Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-01-07
Why not Organise

The members of the House of Representa-
tives, says the New Orleans Bee, would wor-
thily s~ignalize the new year by organizing
and setting seriously to work in a conserva-
tive and national spirit for the benefit of the
whole country. With more than customary
patience have the people watched during an
entire month of the Congressional session,
while the Representatives have either been
engaged in an Improbable, because aimless
controversy upon the slavery question, OF
have fruitlessly expended a large amount OF
valuable time in ballotinss for a presiding Of
fcer, which, it vas known in advance, would
lead to no result. During all these wasted
hours the creditors of the Government have
been unable to obtain a cent Of compensation,
private claims have necessarily been over
looked, and the members themselves, who
usually rely upon their salaries for the means
Of living at the Capitol, are severely afflicted
| with imEecuniosity. Furthermore, leg'sIa-
ton is at a dead lock; no business whatever
can be transacted no appropriations can be
made. For all practical purposes, both bran
ches of Congress might as well be sitting at
Kamschatka or Pekin, as Washington.
We truly believe that all parties through
out the Republic would rejoice at the terml'
nation Of this anomalous condition of affairs
since all are getting tired Of a struggle which,
as now maintained. seems absolutely endless.
A.ereat deal will be pardoned to the infu-
ence Of party feeling, and perhaps even more
to the exigencies Of sectional animosities, but
there are limits to forbearance. 1t is the
bounden duty of public functionaries to enter
upoc the task entrusted to them with as little
delay as possible; nor have they q legitimate
right to pretermit and sacrifice the claims Of
Government creditors, and the essential wants
Of the people for the sake. Of proIonging.a Ste
rile and wearisome political debate
The point is, can the House be organized
without throwing the entire power of the
Speakership into the hands of a sectional fac
tion7 Ifthis can be effected, the nation will
properly hold that party to 4 rigid RESPONSES
bility, which, in consequence OF a miserable
and unworthy Jealousy, or a still more repre-
hensihle and insatiate lust for TIE spoils, re-
fuses to lend its aid to 90 laudable . purpose.
We say that the House can be organized
without submitting to the election OF a Black
Republican-that it can be organized by the
choice Of Southern STAKEHOLDER, who is as
invincibly opposed to Black Republicanism
as the South Carolina delegation itself. This
has been already demonstrated. 1t has been
proved that Nh. Gilmer, Of North Carolina,
who is as true a Southern man as Bocock, Of
Virginia, can be elected. 1t has likewise
been proved that neither Bocock nor any 9TH
or Representative belonging to the Demo-
cratic party can possibly be chosen. We say
that Mr.. Gi'mer, Mr.. Boteler, Mr.. Maynard,
or any member Of the Southern Opposition
Is as faithful, as reliable, as unexceptionable
as Mr.. Bocock, and that the solitary differ
ence between them and him is that he
is a Democrat, and they are not. Now, if
the Democratic party are sincere in their
professed desire to defeat Sherman, surely
they should be willing to concentrate their
strength upon any Southern man who can ac-
complish thrt important object. Repeated
trials have convinced them that none Of their
own members can obtain votes enough, while
they have enjoyed mole than one opportunity
of clearly perceiving that by giving their
support to a Southern Opposition Represent
alive they can %disappoint, defeat and over
throw the hopes of the Black Republicans
Such being the fact, it is palpable and unde-
niable that if the Democrats continue the
profitless contest for Speaker, it is because
their professions are false and fraudulent
They do not aim at the def.at of the Black
Republican candidate unless by one Of them
selves. They are not inclined to take a South
ern man, however orthodox his views upon
may be, unless he wears the Demo-
cratic collar. -
Is this just! Is this patriotic! Is this
what national and Union loving men have a
right to expect? We do not find it strange
or censurable that The Democrats should pre-
fer one Of their own number for Speaker, or
that they should cling to him while a hope of
can be cherished. But when the i'm
possibility Of electing a Democrat has become
manifest; when either the House must re-
main unorganized, and the wheels of ~legisla-
ton must be stopped, or some other than a
must be chosen: in the name of an
outraged people WHY not agree to place in the