Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-11

II is g notorious feet that legislation IN
the lower house Of Congress has for weeks
past been much interfered with by the
absence Of members. It has been, Of late,
almost impossible to gsttOgether quorum
for the transaction Of business. The
evil was never 80 Asgrant as now. The
most important public business is delayed,
the wheels Of government clogged, the
moneDtOus measures for the suppression
Of the rebellion and the establishment Of
liberty-more important and freighted
with grsver responsibilities than any
which have ever occupied the attention Of
previous Congresses-sre neglected, and
members 60 running over the country,
attending to private business and schem-
ing for personal ends.
A day or two since, no quorum being
present, call of the House was ordered,
the doors we're locked, the roll called, the
ssrgeant-st-srms sent after absentess,
and each, ss he was admitted, was called
upon for his excuse for absence. In view
Of the magnitude of the national interests
jeOpsrdized by the evil to be corrected, we
should expect the ceremony to be ssolemn
one. Instead, sn afternoon was wasted
in a rollicking way, the members seizing
the opportunity to ventilste their wit in
excuses and amendments. Here is a fair
sample Of the afternoons proceedings:
The spesker-Henry Winter Davis, you
have been arrested for being absent from
the House without its leave and against
its order. What excuse have you to pre-
seDt2
Mr.. Davis, of Msrylsnd-Peccavi, sir.
Laughter.
Mr.. stevens-I move that the gentle
man be released from arrest upon pay
ment Of fees and fine Of one shilling.
Mr.. Knspp-I move to amend by making
the fine two shiIlings.
Mr.. PIuyn-I rise to q question Of or
der. That is not American currency.
The Spesker-The Chair cannot enter
tain the question Of order.
Mr.. Crsvens-I did not understand the
reason the gentleman gave.
The Spesker-The gentleman said "pec-
csvi, whic the Chair supposes to mean
that he pleads guilty.
Mr.. Brooks-A shilling in my State is
twelve and a half cents, but in New Eng
land where | was born, il is;one sixth Of q
dollar, and it is that 1 believe, in other
portions OF the country. Hsw is the ex-
act amount Of the fine 10 be asoertained.
The Spesker-The gentleman will have
to settle that with the Sergeant at Arms.
A Member-It means an English shil-
ling.
Mr.. Davis, of Marylsnd-If it means an
English shilling, does it include the e1-
ehsnge2
The spesksr-No; it must be paid in
lawful money, according to the bill of the
gentleman from Pennsylvania. laugh
ter
The amendment submitted 10 Mr.. Knapp
was agreed to.
Now all this may be very funny, but it
is hardly characterized by the dignity be-
fitting National Legislature, nor is it the
manner which the evil ought to be handled.
This sbsenteeism is not only dangerous
but positively dishonest. The sslsried
servants Of the people, selected to protect
the interests Of the nation, have no right
to neglect their duty and abandon their
posts. In this most critical period of our
nations life, it needs the fullest aid from
all its public officers. Body, mind and
soul should be devoted to its sacred cause,
and when the national representatives are
50 careless and selfish that the most essen
tisl legislation is obstructed and delayed,
the evil becomes too great to be trihed
with or jOked about.