The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-01-27


about The religion or politics of one of them
We have employed them for their intellectual
capacity and their good moral character, their
literary requirements and general information,
'ber Judgment, tact and integrity. These gen
temsn collect facts and information from all
quarters-from democrats, republicans, South
Americans and other parties 1t is q matter of
Indifference to us where they get their news.
Our only requirement is that it be true. We
want the truth, and the probability is that the
correspondent assailed by the Boston paper
owes the attack to his having told some truth
that may operate against particular political
clique. What difference does it make what his
politics are, or whether he has any politics at
ALL if be has stated only what is true? II he has
not let it be shown. An attack upon his
politics is poor way of impeaching his vera
city. The HERALD does not belong to the par
ty papers Of the day. We make newspaper,
and do not conduct the organ of faction.
We endeavor to tell the truth on all sides, no
matter how it cuts or against whom it may
opei ate and, therefore, we must expect to in
rest in keeping the truth from the public view.
The Character OF the American Congress.
The recent disgraceful scenes in the House
Of Representatives. so Notifying to every one
who has the interests of the country at heart
and what citizen has not?-have begun to at
tract attention beyond the borders OF the
ho of fufia nisun
on the floor of Congress has been alluded to as
follows by the Toronto (Canada) Leader, under
the caption of "Blackguardi:m in Congress-
Perhaps the most arocaous speech In legs
laiye body fell from the lips Of Mr. Pryor, of Virginia,
In the United States House o. Representatives Friday
last The attack upon Mr.. Bennett, OF the NEw
foRK HERALD Nj Pryor has succeeded in distinguish.
ing himself; but IL IL distinction OF which he has SIN All
be proud He nss after all, only succeeded
showing wba foul mouthed and I'll bred psrson he is
He tells the world that lie editor aud has norni
vanity 10 speak Of himself rival OF Mr. Beuuett
Ills Wholesale abuse Can only njure himself This Oh
person AFFECTS 10 speak with contempt OF
who has created aud yields OF the powerful n
teectuai engines Of which this continent boasts
,urnai winch is read by mlons OF the human
wherever the English language ia spoken MIR Pryor.
venture ten none OF the oahing contempt which he
a.cis express tor WHO Is 50 immeasuraoy his
ini CT al superior ibat nobody would think OF compar
ing the two little tor the dignity OF the House OF
Representatives that such stream Of raacoroas vtupera
ton could b. poured out upon the head OF any mao with
single mber rising his place To protest against
the dtby Its rance. BY such acts as tnis that the
American Copg,ess lowers itself in he eyes OF the whole
civilized wofo and makes the despos OF Europe predi1t
he downfall of the American federation.
There may be great deal of truth in the re-
marks of our Canadian contemporary, which we
reprint in order to show the point of view from
which the occurrences in the House are looked
at by disnterested parties at distance from
IN. ecaoa Eora;uu ,roeeas will on,ly <,anar,i
principles to the subject, and will deduce from
the conduct of one or two members conclusions
rejecting upon the permanency Of our institu-
tons and the stability of government which
is administered by such hands. They will hold
the republic at large responsible for the actions
Of few men who have been elevated to pro-
minent positions only to show, apparently, how
far they can disgrace them.
But there is another light in which these mat
ters are to be viewed by us at home. Tire
country is in a state Of violent agitation upon
vital subject In the opinion of many Of the
most conservative of our statesmen, the repub-
lie is passing through crisis more dangerous
than any which it has experienced since the
adoption Of the federal constitution. In one
section of the Union there is the most violent
and bitter feeling against the other, and there
are not wanting men who, for their own base
purposes, will endeavor to extend and aggra-
vate this discord rather than to seek to allay
and mollify it.
In this condition Of affairs Congress, which
should be the paci6cator, is made by partisan
So oh; of stofN Tho ~ tho.
previous debates afford no parallel to the bit
terness and the personality Of those which
have taken place during this session. As day
by day the discussion has continued, we have
been in constant dread that We should be
obliged to print the particulars of some terri
bile ARRAY between members, the result Of
which would be the staining Of the Capitol
with fraternal blood. Threats and insults have
been banded from one side to the other, pis-
tolls have been drawn, and on several COCA
sions members have been on the very verge of
murder. And all this is caused by the rufian-
ly brutality of few members who take ad-
vantage of the crisis in which the country has
been placed to exercise their worst passions
and exploit their lowest and basest instincts.
Every one remembers the attack made in 1854
upon Senator by member Of the House.
The thrill of horror and indignation that ran
through the country at that period will not
soon be forgotten. The perpetrator of the
assault came very near to creating revolu-
ton, and for time destroyed the influence of
his OVID party, which is at this moment occupy
ing conservative national position In opposi-
ton to the tide of treason and fanaticism. The
effect Of the act we refer to ought to prove q
healthy lesson to members who are so unfortu-
nate as to have been born ruffians and black
guarda
That the great majority Of the members Of
the present Congress are gentlemen worthy the
position to which they have been elevated, we
willingly admit. Init we also asserk that IL IL