Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-22
MISC Z L L A n Y.
BENroNs DEBATES OF CONGRESS.

BENTON ) DEBATES OF CONGRESS.
This is a noble work 1t is a work that was
demanded, and it has fallen into the righ, hands
Three volumes have already been issued, and
the other thirteen will he shortly forthcoming, at
the rate It's Bracrian Editor labors We give
below a very thorough review of the worA from
the Ncr York Ereninq POST and we need only
add that it is published by Messrs. Appleton &
Co., of New York, and Foett. Foster & Co.,
Columbus. and is for sale by Messrs. Bragg *
Co, Cleveland
The record, which are here abridged are all
authentic, reliable. AMI sanctioned by resolves
of Congress. and their great value has been ac-
know'eGged hy some of our most eminent states
men aud constitutional writers. The purpose
of this publication is to make accessible 10 the
people a mass OF important Information, which,
on account of lis quantity and price, has hlthcr-
TO been out Of their reach
Mr. Bcnton's great Abilities his large expert
cuce in natio' al affairs, his wonderful industry,
and his independence of character, are so well
known that to speak of his fitness for such
work would he quite superhuous In respect OF
utility, it may he doubted #. in all his long and
evcntu career, he has rendered the public a
greater service than il the prcparat on of these
volumes II is to him a Ia or Of love and 0f
pride e-rcsusciatlng the patriotic dead, putting
them in scene again, p iSsjnI them IN long pro-
res ion over an extended domain--no one skip
ped. and each in his piece, with the best Of his
works in his hand"
The debates of Congress have been accrung
now for some seventy years, and in their orGl-
nal bulk cannot b purchased for less than $500
But few copies were comparatively printed hy
/ ~ II 4 - .,,...l.,
members but few ever reaching the people, to
whom they were of little use on account Of the
great quantity # obsolete, local and transient
matter which ovcroads them An works ron
sistiug of periodical accumulalions require pen
odi,a abudacmcnt by being cleared of what
is supcrluous the rcsiduum becomes more val
liable because more readily consulted, and more
accessible to the community, from the dimlnu-
ton Of price and quantity" Mr.. Benton ex'
poets that some fifteen or sixteen octave vol
umcs, in double columns, will contain all that re-
,aius a surviving interest in the (more than) unc
hundred volumes now surchargcd with thc full
debates
The ahridgcmcnt is rot restricted TO the
speeches of the celebrated orators, but extends
| TO those of the business men and to the palmer
speakers, who are often the members who give
| the most useful information. III his introduc-
ton. the editor says:
Full spccches are not expected to he gwen,
there being none, after IA short time, which do
not contain much matter which has lost It's in
teresl MANY entire heads of reported proceed
ings and discussions would be omitted, as The
morning presentations Of petitions, often the same
for ten or twenty years, and presented in both
| Houses at the same time discussions on private
b lls which have no general interest mere per-
sonalites: the endless repetition OF yeas and nays,
somcjim recorded an hundred times in CON
tests about the same bill, when three or four sets
would be sufficient to show the opinion of every
member upon every material point repel'tions
OF speeches, for it is impossible that member
speaking for ten or twenty sessions on the same
subject, (ta iil' national bank, internal improve
mcnt, &c. J should not repeat the same thing
over and over again.
The annotalions which the editor has scatter
ed through these volumes contain much excel.
lent criticism, and impnrt to them interest an
pqudncy. They are not very numerous, but al
ways pertinent and judIclous, aud touch on al
most every political subject. Among some oI
The most instructive are those pointing out the
changes that have taken place IN the manner OF
communication bctw, en- the various departments
Of government. Formerly, when any lniorma-
lion was wanted from the secretaries, they we're
" call d before the oeuatc To give explanations
and bring paperS-a method uuw superseded ny
reports. The early senators lamentcd the change
believing the old way to be The best for getting
the Information that MAS wanted, aud also the
hest security against the appointment OF neon
pctent secretaries" In reference TO Mr. Jellrr
sons innovation of sending message 10 the i've
. Houses at The commencement OF session, in
stead Of appearing in pcrson, MIR. Benton re
ma ks
: "Jhe former way Of assembling the two Houses
to hear an address in person from lhe President
I rcturniu an answer to It, the Two Houses gong
in om 10 present their answer, and the inter
venlioa of repeated committees to arrange The
details of these ceremonious meetings, was con
0 sdcrcd too close an imitation Of the royal mole
\ Of opening British Parliament Some Of The
t Democratic friends Of Mir. Jefferson doubted
whether This change was reform in that part o
it which dispensed with the answers of the Presl
dent, ! ,r view of il was, that the answers tc
The speech afforded regular occasion for sprak
ing to the state Of the Union, sud to all the top
les presented, which speak ng, losing It's resula
4 vent, would afterwards break out irrrgularly OF
= the discussion of particular measures EXperl
cncc has developed that lrregulariy, and an
other that OF speaking to the message on tn,
motions 10 refer particular clauses of il to appro
l. pirate committees, thereby delaying the refer
ence
, The readers attention Is called to several in