The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-13

ment sf she Lsve5sy-Pryer DrswI.
The occurrences In the House of Represents
tives on Wednesday last afford very appropri-
ate pendant TO the disgraceful broii on Thursday
of 'sst week, when the political niger worship
per Lovejoy and the political niger driver
Pryor used their utmost endeavors to dis
grace the country in the eyes OF the world, and
succeeded in so doing. The scenes Of Thurs
day. the 9th inst, were accurately described
by our reporters, and the details duly spread
before the country in the HERALD of the
following day. The report was made as
full as the circumstances would permit, and its
salient points have since been severely but
justly commented upon by the press of all
parties and of no party Whatever. The feeling
of the public, as expressed through the jour
mails and in other ways, has been one of shame
and disgust at the outrageous conduct Of Love-
joy, Pryor and their several accomplices and
bottle holders. It seems now that Pryor is not
satisfied with having disgraced his State and
the country generally, on several occasions, but
that be has made another appearance in his favo
rite character-that of the parliamentary bully.
On Wednesday last Pryor raised q question Of
privilege with regard to the attitude assumed by
Mr.. Potter, of Wisconsin, during the Lovejoy
difficulty, six days before. 1t appears that in
the melee of the 9Th inst. Potter made some
personal remarks about Pryor, which affected
the tender susceptibilities of the member from
Virginia to an alarming extent He demanded
to know whether or not the Wisconsin member
adhered to his original position, when Potter
replied that he did. Pryor was then accused
by Potter of mutilatng and altering the de-
bates before they were printed in the Globe, and
the member from Virginia admitted that he had
made some alteration in what appeared as
Potter's remarks. Pryor then threw out YER
bal challenge to Potter, and subsequently both
members left the hall. From Washington,
yesterday, we learn that hostile encounter has
been settled upon; and as rifles are to be the
weapons, il will be, perhaps, duel la mort
This is the natural conclusion of the conduct
of the DULLES and ruffians who have kept
Congress in a ferment ever since the session
commenced. From the state of parties in the
House, the approach Of the Presidential cam
paign, and the very exciting questions before
there might be some sharp and even acri-
monious debates in both Houses, but the
country had q right to expect decency on
the part of members. When a certain
number of members habitually degrade the
character of the House by conduct which
would not be permitted in Sixth ward
primary meeting, it is proper to assume that
their conduct is endorsed by the majority.
The House is supreme, so far as its own rules
are concerned, and the means Of punishment
of offending members is within the reach of
the body at any moment. 1t must be remem-
bered that the ''row in the House" is no new
thing. 1t has become almost stereotyped
affair in the newspapers During the contest
for the Speakership there were several dis
graceful scenes upon the floor. Since the Or
ganization of the House hardly week has
passed over the heads Of members without
some disgraceful difficulty. In two instances
the lie direct has been exchanged in debate.
Verbal challenges have frequently been passed;
and now, to cap the climax, we have Pryor,
who may be called the leader of the political
niger drivers, and Potter, the fighting man of
the political niger worshippers, going out to
settle political differences by the arbitrament
OF arms. If these things are permitted to 60
Oh the time Is not far distant when the floor OF
the House itself will be stained with blood.
Never, in the history of constitutional govern
ment has legislative body been broughtSinto
such popular contempt as is expressed for the
lower branch of the American Congress. Who
shallsay, after reading the debate of Wednesday,
that this reputation has not been fairly earned?
It appears, from the admission of Pryor and
Potter both, that members are in the
habit of altering their speeches after
they have left the hands of the official
reporters, and that some gentlemen" are even
permitted to-aake liberties with the remarks of
their opponents. The country will now see,
what we have known for long time, that the
Globe is utterly unreliable, that its conductors
keep back reports to suit the pleasure of mem
hers, who alter omit, insert or suppress. &C.
coIdipg to their taste, or want of it. The only
fair reports, the only record of what is actually
said in the House, is to be found in the indie
pendent press, over which the members can
have NO control Were it not for the leading
journals OF New York the people would never
know what really happened at Washington.
The Globe is a rotten concern, the plant tool of
clique, and it is to be hoped that there will
one day be House sufficiently honest to pre-
vent the mutilation of the public records and
reform the whole system of public printing.
AS matters stand now, a member may say the
most outrageous things in debate with impuni
ty, because he can, by altering the Globe
report, put himself right upon the official
record, and quote it against the indepen-
dent report, which gives precisely what was
said. Fairness in the official debates would 60
far towards preventing squabbles in the House,