Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-01-29


tees. In theory, there is no limit tex
cept to one hours time to each member.)
TO debate in Committee of the Whole.
One would naturally suppose, from the
theory, that erery member could have his
hour, and discuss any part of the mes
sage. That woua be free discussion.
in fact there Is no such thing in Con
gress. The constitutional privilege Of
free speech exists only in theory-not in
fact. Two, len, twenty members will ad-
dress the chairman at once when a mem
Der has concluded: the chairman gives
the floor to whom he pleases. The chair
-ua1 E designated y lie Speaker; lie
Speaker is elected by party, and he is
expected to do party work. The chair
man, appointed by him, IS under the
same party bonds, These facts given,
what may be the result? The chairman.
if he pleases, gives a preference tomen OF
his own party, when both parties are
seeking the floor. Of. for the sake of
fairness, he IS disposed 70 give full half
the time to bis opponents, he may give it
TO those who viii discuss what the chair
man is willing TO have discussed, and re-
fuse il TO others. Il Is evident that BY
such a course The party majority can con-
troll the debate-the minority may be de-
prived Of their rights-freedom OF debate
may be denied. I make no charges, but
: VIII state facts. These singular facts
may have occurred from accident purely
not from design: I know not how it Is
The facts are, that the debate on the mes.
. sage las been, almost exclusively. en- e.
Hbusterisu-; that tiat IS not strictly :
party question, since lie Republicans anG
aPar, o.the Democrats concur essentially
with the Presidents Message; while III
all-absorbing Kansas question, and the
Drsd Scott decision lave been almost en-.
entirely left 'rit50ut discussion ! Their.
has been one speech on the kansas cues
lion on each side; there has been on
speech against tie bred Sect Decision
,aere have been t.renty or more on I'll
IibasteriSm. Freedom of speech, in
deed! Were the chairman Of the com
mi,tee of the whole perfectly impartia.
and disposed to allow the utmost Iimf
within the rules, there IS yet one othe,
clog on debate. The majority may a
any time f. o. an hour to close de5ah
/ After that. the organ os tie majority (tbg
. chairman Of the Committee Of ITavs and
AIeans,) has one hour to reply to speech.
.es, or say what he pleases: then the de.
bate IS closed, to use the ParIiamen,ar,
phrase, and voting begins. Now, ths
majority may fz this hour at any time
even before a word has been spoken.
and thus, substantially, utterly dsny til
PTfsilegs Of deJate! I suspect that vii
sound strange to honest souls, who fanc,
that there IS such thing as freedom O
speech in free America. But it is true
and Ills tyranicai power, 10 a greater o.
. less extent, IS used. But there is a little
more freedom. When voting becias
motions TO amend are in order, and on
every amendment the mover can speak
for fire minutes, and any one member
. who can get the floor (and only one.) car
speak for fire minutes in reply. Is nor
that freedom Of speech! Certainly. il
every member could get his five min,
utes. Here again the power of IL,
chairman can interfere. He can recoo
nize whom he viii, he can Gust from III.
+ floor on points Of order, subject only t,
the majority, whose organ he is, on al
appeal. On the whole, the minorit,
have ..-.-s e Tely upon Tor q chance Il
debate, except the courtesy and eeneros
ity Of tLe presiding officer and Of the o.
posing party. Such Is debate in fh,
. House Of Representatives. Ia the Sen
ale there Is far more freedom. One re-