The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-08

ton instructing the Committee on Commerce
to inquire into the expediency Of repeating the
navigation laws Of the United States to the
extent Of throwing open the coasting trade to the
free competition of all nations. The'vote was
yeas SO, nays 70, not two-thirds. Several
private bills were passed; and a resolution was
adopted providing for an evening session, on
and after to-day, for the reception of reports
from the several standing committees.
Democratic Impediments to Public BUSH
ness.
We called the attention Of the people yester-
day to the gross abuses by which public bust
ness is obstructed in the House of Representa-
tives. by which the public interests are BETRAYED
| and private rights cruelty and wantonly sacri-
| feed. These abuses have been carried to such
shocking extent that it is impossible to trans
act any business whatever in the House if
miserable faction of thirty or forty members
undertake to prevent it. They have nothing
to do but move an adjournment, OF call Of the
House, and compel demand for the yeas and
nays, and the wheels Of Legislation are clogged
at once. This they do hour by hour and day
after day, merely wasting the public time and
| the public money, without accomplishing the
least possible good result. And we beg the
people to remember that it is a Democratic
House. with Democratic majority Of fifty
members or thereaDouts, who have brought
these abuses to their present aggravation.
Wing speakers and WING majorities have
been more successful in keeping down these
outrages.
We would remind the people that it does
not require the least intelligence or capacity
to move an adjournment, or call of the House,
or call for the yeas and nays with the view
| of killing time. "lt's as easy as lying" A
| man who can do nothing else can do that; and
man who will condescend to do it is gen
orally fit for nothing else. A man of high
honor, integrity, and intelligence, would not
stoop to it. He would feel ashamed to devote
himself to work which Ounce OF simpleton
could do quite as well as himself. A true
DEMOCRAT could never be guilty Of such con-
duct. The object Of it is to defeat the aoiu Of
the majority. not by votes, not by argument,
not by any employment of the reasoning facul-
ties, but by the interposition of Legitimate,
disorganizing, and revolutionary impediments.
Hence it is that you never find member, who
has brains enough for the discussion of public
measure, who will seek to defeat it by any Of
these irregular and unmanly expedients. It is
always your contriving, intriguing, incompe-
tent hacks Of legislation, who have little char
acter to lose, that engage in these ignominious
conspiracies against the popular and legislative
will.
Being Wine, we are in favor of giving
full and entire effect to the will of the major
ity, expressed through their constitutional or
gans. This is an essential WH1G principle,
and lies at the foundation of our institutions.
A man who seeks to defeat this will by indi-
rection may be Tory, or an Aristocrat, or
Resistance man and Fire-eater, or Free
soiler, or Coalitionist, but he is neither true
Democrat nor WING. Now let us see how
some Of the gentlemen act who call themselves,
Heaven save the mark! Democrats, yes De-
MocRATs. Now Democrat is man who
par excellence is a respecter of the rights, pow
er. and will of the majority. The name i'm
plies that and nothing else. Take the action
on Mr.. DORIS Wisconsin bill in the House on
Friday last.
Three votes had been taken in the House on
the yeas and nays that morning, which showed
that there was majority in favor of its pass
age. We have now nothing to say as to the
merits Of the bill. 1t is enough that there is
an ascertained majority in its favor. Well,
Mr.. DEAN, a Hunker Democrat, who now mis-
represents the eighth district of New York. and
In the next Congress will misrepresent the
twelfth district Mr.. GILBERT DEAN at an early
hour rises and exclaims, 81 naove that the House
do no,o adjourn" We hope that his constitu-
ents will duly appreciate the nature and degree
OF talent that are necessary to such an effort.
1t is precisely Of the same character as that
which enables John 1rott in the pit of the
theatre to hiss and catcall at performance that
does not meet his appreciation A legislator
need not be dean to move an adjournment
a Ounce could do it as well.
In order to put the members on record on
this motion Mr.. DoTY called for the yeas and
nays, and-lO2 nays to so yeas showed that the
House were not disposed to adjourn. This was
a decided rebuke to Mr.. DEAN.
In few minutes afterwards Mr.. McMUL-
LEN, Of Virginia, rose in the face of this large
vote against adjournment, and eloquently ex-
elaimed-"Mr. Speaker, move that this
House do now adjourn" Now could not poor
Poll do as much? And would not poor Poll, if
it had spark of any thing beyond what is
miscalled democratic" intelligence, have
been ashamed to do any such thing? Yes,
Mr.. FAYETTE McMULLEN, of the thirteenth
Congressional district Of Virginia, who has
been figuring of late in the quarter SEES
sjons of Philadelphia, and has had his certi-
orari quashed in the supreme court Of Pennsyl-
vania on the ground that there was nothing for
the sessions to certify except the plea ofguilty
to charge of assault and battery-Mr. Nc
MULLEN exhibited the intelligence, industry,
and attention to public business, which were
involved in the idea Of moving an unreasonable
adjournment for the purpose of defeating |
measure which tho maIorifv nf the HOrSn de- l