The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-02-07
Legislative Decency-The Late ScandalOua
scenes In the House Of REPRESENTATIVES..

Legislative Decency-The Late ScandnlOus
Scenes In the House Of Representatives
No true American, no gentleman, no man of
common sense can read the account of the
scenes which took place in the House of Repre-
sentatives on Saturday morning. without a
thrill of Indignation and shame. 1t would be
difficult to find parallel to them in the lowest
GROCERY, in the vilest hell which is to be
met with in our metropolitan stews. What is
to be thought of men who carry into the coun-
ellis Of the nation the habits of the bully and
the prize fighter, without combining with them
even the small modicum of self-respect which
prevents such persons from indulging their pro-
pensities in decent society Were professional
pugilists. like Yankee Sullivan and Jim Nor
rissy, delegated to represent the interests of
large constituencies, we are satisfied that they
would be the last to be found figuring In such
melee as that Of which the House Of Repre-
entatives was on this occasion the theatre.
Those persons have their notions of conven-
tional propriety, which restrain them from
committing themselves out of their own sphere.
1t is only in Congress that we find all
the prescriptions OF decency, all the rules
that govern the eondact of men in their private
relations, disregafded and violated with i'm
punity.
What a spectacle is this in the eyes of the
civilized worldj How humiliating to a proud
and sensitive people. prone to resent ~ deep
injury every reflection upon it's habits If we
conduct ourselves like savages however, we
must expect 10 pay the penalty Of the scandal.
We point in vain 70 the reiinements of our social
life, to our taste for music, our growing love of
the fine arts, our progress in science, and
other influences which tend 10 soften and hui
MAMIE the character. So long as cur delbera-
tive bodies, our parliamentary assemblies and
our courts Of justice present scenes Of rufanism
and outrage such as that to which we refer, so
long mus, we be resigned to have our place in
the scale Of civilized nations estimated by these
supposed evidences Of our habits
II was hoped that the indignation excited by
the Brooks and Sumner ARRAY would have had
the effect Of depressing the pugnaoious tenden-
cies of Southern and Western members O. at all
events Of inducing them to transfer the settlement
of their differences outside the walls Of Con-
gress. The general sentiment Of disgast which
that outrage created throughout the Union, the
verdict Of condemnation passed upon II abroad,
| in the enthusiastic reception everywhere given
| to Mr.. Sumner, would, it was thought have
been sufficient to keep within bounds for the fu-
ture the violent passions Of the underlined and
haif-cducated men who occasionally find them
selves occupying the responsible position Of
legislators. The scene Of Saturday last IL a sad
comment on the indifference with which such
evidences of public opinion are regarded by our
| public men. IT. however, the nation suffers
from the erroneous Impressions 10 which such
contempt Of decency and legislative decorum
must give rise abroad, il will have itself to
blame for sending to Congress men whose con-
duct fits them rather for lunatic asylum than
for deliberative assembly. II Kansas man
ners are considered appropriate for Kansas
debate, there is no reason why each successive
subject of legislation should not be disposed of
with equal energy Of action. Should the result
be to reduce the halls Of Congress TO gladiato-
rial arenas It would only be carrying out the
prevailing ideas Of the fitness Of things to their
logical conclusion.
II is to be lsmented, nevertheless, that ,be
manly American spirit which was content to
submit It's quarrels to decent forms, should be
80 rapidly dying out. There is something mean
and cowardly in choosing crowded assembly
as the scene of a personal conflict 1t looks az
if the actors In such scenes calculated always on
the interference of the bystanders, thus seeking
to acquire a reputation for courage at the
smallest possible risk. IL was not thus that
men like Hamilton, Randolph and Clay felt and