The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-13
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, MAY Is, 1858.

zens vet another illustration of what he regards as
Senatorial morality. When we last had the pleas |
ure of reproducing his ideas for the benefit of our
readers, the Honorable Senator had planted HIM
self upon question of good character and bad
company On the present occasion, he has dedi-
clcd himself to point of conscience.
With the consent of the Senate Mr. HALE of
New Hampshire had called up the joint resolution
granting three years full pay to the widow of the
late Commander HERNDoN. Mr. IvERsoN took the
floor, and discoursed, as the National I7teIqencer
informs us, after the following manner He said,
" that it was his intention to have discussed the
"merits of this case at length but since that time
such appeals had been made to him from various
"quarters that he would forbear to do so. He
"would content himself by observing that Con-
"gress had no more right TO make gratuty of
" this kind than it would have to throw the money
=" at the bottom of the river which flowed near
= them. Senators having different views with
{" himself might vote for it, but, uih his under-
q standing Of the Constitution, he could not do so
,cihom Tearing las conscience The stain Of hauing
"done an improper act, acnh the stigma of nerjury
He had thus briefly given a few reasons why, in
his opinion, it ought not to pass; and would
"simply ask the yeas and nays, that he might
"record his vote against the proposition
Now, if Mr.. IyERsoN really thought that the pro-
position in controversy was so outrageous that he
could not vote for it, without violating his official
oath, we should like TO know what business he
had to listen to any appeals" which could
make him 'forbear the duty of discussing it.
Does he Think with that sensitive conscience of his,
that Senators are sent to Washington to be talked
t,fl lat
it is their bounden obligation to do? Or has his
internal monitor phases like the moon? When
we last noticed his ethics he found refusing to
vote his solemn convictions because the Black
Republicans entertained the same, and he was not
willing to do right in such evil association. He |
chose to make speech, and to abstain from vot- |
ing. Now however, conscience has gone off on |
the other tack. lie is willing to forego the Speech
but he must vote, if he dies for it. Nay morc-he |
must have the yeas and nays on the question, so
that it may be known, down in Georgia, that |
there is yet one just man left in Sodom.
But il is not with Mr.. IvERsoN's behaviour I'M
der his conscience, that we are quarreng. 1t is |
with his conscience itself. Wemight raise the pre-
lminary question, indeed, whether he is entitled TO
have any. We have been led TO believe that con- |
science, politically considered is the peculiar in
sttution' ofour Eastern brethren, and that among
the more orthodox of the Southern expounders, it
is regarded ''Yankee-sm.' Weare quite sure
that when Mr. SEWARD, or Mr.. WILSON, or Mr. |
HALE, or any other scrupulous gentleman of the
same mode of thinking, presumes to set up con-
science, it is called higher law, at once and the
Union is 10 be dissolved Immediately. Memay,
therefore, be permitted to suggest that Mr. IvER-
SONS pretensons are in conflict with both the faith
and the rubric. But even if they are not--even if
he must have conscience and has a constitutional
right TO tin the of all that is respectable
let him straightway get better one. A Senator
Of the United States has right TO speak or vote |
upon the faith Of such commodity as he has ex-
hbicd. Let look at its manifestations and |
Judge it accordingly.
An officer Of our navy has laid down his life
not technically the service of the government it
is true but in the discharge of n high professional
obligation, which the government for obvious
purposes public policy, encourages its best officers
to assume He died, with none of the meIo-drame
and drpery of every day heroism about hinl-not
in the hot blood of conflict nor in the arms of vic
tory in the hope of fame. He was mar
tyr 10 The stcrucsl of duty, and facing man
iully his awful, inevitable doom, he walked I'M
Terrified into the ahysS-a calm, brave, noble
gentleman! In Rome, his statue would have lived
among the marble records of the national reverence
and rcnown. Dying, to save the women and chill
dren in his care he left his own wife and daughter
unprotected and poor The Senate of the nation |
not merely that the tears of the widow and the
orphan may be dried, but rendering meet homage |
to a deed of glorious sefsacricc, so that it NAV |
stand an example and memorial forever PROPOSES |
TO acknowledge the worth of the dead, bv minister
ing TO the necessities of those whom living he |
loved best. The national heart responds, without
a throb of dissent, to suggestion eminentv fit
and just, when up starts Mr.. IvERsoN--with his
conscience! ''With his understanding of the |
Constitution he cannot vote for the ''gratuitv,"
without Staining himself with ''the stigma OF
perjury"
Can any body understand what the Honorable |
Senator meant to mean? Does he really profess TO |
think that the government of mighty people, like |
this has no power, without ''perury," to reward |
the services OF its sons when living, to pay what
tribute it deems just TO their memories when dead
Are the United States constutionally powerless, to
do what inherent in the existence of all decent gov
eminent, and what every other nation is proud to |
do from the centre to the circumference of civiiza-
ton Do we stultify ourselves to that extent, by
our oaths to support the constitution-and has
that honored instrument no function, except that
of proving some thing another to be unconstitu-
tional? We had really imagined that such notions
had been buried with the chvalrous Representative
from Virginia, whose dying request was that he
might not be buried in the Congressional
grave yard, which he knew was against the Con-
stitution! If such ideas do yet survive, we think
1T is time they were put an end to. If they will
not die of themselves, they ought to be exterm-
mated without mercy. If men will insist on hav-
ing such ''conscences'' and such understand
ings," they ought to be kept at home with Them
The country is too large-the national good name
too precous-the national good sense and dignity
too respectable-to be trusted in such hands.
We recommend, therefore, to the Honorable SEN
ator-when he next feels disposed to be conscien-
tious about throwing the nations money into the
Potomac in the way of 'gratuites," that he pom
der on the question of pay and mileage. If he
will count the nations dollars, let him ask him
self how many Kansas speeches and 'backbird,
and pigeon" Apologies it would require TO furn-
ish rs valuable consideration to the country, for
money paid, iEIYDoN gave, when he died.
We might almost venture to suggest the possible
lty that Il steamers load of strict constructonists
might well be parted with, ere one such man as
HERNDoN could be spared. But we desire TO say
nothing disagreeabe, and We therefore content
ourselves with hoping that the economical casuis-
Try of Mr. lvERsoN, when it next appears before
the world, may be found engaged in IFS LEGITIMATE
business of stopping the leaks, in Congress itself
Let it make onslaught on contracts and ;obs