The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-29
BALTIMORE.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1859.

When will Congress learn to treat seriously the
business of legislation On Thursday-the Con-
sular and Diplomatic Appropriation Bill being
under consideration, the House commenced by
looping off every amendment which it had previ-
ously ingrafted upon the Bill in Committee of the
Whole. Then-it rejected the Bill. Then-upon
q SUGGESTION from Mr.. LETCHER-that the Commit
tee of Ways and Means, by whom the Bill had been
reported, would be glad TO know what sort of
Bill gentlemen desired-a reconsideration was had
of the vote by which the Bill had been defeated
Then-leading members on both sides of the House.
having expressed the opinion that certain mis-
sons provided for in the Bill might be advantage
ously dispensed WITH and the appropriations
necessary for their support be saved to the Treasury
"a motion to that effect was made by Mr. PHELPS,
whereupon all the missions in question, with the
exception of that to Persia were retained. Finally
the vote recurring upon the passage of the Bill
it was again rejected. Now-to our very limit
ed and imperfect comprehension of the methods of
parliamentary procedure-al this looks marvellous
ly like child's play. We know that very good
assigned for the ultimate failure of the
Bill-such as the desire of the Opposition to
thwart and annoy the Administration, and the
unwillingness of Southern members to make any
appropriation for the support of the Africans res
cued from the brig Echo. Whether Honorable
Members are justified in Withholding from Gov
eminent, upon such grounds as these, the neces-
sary means for the proper conduct of our. Foreign
Relations and the protection of our commerce in
distant SEAS we, of course, do not pretend to de-
termine That is point in Congressional casuis-
try to the solution of which we confess ourselves
wholly incompetent. Neither, do we profess
clearly to see why gentlemen, on Thursday, should
consider the support of an American Mission at
Rome and in Switzerland, essential to the honor
and interests of the country, when, on Thursday
week, they had voted the further continuance of
either piece of useless extravaganza. Our Wash
ington Correspondent, it is true has furnished us
with an explanation of this apparent Inconsistency,
butt is one which reflects so unfavoraby upon the
character of the House that we are reluctant to
adopt it as our own. 1t is insinuated that when
gentlemen, in Committee of the Whole, were de-
claiming eloquently against the folly and extrav
agance of having Ministers Plenipotentiary here
and Ministers Resident there, they had
not the smallest idea of sustaining by
their votes the policy of retrenchment and REFORM
which, with so much apparent zeal, they were
urging upon the House. A little cheap popularity,
it is whispered, was all they aimed at-and the
credit of having made speeches in favor of an
economical administration of the Government
which they secretly purposed to defeat afterwards
by their votes. Many true word, however, is
spoken in jest, and in this hypocritica behaviour
on the part of the Committee there was, perhaps,
quite as much real displayed as in the subse-
quent action of the House. Unless some provision
be made in the Bill for the education of our Minis
ters as well as for their maintenance we are not
sure but that the interests of the country would,
as general rule, fare quite as well without
them as with them. There would be fewer places
and less patronage, it is true, at the disposal of
the EXECUTIVE, but we do not know that this
even would be regarded a national calamity.