Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-23
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

yesterday, may not, and probably should no''
be considered as indicative of Discrimination
to adhere 10 the very false and dangerous
position in which that body had placed i'seii'
as regards the Army bill but may De attri-
buted rather to the absence OF so many mem.
hers fversipe upon ffty) the presence of many
If ubom fvho NO doubt will promptly return
10 the cityl will change the decision. There is
no doubt that had the late session been prolong.
ed two hours more, agreeably to the resolution
of the Senate, the obnoxious and uncon.
stitutional proviso would have been stricken
out for on Mr.. Campbell's resolution to insist
ON it, the vote was ayes SO, noes 103, and had
there been time to have taken the direct vote
to rocede, it would have been carried by the
same or greater majority.
The conduct of Speaker Banks in adjourning
the House whilst the call of the yeas and nays
was actually being made upon agreeing to the
resolution Of the Senate to protract the session,
was probably the most unparliamentary and
uncourteous act of power ever exercised in
Congress. Whilst the House was actually ia
king the question whether it would extend
the session for the small space of two hours, he
decided that it would not have the power to
express even an opinion on the subject, and
dissolved the body in the midst of the voting
Unless there would now be satisfactory
adjustment Of the vexed question, Mr.. Banks
will find he has assumed a responsibility which
will react upon him with fearful violence
On the adjournment without the passage Of
the army bill the question of re converting Con-
policy, or one of duty. The Republican party
in defeating the bill had assumed response
bility before the country which would have
reacted upon them with most disastrous effect
during the coming canvass, for they never
could have stood up before the dreadful con-
sequences which would have resulted from
their acts; and therefore as a question of po-
litical policy the President should have left
them to assume those consequences. But in
view of the results that would follow from
total disruption Of the army, to the settlers in
various sections of the more remote portions of
our Territory, including those on the Pacific,
New Mexico and Texas, he periodically re-
linquished the line Of policy and adopted that
OF duty. His message at the opening of the
extra session is worthy of every eulogy upon
| its temperate and calm language, and its sim
pie statement of facts without any attempt to
create excitement, or to increase irritation or
! sectional feeling, and for its avoidance of the
least approach to display for Buncombo.
The most extraordinary part Of the proviso,
which the Fremont party il the House insist
! on, is the obnoxious unconstitutional oblisa-
lions which it attempts to impose on the Presi;
dent by directing him to use the army for OBJ.
Jects and purposes not authorized by, but on
the contrary forbidden by, the Constitution
Were the bill even passed by both Houses in
the form required by the House, the Execu.
tive, under the solemn obligations of his official
| oath, would be obliged to veto it, as a viola.
| ton OF the Constitution. 1t is in vain to say
as some Of the advocates of tho proviso do,
that he can employ the army in any way au.
| thorized by lar; no law can authorize him
to employ either the army or the navy con-
trsry to the true intent and meaning of the
| Constitution.
L
can or will agree to this proviso, it is presumed
no one doubts If, therefore, the House really
intends to adhere, the dreadful consequences
portrayed in the message, which are obvious
to every one, will of course ensuc But surely
| there must be in the majority of the House a
sufficient number Of sound, reasonable, and
patriotic men VIII will not silently stand by
and see such state Of affairs continued.
| If the responsibility of the party now ru-
ling in the House would have been so great,
and no doubt so disastrous to them under their
action during the session just terminate ed, it
will be doubly 80, if now with full time for
reflection and for retracing their steps, they
should still persevere in their reckless and I'm.
constitutional course; and they will, when too
late, regret that they have adopted such an
unprecedented and ruinous line Of conduct,
which will overwhelm them beyond the hope
| of future political resurrection.
How They Triumphed.- votes were
given for the revolutionizing schemes of the
| Republican party yesterday in the House hall
| that gave rise to q manifestation Of much
| feeling one of them-that of Mr.. Bingham,
causing a blush to mantle the cheek of gen.
tlemen who value personal integrity in the in.
tercourse of members of Congress. He had
paired off with Mr.. Hall of Iowa, who while
| here refused to vote on account of Mr. Bing.
hams absence On the day before yeste rday
Mr. Thorington read from his seat written
agreement to pair off, signed by Messrs Hall
and Bingham, by way of excusing the latter
for failing to record his name on the current
questions. Yesterday morning Mr. Bingham
voted in the face Of that agreement, claiming
that Mr. Hall had authorised Mr.. Bingham to
get him another pair" and thus release him,
(Mr. Bingham;) and that Mr.. T. had accord.
| ingly paired him eff with Mr. Burlinyame,
who has been absent for some thirty days.
TA,N. =, Il