Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-27
THE VICE or SECRET SESSIONS.


The singular spectacle, presented in the Sen
ate, few days ago, by two Western senator's
one of whom aspires to the Presidency, and
has received many assurances of help which he
never deserved, has been almost forgotten. In
the hurry and hustle of events, We seldom
spare more than a day Indignation when pub
lie men outrage their constituencies A Win
ter's night is often as good as generation, for
wiping out the recollection of dshOnorable con-
duct in a public man, which, in private,
would be preserved, with malicious fidelity, to
the crack ofdoom.
The publicationof the belligerent correspon-
denee, however affords flying opportunity
for criticism, before the disgraceful occurrence
passes wholly out of sight. 1t appears that
Senator Douglas seized the occasion, when the
Senate was in secret session, to make "a violent
and indiscriminate assault on the Presidents
appointments in Illinois, which they, no doubt,
deserved. The assault excited Mr.. Fitch of
Indiana, whose son is among the Presidents
favorites Such war of words instantly rose
between them, that Senator Davis, of their own
party, charged them with talking like "high-
waymen and braves" And here, so far as the
public is allowed to know, the affair ended for
the day.
Then came the selection of friends" and the
beginning of hostile correspondence. Doug
las charged his antagonist with "violent and
unjustifable affront." AS the correspondence
proceeds Douglas makes a qualified explana-
fion ord Fitch ouol;f;aJ ra+roo4;op norrIoe
then withdraws his explanation, and Fitch, to
save his honor, threatens to disavow his re-
traction. With one more insolent rejoinder
from the newly chosen Senator from Illinois,
the correspondence and the quarrel end and
the country is fooled with dispatches saying
that the misunderstanding has been satisfacto-
rily adjusted.
But it is not the affront put upon the country
by the representatives whom it is compelled to
trust that we particularly object to. We have
paid our money and must take what we can
get. 1t is with secret sessions in Congress, as
they are at present managed, that honest men
have the best right to complain. The doors
have been thrown open for only moment, by
the occurrence we have spoken of; yet what
a revelation they have made One CORE
spondent hints, that, in secret session, the
forms of parliamentary usage are accustomed
to be held in allegiance, and greater freedom of
debate is allowed Freedom of debate mis-
homer, seized by blackguards as disguise for
Billingsgate. At such time, when the eyes
of the country are closed against the acts of its
representatives, members, with private ambi-
tons to crafty or private griefs to avenge, ac-
tuated by deliberate calculations of impunity,
or flushed by unaccustomed excitements, are
tempted into actions which they know the
public would instnctively condemn.
There is something in the name of secret
ession repulsive to nearly every intelligent vo-
ter in republic Strictly confined to its le-
climate business, and rigidly observant of the
same rules of propriety which nominally gov
ern allpublic deliberations, they might be toll
Grated as kind of State necessity, however la
ole to abuse. But when the liability becomes
fact; when the cloak of secresy is used to hide
exhibitions of the bad habits and worse passions
of men accustomed to lose their seIfcontrol
when the decencies of official position are care
lessly thrown aside, for the reason that secret
council is an irresponsible one then it is proper
to reflect whether there may not be better
way for confirming appointments than in Sc
cret session, which should be above suspicion
to be tolerated at all.
The notion Of accountability to constituencies
rests quite loosely enough on the representa-.
tive, especially among those who are not &C
customed to be governed, primarily, by moral
obligations While no man ought to measure
his conscience or his convictions by the stand
ard of any court Of human judgment, every
man who is clothed with representative powers
carries in his own hands the honor of those who
have trusted him. and is accountable to them
for its preservation. If executive sessions are
to be used as places for Sinking the response
bility which has become burdensome, let them
be abolished forever.