The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-18
Adjournment of Congress.

Adjournment of Congress.
The existence of the Thirty Fourth
Congress of the United States came to
an end on Wednesday forenoon under
circumstances more discouruging-not
to say blameable--t than any which have
evsr before fallen under our observation.
The appropriation bills, we believe, all
got through after some fashion, BY the
active and unwoaried sxertions of the
chairman of the Finance Committee of
the two Houses, and prolongiug tho sos.
sion until noon Of the 4th Of March, and
several other measures were enacted by
lacking them on the appropriation bills
but great mass of business has fallen
through. much of it being even denied an
opportunity to be reported by the com.
mittees which had maturej it,
We supposed that when this Congress
had voted to its members liberal fixed
salaries, it would have been regarded by
them as a point of honor to give the
same faithful attention to tho .ransac.
tions of the public business as was ex-
hibiicd by the Fourteenth Congress,
when the first salary compensation was
in fcrco but never were hopes more
sadly disappointed What with the
great portion of each day of the session
consumed in debate, the impediments
constantly thrown in the way of business,
by that peculiar clique of legislators who
Systematically oppose every thing but
the annual appropriations, aided by the
anomalous nature Of the rules Of prooco.
ding which requires a two-tbirds vote
for every motion. the great mass Of bust
ness was crowded Into tho last week of
the session, and for sevcra! days VIC Sc.
riously feared an utter ak-dowu, and
the necessity of converting the new Con-
grcss to pass those measures requisite TO
carry on the government.
Under these circumstances our readers
will excuse us il at this moment we are
unable to give them an ineligible sum.
mary Of tho proceedings which marked
the closing hours of tho late session.
Amidst the confused mass ofpropositions
hurried through the form. of legisla.
ton with precipitanoe which, though
rendered necessary by the antccedent
iachcs Of Congress, must still be regard.
ed as very little conducive TO a wise dis
elimination OH its part, we find it diff.
cult to ascertain what has been done or
what has been left undono during tho
last twenty -four hours Of tho late Con.
gressional term. We may cite, howev.
er, as a single expression of the evil We
dcplorc, that even measure of benefc-
lent legislation like that authorizing the
duties to be restored on goods consumed
by the great fire 10 New York, during
tho year lS45, failed in the disarray and
confusion of the hour to receive the sig.
nature Of the presiding officers. even af.
tie, it had passed 10th Houses Of Con-
gress.
1t becomes a serious question for the
consideration Of the country whether
such mode of legislation is to be regar.
ded asa necessary incident Of represent
alive Government, or whether its origin
should DO attributed to certain defects
in tho constitution or organization of
Congress which admit Of sure il not an
easy cure. In proportion as legislative
responsibility is spread over broader
surface there is doubtless a tendency on
tho part Of its individual depositaries to
ignore or forget that special and person.
al obligation which imposes upon each
constituent member Of the body the same
measure of fidelity which the country ex
poets Of Congress as a whole aud, if We
mistake not, the time has already come
when the people of each Congressional
district should hold their particular leg
islator to q stricter sense Of his represen.
tativo duty, not only to them, but the
country at largo, lest, by merging his
personality 10 the mass of those whom
the public agree to inculpa.e by gen.
eral censure, the roots of the evil should
fail to be reached BY q necessary appl.
cation of that censure to particular ca
ses. II even the time that is wastefully
fritted away in an unnecsssary--not to
say faotious-calling of tho yeas and
nays on nearly all questions which en-.
counter the opposition Of an inconsidera.
BILE portion Of tho members of either
Houses were devoted to the patient con.
sderation of the substantial interests of
the country and to the legitimate sub
jects of national legislation, we should
not be called to witness such an Assem-.
bly, and prejudicial haste in the transac-
tions Of the public business during the
closing hours Of each Congressional ses'
sion.
1t would, however, be uojus, if, while
giving expression to the conviction forced
upon us by the facts and circumstances
thus designated, wo did not except from
the scope and application of our remarks
the cbairmeu Of ths leading committees
in both branches Of Congress, as we'll as
the able and impartial Speaker of the
late House Of Representatives, uusur.
passed, If not unequalled. by any of his
predecessors 10 the same responsible and
exaciing chair. If tho dispatch of The
public business was often impeded, and
sometimes wholly frustrated. the fault
cannot be fairly laid at their door, since
the assiduity of the former so far as they
fall under his Jurisdiction, was ably sec.
onded by the efficiency Of tho latter.
In thus hastily alluding to the scenes
which characterized the last hours of the
aaaaian mat .Io.aJ ba.a L..