Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1856-02-07
THURSDAY. February =, 1855.
Banks Elected.

Banks Elected.
The long agony is over. Banks is
elected Speaker, the fell spirit Of aboli.
tion-incarnate in one Of its most violent
and INSCRIPTIONS representatives is en-.
tbroned in the Capitol, The tedious and
protracted ballotings Of the last two
months are ended. the TORI. mt of Congress.
sional oratory is for the moment stayed,
public curiosity is satisfied, and popular
opinion is indignant. Thus we have the
singular spectacle of faction welding
the powers Of the most numerous branch
Of the National Legislature, without repre-
senting a majority Of the people. For in
reality the Black Republicans are at this
time in a hopeless minority over the whole
North. They haveof late been defeat
ed in almost every electoral contest either
by the Democracy or by the American
party. and yet in the House they reign su.
preme. The explanation Of the anomaly
u found in the circumstance that the
present members Of that body were elect.
ed under the influence Of that intense ex.
element which pervaded the non.slave.
holding states after the repeal of the Mis-.
souri, Compromise and before the reaction
in the public mind had manifested itself.
We believe this is the first time in the his.
tory Of the Republic that the object Of the
elective system has tailed, and the will Of
tho majority Of the nation been nullifed
by the action Of it's representatives. The
fact il Of : nature to produce serious re.
Election, for it's recurrence under different
circumstances might endanger the interests
Of the country and even destroy the exist.
ence Of the government. Supposins that
Congress in the clashing ofimpo.ent parties
had failed to organize, or when organized
should havs refused to vote the supplies ne
csssary ior carrying on the government.
What would have been the consequence |?
Why, revolution by the mere pis inertie
the mandataries Of the people, while the
people themselves in whom alone resides
tho so-called right Of revolution, would be
In favor Of the continuance Of the govern.
ment. The only manner in which the de-
structiou ofthe government could be avert.
cd 10 such case would be by a fragrant
usurtion Of power on the part Of the Senate
and Executive, the nation would be saved
and public order maintained by trampling
on the Constitution. Let us not imagine
because the present state Of affairs is un.
e,ampled ia the past, that il will seldom
recur in the future. There are unmis.
takeable indications that the public mind
Of this country, more particularly in the
densely populated regions Of the North, is
becoming corrupted with fearful rapidity,
that il is becoming more and more tickle
and irritable, that it is more easily swayed
than IL the days Of our forefathers BY the
sudden and vehement impulses Of passion
and Of prejudice. In view Of these cir
cumstances some efectual means should
b devised Of preventing a majority elect.
Cd under tho influence Of an ephemeral
excitement from abusing its power. la
England, and we believe in an the other
Constitutional countries Of Europe, this
object = secured BY investing the chief Of
the Ezecasivs department with the right
OF d'ssolving At pleasure the popular branch
Of government and directing another cleo
ton. The trainers Of our Constitution
bearing wildly in mind the recollection Of
tho repeated abuses Of the royal preroga.
tive in the Mother Country. desired to con.
fer on tho President only such limited
powersess ars essential to the exercise Of
his duties, and considered the power above
referred to e too exorbitant to trust to the
hands Of . Republican Chief Magistrate.
But tho character and elements Of the
American people have undergone great
changes since the era Of the sages who
founded this government, and demand cor.