Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-03-29
Congressional " Cabbage I"

Philosopher Greeley still maintains his post at
Washington. As whipper-in to the Black RepublI-
cans, and agent in general for the supply of " back
bone" to weak bodied politicians, one would con
elude, that he had his hands full. But the gentle
man is endowed with a versatile genius, and CITED
with an indomitable capacity for labor; and he finds
time to beStow attention upon n great variety OF
subjects. Knowing the ropes-having tried them
himSelf-and for ought We know, having, during
his brief Congressional career, profted by the ex-
perience. he is admirably qualified, on the old prin
ciple of setting n rogue to catch n rogue, to expose
the moral o~bliquities and profitable peccadilloes for
which the Honorable representatives of the people
are becoming somewhat famous. The subject, which
at present engages the patriotic thoughts of ph:loSo-
pher Greeley, is the annual practice of Congress in
voting To its own members a large quantity of books
under the pretext that said members need infor-
nation, and the public good will be subserved by
their enlightenment. The prctcXt is, no doubt, well
founde for il would be difficult to find 200 men.
taken in~discriminately, any where in the Republic,
less obnoxious to the charge OF letters, or freer from
all faint Of wisdom, or more addicted to brandy and
faro. ar more incapable of constant and useful labor.
But whether the e~xpedient of supplying them
with books will remedy the evil is another and
very different question. See what Greeley SAYS
VIZ SN H"gNN N'lHNA bNNON II EtucTil
understanding is that the books are not used
for the purpose protested, and in many cases.
it is notorious, that members never receive the books
at all-Seling the certificates for them and pocke,inr
the money. The SUN which each member thus
votes into his own pocket out Of the public treasury
amounts to 81, 200-nearly as much as the Der
diem.
Certainly no very high standard of morality can
prevail among men, by whom such n practice is toll.
Grated. But we have not TO learn at this dav. that
the members of Congress, taken as a whole. are far
from being fair representatives of the integrity of the
American peopl II we had labored under such
an illusion, the scandal spread abroad some few
years since by the committee, which investicr.
ted tn general misconduct of members-and
especially that relating to Colts patent, would have
d~iSSipatcd it How many Honorable members had
Colts famous tye-shooters in their pocketS-the i'm.
piled consideration for their vote>-we forget at thi,
present writing but Mr.. Letcher, the chairman o.
the committee, could doubtless supply the informa.
tion TO any who desire IT.
But to Greeley, exposition Of the system of Con.
greSsional "Cabbagc" in the item Of books
ut has beeu the custom of Congress for a good man,
years to vote each of it, new Members a generous suppl,
of Books of II public or official character. The allowanc,
20 each Member used to cost about $500 ten or fifteen
years ago but u has been enlarged by successive add.
tions to the lit until, ! understand, the cost j. now about
Sl,2pn. The number of new Member, in the present
Congress must exceed $50, 20 that the Book
will cost the Treasury at ! at Sl~so,oo0-probaLly morr
And what guaranty is there that the public will driy,
any benefit tlerefrom (? The grant j. justified on tie
ground OF urgent public necessity but no security j. cN.
acted that the Books shall be % retained and difu,ei a.
10 minister 10 that Necessity. Congress saws truly tha,
certain National archives ought To he accessible IN Arknu.
sas. for example and il gives them " the Members from
Arkansas To meet that public necessity but il leave.
those Members perfectly free 70 sell those very book a.
Au-Irnnfpun ne IL No. AAE O. V-, o.. Ill A. ...
OF receipts Tor them, and never take the Books at all l.
this right
DO YOU say that honorable men will not act 50 basel,
as this would beY-tha; they will feel bound to execute III,
trust IN the spit which prompted its creation. ! oly
answer that tins assumption is a. regards some Members
of Congress, rcidted by MEMORABLE facts. Thus Col or
stated in debate To day, that there is at least one work
the American Archives, If | mistake nOt-Of which hut
1900 copies were ever printed, vet Congress has already
distributed 5000 copies OF that work, aud the supply l..
still abund ant. Can this need exclamation?
The hr-t motion on the Book question TO-DAY was Oh,
90 suspend the rules 20 as to permit the introduction al
che usual resolution. This prevailed by tile heavy vote al
l2O to 30. 80 the resolution was admitted. Then Mr.
Geo. w. Jones Of Tenn. moved that each Member erti-
lied 10 ticm be II liberty TO take the cost Of the Book in
money instead OF them-an amendment which would have
received more votes IL the Press were a. fettered her. "A.
~ France or Austria OF course. it was voted down. -
Ihen NJ sherman OF Ohio moved 3 substitute, allowing
each Member to take, Instead Of the books contemplate
in the resolve-of rather, Instead Of such Of them as ma,
be out Of print or out Of date-other works of cglal val.
ne-'oi a public character / heard him say, but / au
very sure that clause j. not embodied in his proposition ~
submitted IN writing sud adopted. / am confident that il
any Member chooses 10 make up his 81 200 worth of W.
very Novels, Mother Goose aud an assortment of Law
Phvsic Or Divinity, according to his vocation or his taste
there l. nothing in the terms Of the resolution to forbid IL
nst thi- went through OF the Yeas and Nays-Yeas, go,
Nays, 81.
II make no comments but this. hut lam va-v c,,fI.,t
that TINS resolve might have been ~ drawn ~ 10 secur,
all the public advantages contemplated without being cX
posed TO the objections ] have hastily indicated. N. e."