The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1858-07-14
CONGRESS. pAsr AND PRESENT,

CONGRESS, PAST AND PREsLNl' q
Those who lived in the days when Gay f
was Speaker Of the House, will READ tne e loa, b
having with no ordinary interest. y = , p
I'M Washington correspondent q ahe Dos !
AN Cn,,rier. We are free TO say fiaeo'
thou reasonest well IS.
"Those who are not accustomed 70 WIZ
ness the proceedings Of Congress, anu VIZ
Nave net the means, from personal opse's ..a
ion. of comparing the present House wiz
HAT body as II existed 20 or SO years ago.
would End it difficult to believe the trulh ~
rs.ar,l ia II. A visitor to the House tor me
frst cine Y astonished at the want q dlghi-
~ and tlecorum, and the positive disofaet
aud s;mnltaueousness which attracts MS At
tention, The scene which ordinarily pre-
SAINTS itself il one of confusion. One nan "
NV members are out Of their seats--Malhliis
toana fro standing in the alley or IN the area
n front of the Speakers desk: gathered IN
Knots here and there, and engaged IN con-
yersation. not untrequentlg 50 loud a. TO We
Win / sneaker who may be formally ADDRESS
INC the House and members probably lying
and sIeeping upon the luxurious soflas anu
conehes which surround the members seats
some are sitting listlessiy, and with appa-
rent indifference to the proceedings, IN their
easv chairs, with both their feet, It may oe'
nron their elegant carved oak desks. othefs,
amanu the few comparatively who seem 70
M aware of the business before the House'
are constantly interrupting the speaker "ho
i entitled 10 the floor and not unirequent-
IL .wo mr. three members will be addressing
H chair At the same time. What with thl'
and The conversation going on about the nail
+ every direction, a pretty good idea may
no formed Every few minutes the SPEAK
as bamyncr is vigorously but yainly Piled
for the nurpose of restoring order; and tei
,;,ncs IN hour the clear voice Of the SpeaSe
: haar,l among the tumult of tongues, re
,,,.st;nc the members TO resume their seats
md admonishing them that conversation
~ Iond n tie hall, and that he cannot en-
terrain any motion 70 proceed 70 ous.ues
untJ order i restored. Ten times an houl
boweyer. there is renewed occasion Tor I'M
interference Of the Speaker. II must y
firm and durable material which withslah 7,
the constant and severe application Of u
Speakers hammer. -.
During the long term OF years IN WhlS s
Henry Clay was Speaker q me fon e., ]
seldom or never used the hammer. E.u
through his influence as presiding once
orabetter sense Of decorum among the men
hers. dignity and order marked the process
mos of the House al all times. But u ev
there were occasion to call 10 order--aha
slight departure from the rules OF the hoa
was deemed an oecasion-it was DONE a.
efectualy done, by simple tap upon l
Sneakers desk sith his folder Or pen-kni
n while member was addressing the iion,
two Others were out Of their seats and VIII
perinp. even in front Of The Speakers dc:
ar. Claw would request the member e 81
mend MS remarks until order was restor,
nannecdote related recently by Yenersl
gentleman ard a model legislator, will iill
ir,te the sentiment which peryaded
Asrrr- III tiiefr fiGt.- -6f 6fa ifeei, uT56
tons 81 their desks, IN the most vulgar a
uagainly position imaginable. The DIES
a known, are elegant aad expensive, bel
made Of oak, richly and elaborately carve
The anecdute allGde to i this:
Mr.. Vance, member 81 the House. v
lame. and 10 relieve himselffrom pain. be {
tay raised h;s foot TO the edge of his de
MI. Clay observing his position sent one
the pages u remind him that ne was out 81
der. He looked up and catching the speske
eve. graciouslf bowed an acknowledgment
the Justice Of the rebuke, and resumed
customary digaifcd aud lecorous position
At the time referred q no interrupti'
Of members while speaking were allow
Now, such interruptions are constant, :
are 50 generally and unfortunately
dulged III 4. sometimes to create the
tfeme.t confusion. Then. speaking 20
question. even IN committee Of the whc
Wa strictly insisted upon. and the speal
was accustomed to remind members whi
ever they ramblcd N defiated from the ~
tinn in debate. There was, 81 course, no
casion for members % call one another to
der, a. they nov do necessarily. That
fee was then properly discharged BY
Speaker. Now, the latitude and i6ngit'
Of debate in committee d the whole Is
bounded and unmeasured by any rules Of
House Of any Isws ri pfupsiety. Then, NJ
the Hou.e resolved Itself into committee
TIE whole, Il Has customary ~ the spea
togo downand take part 10 The debate. \,
the Speakerfet 10 his private room, VII
Il fitted ~ With palatial magn.fcence ior
reception III his friends and u seen no ~
tiiI tie rising If the committee, which dur
81. absence. scarcely rises 10 the dignity
political caucus, much less o. that q
town meeting or debating society.
There are other matters connected \
che deliberations 81 Congress, and wit
comparison Of the Congressman now
those thirty wears ago, which are ~
noticing. but for whith there il Mt X
now"
ss1.ss..-..,-sssss-S---
DfnoKAptf- writer IN the Cherries
Mercury openly co1nsels Jisunion. and
ss H. IA