hoor,) wished the gentleman to state
On what day the special order on the Homestead
Dill commenced, and how long it lasted.
Mr.. STUART replied he did not know
Mr. JOHNSON rema ked he understood the gen
teman to say the special order lasted four months
But it commenced on the fret Tuesday in March
and passed on the twelfth of May. Other business
was transacted meantime, and the bill itself post.
poned once or twice. When the gentleman gets |
up to make statement he should know the facts, |
and not state what is untrue.
Mr. STUART said it was certainly unkind |
when the gentleman occupied the floor by his |
courtesy, to conclude his remarks by personal dis
respect.
Mr.. JOHNSON remarked such was not his in |
tention
Mr.. STUART said if the gentleman had treated |
his courtesy satisfactorily himself, he had to
him. However, he adopted the expression of Ches-
terheld, "A wel-bred man meier will insult me, |
and no other can"
Mr.. JOHNSON remarked that If the gentleman |
intended to make any personal allusion to him be
could have selected some other place.
The CHAIRMAN called to order.
Mr.. JOHNSON said the record bore him out
and his remark was that no gentleman should state
what he did not know to be the fact; and if he did,
he should not state it differently. The gentleman
wanted to throw out Lord Chesterfield to him; and
he would state the quotation in the following Ian
guage:
cam to set my life upon throw,
Because bear is rude and surly! No:
clever, sensible, we'll bred man
Will not insult me, and no other CAM
Mr.. STUART replied that the gentleman was
as fortunate in his poetry in his etiquette. To
undertake to cope with the gentleman's BELLE
lettres would i'll become him; notwithstanding
Lord Chesterfield made use of the remark to which
ne Mr.. So referred. He had cndeav0red to treat
gentlemen with orI {ooGr