Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-12-23
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP

BUNKuM.-We are already being overwhelm-
ed with speeches in the House hall. delivered
for the ear of the country at large, without
applicability to any subject really under con-
sideration. These are what are technically
known as Bunkum speeches; while Bunkum
measures and bills. resolutions &c, prcp0siug
to do something for some interest, which the
mover desires 10 prepitiate; which he usually
knows we'll, will not be done by Congress.
The member makes Buukum movements 70
throw dust in the eyes of his constituents, and
in those Of the constituents of his colleagues
also, in case he has It's eye on seat in the
Senate, the GubernatOrial chair of the State.
or anything of that sort Thus, when the
public find member introducing bills to give
lands to railroads, in all directions through
his State, in some of which his immediate
constituents are we'll nigh as little interested
as the man IN the moon, they may write him
down esSayng to make Bunkum capital for
the Senate, or some other position in the gift
OF others than his own immediate constituents
Bunkum speeches and measures arise, for the
most part, from the impression of the mem
bers that the dear people are soft creatures,
| incapable, Of course, of seeing that the hon
orable gentleman is saying one word for them
and two for himself-public- spirited man that
he Is. While we arc certainly opposed to the
adoption of any new rule witch may. by any
possible chance, violate the principle of free
and fearless discussion of public measures
and public men, necessary for the prcserva-
ton OF our liberties, we should, by all means,
reJolce to have Congl eSs come to the sensible
conclusion to waste no more time in debate
designed only to let the country know what
Individual members think upon abstract 9ues-
tons not up for consideration when such
speeches are being made. This is the most
charitable construction we can place on such
oratorical efforts. Twenty-Five or thirty wears
ago, such speeches were rarely made in Con-
gress, unless by gentlemen whose individual
views had justly great weight with the whole
country; and by such members much more
rarely than at present. Now, however, the
custom prevails to such an extent as to crowd
the serious transaction of the mass of the real
business before both Houses of Congress- into
the last week OF the session, when bills, Joint
resolutions. &c, involving the expenditure of
millions of money, are disposed of in hot
haste, amid whirlwinl of excitement and IL
turmoil of confusion, which render it impos-
sible for fourth of those in the hall to I'M
derstand the effect of the vote they may be
giving. No man. who has served a term in
Congress, will deny that this Bunkum nui-
sance and evil has already greatly injured the
public interest. and is rapidly coming to de-
feat all national and we'll comprehended legis-
latiOn. No old member doubts the necessity
for putting stop to it. As for changing the
rule so as nOminally to compel members to
speak in committee of the WHOLE only on
business absolutely under consideration, we
| fear that the project will hardly 90 down in
| these days, when Congress pays out of the
treasury for the elaborate and extensive pub
location of all the speeches which have not
Sutilclent plth or information in them to war
rant their publication for the emil ghtenmcnt
or qualification of the country, by the pro-
prletors OF newspapers not paid for so doing
directly from the public treasury The rem
edy, it strikes us, lies in the adoption of the
custom prevailing in the English House of
Commons, where gentlemen who are incOm-
petent to the task of really enlightening their
fellow members on the business Immediately
In hand, or who are inclined to waste the time
of the House and the money of the public in
haranguing only in order TO benefit them
selves, are very tremendously coughed and
scraped down. We have seen the eXpedient
more than once resOrted to in the Congress Of
the United States on very extraordinary oc-
easiOns, always with justice and with admira-
BILE effect. Nothing else will correct the evil
Of this cach0thfS which is again about to man.
ifest itself in both Houses of Congress we
fear.
FACTS CoSCERNISG THE PRINTING OF Con
GREss As the Country appears o entertain
singularly extravagant ideas concerning the
profits made from The Public Printing: we
state a few facts connected with it. which
have been vouched to us as true by a gentle
man formerly connected with the work as
foreman of a Congressional printing office
We have every confidence in his representa-
tons, and have only to add that he ID now in
no manner interested i'll or concerned with
the work. Thus, from him we gather that the
amount received by General Armstrong for
printing for the last Congress, incluiinr the
great census tables, as will be seen biz the
report of the Superintendent Of Printing, was
1926. j95 60
Upon some of this work the profits did not
exceed 10 per cent. other portions about 40
but the gross profits, that is. not comprehend
ing tie wear and tear Of machinery. upon the
whole bulk could not have exceeded % ner
cen:. This is founded upon the best aata OBJ
talnable. The profits therefore, mot com
pretending the wear and tear of machinery
was about SCI. 39o 90
! To execute this work General Armstrong
| had on hand in material, an Office which must
| have cost him at least ........ SIS CnO
! lie must have purchased in addition
! IN presses, types. and other material
to the value of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. o, oon