The true Democrat., 1854-07-26
CONGRESS SIGNAL.
M Senate, June 27, IS;
NEW POST ROUTE.

consent and agreed to:
 Resoluef, That the committee on the DOS office and post roads inquire into the expedien cy of establishing post route from Hamburg in Arkansas, to De Glaze, in Louisinana, vii Woodvllle.
 MT. JOHNSON of Arkansas, made the fol lowing remarks upon the proposition to adjourn and meet earlier next session:
 Mr. JOHNSON. 1 am very anxious tha this Congress should adjourn at an early day am exceedingly anxious that the long sessions of Congress should be shortened I think ; majority of the Senate would be exceedingl, glad to get home at the long session sometim, within period of seven months. At the dis tance which some of us live from here, w, must necessarily consume one month in going and coming. Take almost the shortest sessioI that we can now have under the present sys tenn, and we are nine months in one year ab sent from home. Then in three months we are compelled to be back again at our posts.
 Now, SIT, see no way, with any kind of cer tanty, by which this extraordinary long session consumed, as it is, by long speeches and by dis cuSsons, (to shorten which there is seemingly nc moral or circumstantial coercion, can be closed and the business considered and transacted. un. less by adopting some such method as this. feel that If the short session be heightened by commencing earlier, we shall all of us be under the necessity of adjourning earlier at the long session, tor the purpose of spending some little of our time at home. If this can be done con- sistently with the public business, why not do It! That It can be done, seems to me to be clear from this fact, that when we go to the short session. and contemplate It as It now Is, we see that the first month is entirely lost in the mere act of reorganization, and ln antici- patton of the holidays. The whole of that month IS wasted away, so far as regards public business.
 am asked, and hear the Senate asked se- r.ousy what object we have in view in this operation? Why do you want to lengthen the snort session? Do state some reason why this should be done. MT. President, one reason is shortly this: that when you have given your- selves one month more anterior to the Christ mas holidays, you will have secured, as be- leve, two months of actual work in place of no work at all. Why? Because neither this branch nor the other branch of Congress will consent to waste two whole months; but the holidays being long of in the distance they will not lose the whole month of December but will work up to the time when the holidays themselves are to commence. We may lose
 
 the operation. So that by giving ourselves one month more at that particular period of the session, we gain two months of time This is no slight thing in regard to business, as gentle men wish to know for what object we would do thls It Is no slight thing in regard to our business; tor how are we now situatedin regard to the long session? No one knows when it is going to close. No one will hasten any parti- Ularh h1s case, he says. "I do not understand it; I am against It, so lay It over for the present, until can look at it' There is no particular neces- sty to look at it, and the time is wasted, and business Is laid over, one piece after another until we are forced by the hot weather and by the necessity of spending some little time at home to adjourn. But let them know that by shortening the first session they must % on at once and act upon business, and they will do so. Let them know that if they have not acted on It, and cannot act on it at the first or long session, there is hope left that the bus- ness may be done in the second; when. in fact. as 1t stands now, we know that in the two months of the short session there is none at all. In that view of it, 1t seems to me that we gain in regard to the business which is transact ed, and we escape one of the most serious ob
 
 the opponents of this measure At the short session, under the change, there will be some time for consideration. There may be some de- bate upon subjects; there will be some time for discussion; and intelligible votes can be intel igently given upon the particular subjects that may be before us; whereas now they are voted upon, as it is said, on confidence, for there is no time for consideration. That, sir is an object to me. The object is twofold. I want some chance at the second session to do that busir ess that is neglected or rejected at the first. want that there shall no longer be any excuse, but that We may have plenty of time to go on ad dbltuma in transacting our business. 1 want again to escape the hot weather of July and August. l have been here for the last six years; and l can say that in that time We have invariably sat out the month of July. have never known an adjournment at the long ses- sion during that time earlier than the 7th of August There is no hope entertained here, I imagine no Senator entertains the hope, that we shall adjourn at this session before the first 0 Augus.. 1 have no idea oft. Idonot think l. practical. do not think that it can be done; and sir l have no certainty in my mind that this body will adjourn before the 18th or 2O6h ot August. We should have adjourned on.the first Of August, if we had fixed the day at the proper time, because Senators must go home; they are bound to do so, and attend hat to private business; for every one knows that the compensation which they receive here un- der the costs of living and of incidental xpen- seS Is not only nothing, but it brings upon them, when they live as gentlemen dead loss.- They must attend to business at home to sus- tain them here in the discharge of the public service. It is purely service of honor that we have here; and some consideration should be given to the fact that gentlemen have to live, and have families that they are bound to support.
 see no way in which coercion can be put upon that dilatory spirit which seems to afiict Orh Houses of Congress, but to compel them to come here at an earlier day. Thatwill cause them to adjourn earlier in the long session, and we shall also equalize the two sessions, and af- ford at each very nearly an equal opportunity for the discussion of all subjects which will pro- mote, materially, the public good.
 The inconvenience spoken of, so far as my State IS concerned-and it is one of the ex- treme south-I do not think we shall feel at all. The case of Mississippi is cited emphati-