, 1862-07-17

WASHINGTON, July 10, 1852.
a congressional sskorkus" is q peculiar IL
stitution. When assembled to nominate eau
didafes for speaker, clerk, doorkeeper, ser
geant-at-arms, postmaster, pages, apple
pedd1ers, paste keeper, ETC., it is plainly in
the exercise Of its proper functions. But
when assembled to lay down party creed
fer the country, aud when it [the caueus) at
tempts to do SO, it has n1anifestly mistaken
its calling, and should be called to order By
the people-the point ct order being excessive
impudence.
There has been three or four Democratic
caucuses this session, and each one Of them
ended in snarl, leaving matters worse than
they were before. There have been three or
four Border State caucuses, and one " conser-
yative" caucus, each and all having the same
end, namely, confusion, bad blood and hard
swearing. Not to be behind in anything Of
the gay and festive order, the Republicans
have tried their h1nds at the business, and
have rather taken the palm for the merits
which Chiefly distinguish your true caucus.
at the first one of tie recent series, Stevens
Of Pennsylvania and Kellogg of Illinois had J.
set-to, which would have delighted Tammany
Hall in its best days. The cuImination of the
tVOAA kAAL~
seems TO have one good effect, viz: TO disgust
all decent men with the practice. Very few
OF the older members ever attend caucuses,
except when called for the nomination Of can
d;dates for the offices at the disposal Of the
House, and in this instance the Senate was
| holding night session, SO TINT the members
| could not have attended if they had been SO
| disposed. At the previous one only three
| Senators made their appearance, (kiag,
| Cowsn and Lane Of Kausad,) although the
! sr1E mt fhar4 fJp EtSG{
The history Of last evenings entertain
| 1Eent may be briefly Iecitcd. Ten members
had been appointed to draw up an address to
the people-a proper thing SO far as it should
not SEEK to establish party platform, which
the people, in their primary capacity, are
alone competent to make. Nr. Bingham Of
| Ohio, VAS directed By the committee OF ten
| to draw up this address, duty which he
performed with signal ability and good taste,
presenting brief concise recital Of the war
| measures Of the present Congress, and
defending them NTH arguments which must
ind response in every patriotic heart. There
Nas nothlng in the address looking to tile
establishment Of one creed Or the overthrow
OF another. Before the address was, read,
| however, lr. Colfax OF Indiana, came in and
pe1petrated one Of the happ!est jokes upon
the caucus system that was erer ATTEMPTED Ia
a political gathering. He proposed as sub.
stltu!e for the address resolution abont a.
appEspriate to the business in hand as the
proposition that Adam was the irst man, OF
that Eve was made out Of one of his ribs, o.
any other self evident truth. The caucus
adopted 11r. Coli0's resolution, and ad,
journed.
/ Some persons are in high dudgeon-there /:
no mistake about it. But it seems to me
alscyesher the fiStcst thing that could have
been done, for it has efitctually killed the
Congressional caucus nuisance. 1fr. Co1laz
is wag, and his dro]}ery Nas never put tt
better use than last night. Il it be true, q;
the 1ncntal philosophy boeks say, that wi
consists IN the unexpected co7jouctlon O
dissip,ilar ideas, then surely the representa-
tive Of the South Bend district is entitled to
high place in the roll OF humorists, beside
being benefactor to his country in giving
the coup dc grace to the Congressional caucus
In the prolonged absence Of the fool-kille
t hfr, Coltax has done the next hest thing,