Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-12

I AND THEY ALL, WITH OH N"NSkHi, ph
Gan TO MAKE ExcrSE."-The daily Geographic
reports of the doings Of the late session OF
Congress, gave us at times fair impression
Of the systematic trifing and waste OF time
for which that BODY was. from first to last,
notorious. but it i, only by Il perusal of the
rcrJ0tm reports in the Congressional Globe,
which are now coming Ia us, that one IL en-
ablcd to realize the full measure of its dclin-
uucucics in this respect. Whole columns OF
that Journal are exclusively dcyOtcdto YER
bose rc-statcment of the many frivolous cx,
cu.cs for the absence of members on a 'call
ofthe House." whenever that call was made,
the most of them too of character to dis
credit a Juvenile Debating Society. Let Us
look over the record fora moment to give a
few examples in illustration of what We
mean.
Ii is the evening of the 24th Of February.
The Naval Appropriation Bill is pending,
and. in the course of the afternoon, Il motion
is made to adjourn. The motion is lost
Thereupon, the Speaker orders the doors to
! be closed. III order 10 have call OF the
! House. The names Of absentees are then
called for excuses. Some ~ or 80 plead
sickness, or ''indisposition.' or some less
admissible claim 10 sympathy For example:
Mr.. Hughes, of Indiana, had pain in his
eve.
Mr.. Clark. of Mo-. had gone to get some
thing to eat.
NJ. Tappan, of y. H.. was not sick HIM
self but had daughter that was laid up.
! Mr.. Palmer had sick child that must be
attended 10.
Mr.. Wa>hburnc. of Indiana, had had a
sudden attack" The reporter does not say
Of what.
Mr.. ellis wanted to be excused because
he was the oldest member" of the House.
While this colloquy was going on, the Ser
geant-at-Arms was announced at the bar OF
the House, having in custody, under the order
of the House, Messrs. Bliss, Abbott, and
Bryan-whercupon follows this scene:
The Speaker-Mr. Bliss, You have been
arrested and brought to the bar of the House
for absenting yourself without the leave of
the House What excuse have you to offer:
Mr.. Bliss do not know thar have any
sufficient excuse. | will only say that re-
manned here during the session of the Conn
mittee Of the Whole, aud enabled its ex-
crllcnt chairman 10 drum up a quorum; at
ter that was done fearing that | would do
discrcdit to my habit, and injury to my
health. ! went To dinner Upon my return,
land my dinner was rather long, | returned
here aad found the doors closed. then
went to the Senate Chamber to look after
the Cuban refugees. ! came here az soon as
| could yet in.
Mr.. Stewart of Maryland. We have heard
the gentleman explanation, and there seems
to nave been some ground for his a sence.-
| therefore move that he be excused-on the
payment of costs. Laughter.
The motion was agreed 10.
The Speaker. Mr. Abbott. you have been
arrested and brought To the bar of the House
for abScntng Yourself without the order of
the House. What excuse have you to offer?
Mr. Abbott think that have a good
excuse | remained here as usual, un-
til nearly dark: and | thought if ! remained
here much longer. my friends would think
| had not brains enough To take care Of myself;
SO | went to my dinner. returned. but was
refused admission. the doors being closed. |
went then to the Senate, and have been there
taking care of the affairs Of the nation. |
have no other excuse TO offer.
Mr. Nichols-I move that the gentleman
be excused on payment of fees on the ground
that, as suppose the dinner was good one,
it warrants the payment Of the sum.
The motion was agreed to, and Mr.. Alb
bolt was excused.
The Speaker. Mr.. Bryan you have been
arrested and brought to the bar of the House
for absenting yourself from it's sittings with
out leave. What excuse have You to offer?
Mr. Bryan. ! was attending to the inter
csts Of my constituents outside Of the House.
In remaining here, | was only listening to
speeches that were not benetitting them or
me. | thought could attend to their bust
ness better than by remaining. AS soon as
got my dinner returned, and have since
been waiting at the door.
Mr. Jones, of Pennsylvania, move that the
gentleman be excused, on payment of fees.
The motion was agreed to.
Many precious hours, during the last week
of the session, were frittcred away in this
school-boy fashion, all the while that public
business Of the utmost Importance was de-
manding attcntion.-N. \. Express.
4 New ENGLASDER IL THE BRITISH ARMY
IN IxDIA.-The following letter from New
Enplandcr serving in the British army in In
dia is communicated TO tie Springfield Re-
publican The writer is native of East
hampton, where his father now resides, and
the letter is to his wife who now resides in
IIolyokc-
"CAwNP0RE. Dec. 3. 1853.
arrived at this station yesterday from
Rye Briley, in Dude, in good health and spl-
rits a> ever. We were Just one month from
Allahahad Fort on the march. We travelled
hundreds of miles through Dude, took three
forts from the mutneers, and great amount
of money and treasure. 1t was not my lot to
be on guard when the treasure was found, and
unfortunately did not get much, only TWEEN
ty-eight rupees, fourteen dolars.l Some of
--ur nLnn. ~ II nnnu oh In mnkn thnm indennn.