Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-07
PUBLISHED DAILY AND TRI-wEEKLi BY
EDGAR sNOWDEN.
ALEXANDRIA,:
MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY :, 1859.

MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY :, 1859.
The House of Representatives has itself
been constrained to adopt and endorse pub
lie opinion, relative to what are rather face
tiously called the DEBATES" in that body
by excluding them from the regular proceed
ings, and setting apart time for them, in
which they cannot interfere with or impede
legislation, or fair and legitimate discussion.
This is better in every respect than coughng
the speakers down--ior so great had the evil
become that this latter remedy was serious
ly proposed. We hope never to see the day,
when the representatives OF the people in
our Congress. shall be rudely and uncorte"us-
" treated even if they do try the patience
and temper of their colleagues and the conn
try. But it is, at last, admitted, that it is
too bad that the floor of the House should be
used as a platform from which the members
are to speak. not to the Ho"se. but altogether
70 their local c0nStittents-not on the sub
iect before the House for consideration, hut
on every imaginable subject on which an adj
dress can be made-so that, if Representa-
tive wishes TO deliver all electioneering har-
range, all that he has to do. is To select II
topic and discourse upon it, ut the expense Of
the nation, and to the public loss and detr-
ment. Some body asked the other day, in
the House, who read the Congressional
Globe, containing these harrangues. We
answer not one in ten thousand outside OF
the district from which the member may
come who makes the speech reported and
which it contains; and in that district, hard
" one in thousand. The speeches, gene
rally, are utterly vapid and worthless. We
draw a distinction broad and we'll defined
between these debates" and proper Dis
cussions. We are in favor Of having every
measure, rs it is brought up in Congress,
about which there may De doubts. or on
which opinion ia divided, fairly and even
fully discussed. 1t is in this way that truth
10 elected, and correct Judgment formed
But in the debates" nowadays, there in nc
collision of mind with mind--no searching
examination of facts by one competent mem,
Der, to he analysed and criticised by an OPP
ponent-no statement of probable results. to
be overthrown by an adverse view from the
premises assumed. They are dead, bar,
rem, level of common place ideas, without
the charm of novelty, genius, or originality
10 recommend them. In truth, whatever Of
interest. or argument, Of fact, or of specula-
ton, may be contained in them, has been
spread before the public in the comments OF
the Press, long before tho Debating mem
hers have arranged their ideas or written
their speeches.
The Washington correspondent of the Bal
timore Exchange. says. "the news from Salt
Lake City of the breaking up of the Grand
jury in consequence Of the violent demon
strations of its Mormon against it's Gentle
members, comes in good time. and il IL t" be
hoped, will induce the President to hesitate
about the removal of Judge Sinclair, who has
had the boldness to faithfully fulfil his duty
in opposition to Mormon threats and clamor
Time will eventually vindicate the declara'
ton that there is no loyalty to the mon
among the followers of Brigham Young, and
that until they are BUNDLED by force. the
civil law can never be impartially maintained
nor Justice administered among them. The
opportunitv for thus humbling them was
thrown away when the Presidents pardon
was extended"
The jury in the case of Henry Duvail' in
dicted for the killing of Christian Fischer
in Baltimore, on Friday brought in verdict
Of equity of murder in the first degree;
making the sixth party now in Jail in balt''
more under capital conviction. This yer
diet in Duyalps case was somewhat unexpert
"a nv the public; more, perhaps. from the
unexampled levity of the Court during a1s
progress, than from any opinion foul'uro
upon the evidence. The trial OF the seven
for the murder of officer William Jourdan'
in the election riot in the Eighth Ward, on the
18th of October, 1857. when that officer was
shot. was concluded on Friday. The jury
we're only out q short time, some twenty MN
utes, when they brought in verdict oil mot
guilty" as regards all the accused
Among the bills which passed tbs Senate
last Friday, was one for the relief OF the ON
GERS and crew of the priyateer General Arm
strong, which was so gallsntly defended by
Cant. Reid, in the harbor of Fayal. during
the war of 1912. This claim. it will be re-
msmbered, has long been pending before our
Government, and has filled no incenslderabie
place in the diplomatic history otthe country
having been originally prosecuted again 81
thu Government Of Portugal. within whose
jurisdiction the brig General Armstrong was
captured by British cruisers.
The Richmond Examiner 1T IS
undoubtedly true, that many of the recon-
mendations of the President, in his last an
nual message, are in direct conflict with
nr;nciples which have been solemnly ennn-
ciated again and again by the National De
,rocracy' and should those recommendations
,sce;ye the sanction of the Democratic party
in Congress, its integrity, unity and harmony
will no longer exist.
.ll ,,,.,, r,usf second the