The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-02-12
CONGRESS-.

The Augusta Constiiutionalist (democra-
tic) says, When the bill increasing the COM
pensation ofmembers Of Congress and chang
ing the mode OF their compensation by giving
them salary instead Of per-diem was pass
ed, il was supposed that one of the immedi-
ate and beneficial effects Of the bill, would be
to shorten the sessions of Congress, and thus
to expedite the public business. II was
thought that the representatives Of the peo-
pie would prefer rather TO enjoy their money
at home, than to spend it in Washington city,
and that to do this, they would address them.
selves to the business before them-urge it
on and terminate each session rs soon as its
business could be accomplished. Thus far,
there is no reason to believe that these antci.
pations will be realized. The thirty-hfth
Congress has now been in session Cor two
months, and never was there Congress
which accomplished less than it has in the
same length of time, or exhibited less incli-
nation to dispose of the business before it
and adjourn. A resolution has been intro
duced in the House, to adjourn on the 18th of
June, but at the rate at which it has been
proceeding, it will not be ready to adjourn on
that day, or even two months from that day.
II is not desirable that Congress should
legislate much, or that il should legislate at
all in hurry, except in some extraordinary
emergency; and though there are many evils
incident to long sessions, we would be con-
tent to see it sit through the year, without
an interval between its sessions, if the time
was occupied in preparing, maturing and &C.
comprising necessary public business. This,
however, is not the case-espccially in the
popular branch of Congress. In that branch
of Congress it is usual to crowd the business
of each session into few days Immediately
preceding the adjournment, and to devote the
larger portion Of the time to patient, perse.
vering but listess listening, whilst members
air their vocabularies upon the stupid COM
mon-place topics of political discussion, upon
which, often, neither the House nor the coun.
try feel any interest, or need any enlighten.
ment. This is not the fault.of the members,
many Of whom are practical business men.
who work assiduously in their committees
and in the House, and seldom speak unless
they have some matter of importance to pre-
sent and to discuss; but it results from the
constitution of their body, in which, at the
commencement: of every Congress, a large
number of new men are introduced
OF whom are eager to acquire position in
the House, and seek it in exhibitions upon the
floor rather than in close attention to and
familiarity with its business. The conse-
quence is, that at the beginning of every new
Congress there is almost a deadlock upon
legislation for several months, after which the
House gradually RECEIVERS from the infections
II has endured, and goes to work in earnest.
During the present session repeated efforts
have been made, in the House of Represen.
tatives, to cut short all useless discussion and
confne debate strictly TO the matter before
the House. This, if i, could be accomplish
ed, would be step in the right direction, but
the evil of too much speaking in Congress
will continue, with all the evils incident to
long sessions, until members learn that
speech in Congress will not give them posi-
sion before that body, or an intelligent con.
sttuency, unless il is eloquent, original, or at
least instructive. knowledge of this fact
would materially lessen the number, and ma
terially shorten the sessions of Congress.