The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-03-05
MORALS AND MANNERS AT WASH
INGTON

INGTON.
There is no reason in the world, says the
New York Express why the Congress of
the United States should not be as dignifed
and respectable body Of gentlemen as the
Parliament of Great Britain. So far, indeed
as talent and intellect, Legislative capacity,
and all the other staple elements Of slates-
manship are concerned, the American Senate
ard House Of Representatives need not be
ashamed to court comparison With the House
Of Lords or the House Of Commons; but is
it not melancholy and humiliatirg fact,
'hstmanners and morals, as daily illustrated
in the Capitol al Washington, are Of much
lower standard than that which is usually
insisted upon in tho British Legislaturc'-
The tone of debate is undeniably higher
than here,-and even upon occasions when
subjects Of the most exciting character arc
up for discussion, there's rigid abstention
from coarse personalities, or personalities Of
any description, which We could wish our
Senators and Representatives were not
above initiating. Party spirit, at times, runs
as high in Parliament as in Congress, and it
but rarely happens that the lines which divide
there the supporters and opponents Of the
government are not drawn as tightly as our
own,-yet how seldom is the discussion of n
public measure dis6gured and degraded by
the unseemly impeachments Of individual
character and motives, unhappily so common
a feature in the proceedings Of Congress ,
A "scene" in the House of Commons, in
fact is az great a novelty as would be the
passing away ofa week here without a
~seene" in the House Of representatives.
Now inasmuch as the National Legislature
is held to be to no inconsiderable extent, an
epitome aud reflex Of the national character,
the press may with proprieiy renew its ap-
peals to the people 20 exercise closer scru-
tiny Of the characters Of the persons who are
sent to, as ifrather to disgrace than to rep
resent them and the country at Washington.
We appeal to the people. We say.-for an ap-
peal to the self-respect of Congress, we fear,
is but an appeal to the winds. We must
have fewer fighting men in the House-few-
er demagogues in the Senate--nOt so many
duelIists in either Chamber, and more real,
well.bred gentlemen in both. Men can have
no respect for themselves who engage in bar
room brawls or murderous attempts upon
each Others lives. But, if they can be sup.
posed to have any respect left for their con-
stituents, it does seem to Us that that high
sense Of honor 10 which they ostentatiously
advance so many pretensions, should prompt
them to resign their places and 60 home,-
for we have still too high an estimate of the
virtue and intelligence of our countrymen
in all sections Of the Union, TO believe that,
in the class Of men We are describing, they
find their fairest representatives. II is GER
tainly high time that more scrupulous ex-
animation Of The moral qualiic ,tions of mem.
bers should be instituted by the public every
where, than the machinery Of party politics,
as things stand at present, would seem to
permit; but nevertheless, until such eramina.
lion be made primary duty, it is idle to ex.
pect a change for the better. Party machine
ry is strong and tcugh,-but we all know
how it can be broken TO pieces when a whole
some public opinion is brought TO bear upon
ii. We are tired Of having rowdyism and
rufianism countensneed in high places at
home, and held up in derision as the practi.
cal Development Of republican institutions
abroad,