The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-23


From the st. Louis Istelligsneer, February 10.
Congress.
1t is very apparent that the people generally
throughout the country take but little interest in
the doings of Congress Those who do take any
interest are in the main men who have something
of their own to get through it-in the vulgar
phrase, San axe to grind''-and who, by them
selves or attorneys, haunt the Hobbies to ''make
interest," whether legitimate otherwise, to gain
their ends. But as to any general patriotic regard
for what Congress members are saying and doing,
the thing hardly exists. Such indifference is sig.
nifcant, and is to be regretted But it is natural
The truth is that for a long time such has been
the shameful neglect of real business by Congress
especially by the House-such the enormous, scan
dalous waste of time in various ways sometimes by
unnecessary adjournments sometimes by the use
of parliamentary stratagems for staying off serious
questions; sometimes, and more frequently, by
long, prosy speeches-one orator often repeating
if not diluting what another half dozen orators
have said before him, and full four -fths of all
who speak saying little or nothing of any value to
the question professedly under discussion-that
many people have got to think Congress regular
nuisance, which is paid for service which it does
not render; machine supported at vast cost, but
of the smallest possible working power.
we nave done what we suppose not one man in
ten thousand does. We have read the reports of
the debates this session pretty regularly, and while
we have found hundreds of speeches, big and little
which both for their matter and manner would be
listened to- with contempt in crossroads school,
mouse, we nave IOunQ many Otner speeches. which
well repaid the perusal But as to the most even
of these speeches, the question is very pertinent:
cui bono? Why will sensible and able men, day
after day, keep up the farce of round about talk,
expatiating the face of all creation? Is there
time for it? Why should everybody else-mer :
chants, seamen, mechanics, engineers, everybody
| be up and doing-aiming to make all possible de-
spatch and to to the point at once, if they
meant something and felt they were dealing with
| realities-while Congress members time as il
| they were antediluvians and expected to outlive
| the age of Methuselah.
One ruinous effect of all this is visible in the
abominabe neglect of real business; but the final
end it is difficult to foresee. How it shall be cured
| is an inquiry of the deepest interest Congress is
out of the reach of a searching public sentiment
and effective newspaper criticism. If that body
sat in New York or any other great capital, the
united force of the leading journals might posi-.
| bly, be brought to bear upon ii with effect. But
even this is doubtful If constituencies would
send only their best men to Congress, the common
sense of that body thus improved might lead to
great mitigations of the crying evil But as these
events are not to be anticipated, the Congressional
| question seems to be more hopeless than the slave.
ry question. Liberia 10 the solution of the latter
! We have provided vent for the discharge from
our shores of the blacks But what provision is il
possible to make for freeing the country of its
| worthless Congress members?