New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-01-16
Duty OF THE CONSERVATIVES OF
THIS CITY.

a
money affairs, growing out of the nOn-organzatiOn
of the national House of Representatives. Our
conservative and law-Oying citizens feel the great
est sOlicitude, aud manifest feelings of unequyoca
disgust, at the solemn trfng of the men chosen to
represent the great interests of the country at the
capital who now, in the face of the world deliber-
ately ignore their high duties. The National Ex-
ecutive and his Cabinet officers, to great degree,
sharelwith the recusaDt members of the House the
responsibility of the present disgraceful state of
affairs. Ii certainly is not too much to say that
if Mr.. Buchanan's Administration really desired
and urged the organization of the House, it would
be effected in twenty -four hours. When an Ad-
mnistration has Nebraska bills to pass, it finds no
difficulty in procuring plenty of votes, even
from its most reluctant supporters, though
the latter may thereby endanger their own
most cherished political and personal interests.
When army and navy bills, or appropriation bills
generally, are pressed, who ever heard of an Ad-
ministration wanting votes from its friends that
were moi promptly forthcoming The fact is noto-
riOus that whenever an Administration chooses to
demand votes it can have them. We say, there
fore, that the Administration of Mr. Buchanan is as
much to blame for the nOn-OrganizatOn OF the
House as are the tactiOus members OF that body.
If the President would only indicate that he de-
sired the adoption of the plurality rule, it would
pass at once. That he does not do it, makes him
a party to the present disOrganized condition of
the Government and o supporter Of the existing
disorder and disturbance in political well as in
commercial and business matters.
What spectacle is this for man who, by his
high and controlling position President, is justly
looked upon as the special guardian and promoter
of law ard ORDER and as above all Others, having
the duty imposed upon him of securing the harmon
iOus action OF the Government. There he stands,
the President of the United States, apparently an
unconcerned and idle spectator of state of things
that strikes directly at the stability of the Republic
There he stands, seemingly satisfied and content
with the factous and scandalous conduct of his
friends and supporters, in refusing to permit the
House to be organized. Such O position should,
and will, bring upon him, and upon his Admlnstra-
ton, the censsre of all good citizens, and of all
who desire to check the excuses of popular sent-
ment, which INSCRIPTIONS and noisy partisans are
Systematically endeayoring to excite. There is
fearful responsibility resting upon DIR. Buchanan
and upon his Cabinet for not bringing the conflict
in Congress TO a close. He and they can do it in q
day. whenever they choose to say they desire it to
be done.
Should that contest go on and still further shake
public confidence, and impair credit, and reduce
values, the Administration and its supporters may
find themselves mourning weight of public indig-
nation under which they viii find it difficult TO
stand The party upon which deyolves the duty of
administering the Government cannot be allowed to
triHe with their great responsibility in the spirit of
ward politicians, or heated county partisans. They
must address themselves to their task in the
temper of persons under great and imperative obi
cations, or they viii fail to receive or to deserve
the respect the cOlntenance of men OF character
or intelligence anywhere, or III any party.
Looking upon this whole subject from position
far above all partisan views, we say, the Admins
tration and its friends in Washington are trhing in
dangerous manner with their high duties in pro-
longing the excitement and disorder, the fears,
doubts and dstrusts of the public mind. Whenever
any one department of this government deliberately
refuses to act and maintains that position, It can
bring the government to an end. Faction can thus
do the work of revolution, just os effectively as
revolution itself. A very speedy retreat from its
present position OF blocking the wheels of govern
ment, and encouraging partisan heats, strife and
excuses of all Sorts and agitation of all Sorts can
alone shield the Administration from the charge of
completely in efforts to discredit the character and
undermine the foundations Of the Republic. We
hear much from the party in power, and from the
and financial circles which sustain it, of
its Union-loving, law-abiding and conservative SEN
timents and purposes; but we would like to know
how these pretensions are sustained by its action in
refusing to permit the organization Of branch OF
the Government, whose action is absolutely ndis-
penssble to prevent the nstonsl affairs from falling
into absolute anarchy Is not this conduct dat
and glaring contradiction OF their professions!
We need not say TO intelligent men anywhere
that the only mode OF getting out of the existing
in regard 10 Speaker is by the adop
lion of the plurality rule. They know it already.
Every man having thimblefu of brains, in or out
Of Washington, knows il perfectly well. All the
partisan trash about the Helper book can in no
way disguise the fact, or blind anybody to its mani
est and glarng significance. The plurality rule |
las already elected Speaker after Speaker, when
,ver it has been found impossible or difficult to
Iect by majority. To object, on the ground Of |
or any other ground, to the
node, therefore, at this late day, after il has been
a use for so long period, and has been repeatedly
anctoned by the House, is simply an expedisnt of
L.. c.o.;1us ornos;f;on i'm which honest and