The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-05-03

mocydy.
WASHINGTON, April %, 1860.
Il The promise Of early spring hare has been
"broksn TO the hope," and suspect the sea-
son does not vary much from our vicinity at
home. Or that you can judge when | tell
you that ths trees are not yet all In isAf, and
probably week will elapse before the latest
Of them shall have put on the green and glo-
rious garniture Of summer. We have had
but two or three days that might be called
warm, the north winds keeping the air chilly,
fire comfortable, and all green things Chat
grow out of the ground) backward.
The House has not, nominally, adjourned.
IL adhered to its resolution, and remains in
session. But no quorum 10 present much Of
the time, and consequently NO business, or
next to none, 10 done, and the time il spent
In making speeches. do not know but that,
on the whole, the time il about - we'll s1put
in" as If the ordinary business routine we're
continued, for these speeches have got to be
made some time during the session; members
that have "cocked and primed" themselves
for 30 much buncombe talk, will get of their
farrago at one time or another; and more OF
them are got of during day, when the un-
Outstanding is that nothing but speech max
ing is in order and no impsdimsns is put in
she way Of the takers, than in an ordinary
session day. So tina. perhaps this quasi leg
isiasive condition for three or four weeks
will not prevent any actual legislation which
would otherwise be transacted.
But this speech making business is, alto
gether, grand humbug, Of which appre-
bend the people at large have NO adequate
idea. OF oil the long speeches that have
been made since have been here, only two
or three have been listened to- might al
most literally say-by any body. These po-
liticai harangues that people suppose must
have created 90 much sensation during the
delivery, the telling points that they presume
must have hit tender spots and caused tre-
mendous auttering, are heard by no body,
except few struggling strangers in the gal
lery, tsat are constantly coming and going
from motives OF curiosity, and three, four,
or half-a-dozsn Political friends who martyr
ixe themselves out of courtesy TO their CON-
panion. There 10 kind of speaking that 10
always listened to, and that 10, speaking up
on the business properly before the house.
Ii any man has any facts bearing upon the
subject under consideration, any useful in
formation liable to affect it in tho minds OF
members, he is always heard, and debate is
provoked by which the full state OF the case
generally comes out. But of this legitimate
talking debate there 10 comparatively little;
the garrulous members are not those best
stocked with information that others are not
likely to have, and do not speak with the OK
pectation Of enlighssning the house and sha-
are making speeches to send home-to appear
at length upon the record-to show that they
deliver orations in tho great capitol. They
are almost invariably q mere re-hash Of the
political arguments current in the newspapers
and the general forum. And it 10 almost dis
gushing to witness their delivery. Think of q
man working three or four months to write q
speech which will make ten or fifteen pages Of
pamphlet, and then coming into the house,
and whenever he can manage to get the eye
of the speaker, spreading out his manuscript
and going on to read, page by page, the whole
body having dispersed before he has read Ave
minutes, and left him without solitary au-
ditor, perhaps, among his associates, with
not half-a- dozen members in the hall. Has
J not that man considerable 'scheeko who can,
for one, two, or perhaps three hours, read
bis stuff to the Speaker, with the hall empty,
/ or every body paying attention to any thing
in the world but the orator. One would
think they would get disheartensd and stop.
} But, let the country be thankful; but few
make more than one speech at . session.
} They are generally pretty much exhausted by
single effort,-ssrun out" in popular par.
lance; and their ambition aims At little more.
Those who carefully prepare themselves, or by
! their previous culture, experience, or general
range Of information, come already more or
less prepared with facts and knowledge CON-
> oerning the actual business before Congress,
are the men who carry on the debate proper :;
who always attract the attention Of members ;
who influence the course Of legislation, and
are OF substantial use further than their mere
votes. But this kind OF debate ELECTS bat very
few:lengtby speeches. There are comparative
~ Few who are competent to sustained efFor,
in debate. Most may contribute some little,
though the number who contribute any thing
1t oil 10 quite limited. Few attempt to shine
. In that kind OF spesch-making. l. 10 too Ia
borious. II requires too much attention, and
too perpetual study and examination. The
mass OF general speeches, political har.
angues they would be better oallsd,--