Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-07-02
NUMBER I3.

! interference OF the Speaker. It mist be a
FIRM and durable material which withstauds
the constant and severe application of the
Speakers hammer.
During the -lons term OF years in which
Henry Clay was Speaker OF the House, he
seldom or never used his kammer Either
through his influence presiding oEEceF,
/ oF II better sense of decorum among the
/ members, dignity and c7aer marked the pro-
ceedings of the House all times. Rat If ev-
er there were occasion To call TO order, and
a slight departure from the rules of the
/ House was deensed ar occasion-it vas do41e
and effectually dune, by simple tap upon
the Speakers desk with folder or penknile
! 1t while member was addressing the House
two Others out OF their seats and Whispering
even IN front ct the Spre akers dess, E9r. Clay
would request the member to suspend his
remarks till order was restored. An anec.
dote related recently by vsuerabie gentle
man, aud a model legislator, who was a
member OF Congress thirty years ago, will.
! Illustrate the settIifseItt which, perVaded tire
House ut that time in regard td the deport-
ment vi members while in their seats. Now
as has been remarked, members are con-
stantly seen with their Ieet, both feet, upon
the tops of tbeir desks, in the most vulgar
and unyanly positiv.e Imaginable. The
desks, as is known, are elegant and expen-
6 ", being IHstde of oak, richly and elaborately
curved Ii is notifying TO the spectator,
aud it would be no doubt grating to the feel
isg Of your Messrs. Dee & Hazleton, the
rgsln UT luTers of these desks, 10 see fife
heclS OF nirmb,rs Of CoueTess, which, like
their heads, are nor always of The wost del
icate structurey ~ eisch sopgtf Ent destruc-
tive conteet with their beautiful handwork
Fire aaecdote alluded to is this-Mr. Vance
member OF the Ii Juse, was laEae !; and to
relieve tsissseH froH% paiEy he c4Te day raised
hAs foot to- tire edge OF the desk. Mr. Clay
obsc rvllFg his position, sent one of he pages
to him to remind him that he was out OF Of
der. He looked up, ard cGtehinn tire Speak
ers eye, graciotrsfy 5owed an acknowledge
ment OF the justice of the rebuke, and re-
sumed ais customary dignified and decorous
position.
AT the time referred to no interruption Of
members while speaking were allowed
/ Now such interruptions are constant, and now
are 50 generally and indiscfiHi inaeeiy fndalged
in as sometimes to create the extre me st
confusion Fhep, speaking to the question
even in committee vi the whole, was strictly
insisted upon, and the Speaker was accus-
toned to remind members whenever they
r ambed or deviated from the question in de-
bate. There was of course 10 occasion for
members to call one another to order, as
| they now do necessarily. That office was
then properly discharged by the Speaker
Now, the latitude ard toDeIitude of debate in
consIFittee Of the wiroie is uHbouRled ard
rnmeasured by any rules Of the House or
any laws Of propricty. Then. when the
House Eesogyed itself into committee of the
whu4e il was Customary. for the Speaker TO
60 down AMI take part in the debate. Now
the Speaker retires to his private room,
which is fitted up with palatial magnifcence
for the reception ef his friends, and is seen
no more till the rising of the committee,
which during his absence scarcely rises to
the dignity of political caucus, much less
to that Of a town meeting or debating
Ciety.
There are other matters connected with
the deliberations of Congress, and with
comparison of the Congressmen now and
those thlrty years ego, which are worth no
ticiDg, but Tor which there is not room now