Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-10
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almost every days report Of the proceedings oil the Gen
sra Assembly such announcements as these 1.-THE Sen
ate being very thin the bill laid on the table" or,
at being sscertaned that quorum was not present. the
Snate adjourned" or in the case of the vote proEd
iug clerk for the Adjutant General, the vote stood
ayes IT, noes g. and therefore tine bill was lost for want
Of a constitutional majority.
These announcements tell sad tale Of the decline in
the sense Of representative duty. Why do gentlemen
seek these positions if they cannot bear the bour and
fatigue Of attending their duess Before elections
candidates profusc enough Of their promises 70 ded
cate their best Efforts the public service and to serve
their constituents with industry and fidelity And yet
see that when they get into Office their promises are
forgotten and upon important bills, out OF l62
MEMBERS but n are present How can gentlemen re-
conce conduct like this with their sense Of representa-
tive duty or with their oaths Of Office 10 the earlier
aud better days of the republic members did not leave
their seats for light and trivial causes and If they were
compelled to be absent they obtained the leave Of the
House, and there was a suspension OF their pay
during their absence. This practice prevailed as
late as twenty-five years ago. and Its Abandonment
may be traced to that violent party spirit, which
has since pervaded with its accursed Influences
our beloved Commonweslth-men found that, do what
they might they would be sustained by their party and
hence all sense Of representative obligation and public
duty lost Feay to party all that was required.
member might be absent from his seat much he
pleased or he might come into the Legislative Halls
in state Of beasty ntoIclon ndinerrupt their pro.
ceedings by his maudlin harrangues and If he only
faithful slave Of his party, his faults overlooked
and he trumphan.ly elected. These thngs pain
full and discredtable though they be- may be tolerated
in times Of profound repose when vital questions
under discussion. But in the present trying crisis of
our fate they ought not TO be submitted TO. Party
shackes have, thank God been broken, and it ia
10 be hoped that one Of the fruits Of release from
this thradom will be- the calling of dlgent
nes able. aud faithful men, into the public councils-
In times of peace, ashy young men may be elected to
figure in quadres and dange parlors and older
to haunt bsrrooms and restaurants and other localities
of questionable character, but when we are
environed by dangers and the enemy frontsnd
tanks and rear want sober, industrious practical
working men, men OF sound sense and active energy, to
guide the ship Of Sa,e. We want men like the vener-
able Senator from Richmond who is always at his posi-.
and always ready to do his share, and than his
share, Of the labor OF legislation.
Another great OF modern times is the irrepres.
sble disposition to talk talk talk - Every empty
headed fellow to think it is his duty "air his
cabulary" in the General Assembly. BY pandering to
popular prjudices at home he has obtained his seat
aud be thinks it incumbent him to show TO his con-
stituents how great he s by the number aud
length of his speeches
The country wants acts, not words The days OF
Buncombe have passed It is time that the members Of
tha L gi.
lesson tina, is not readily sel!augbt The people must
teach it TO them. The times require that the people
should closely the conduct of their
and at the next election, wnnow the wheat from the
chat
Alas! what decline there has been In the General
Assembly since the days Of the Lsighs and Johnsons
and Stanards and Mays, and Browns and Witchers Nc
DoWes and Others Of the olden time There are many
able men, is true, in both Houses but the chat smoth
the wheat The intellect Of the Legislature no longer
controls It's action. Medocrity looks with jealousy on
the brighter minds of the body and the result s crude
half dgested legislation, or what is almost as bad mac
| lion.
The public necessities required military bill, to be
promptly passed into q law-two months have elapsed
since the Legislature me-the spring campaign is almost
ready to commence and ye. nothing has been done -
Why is this? The people ask, and will continue ask
why is this They will demand answer at the polls
and the only misfortune b. tina. they cannot PROFOUND
the nterrogatory authoritative FORM in April next
The melancholy truth Is, that party spirit has ban
sAed many Of the best from the public councils -
They could lot surrender their sefrespeot far
pay tho demagogus and secure election. Tho peo-
pie paying the penalty OF their own folly. In.
efficiency in legislation is the fruit Of their indifference
in selecting representatives. But hope the lesson
will not be lost We in the midst of a revolu.
ton. We hope it will be thorough and radical, not
stopping change in our Federal relations but pene
traing to the very root of the evil in our Common
wealth. Let us have partyism and favourilisn
and damagoguesm. Let the people look to the charsc
and qualifications Of aspiring to represent them
Let have more drunken men, nor i'd, men, nor
pIa,iug denagogues. Give US SOBER Industrious prac
teal, working representatives, who use few words 4;
who speak only when they have something to say and
stop when they have said it who speak only to explain
and not to make display. These we're the kind Of
men who achieved FIRST revolution, and these are
the kind, and the only kind, who carry US safely
through our present dangers and difi ,utes.
| We might extend these ref ictions farther, but We
have said enough for the present.