The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-04-28
VOLUME 9.
The Republican Members of Con-
gresS-Their Position,
From the State Sentinel,

FROM the state S.ntlnel.
To give clear idea Of the position oc
cupiel by the Republican members of
Congress in their controversy with MIR.
Lone to advance partisan interests, we
copy the following comments of the New
York World of Monday last:
Mr.. Colfax-always a demagogouc-has
overshot the mark in his attempt to catch
little cheap popularity. ''Vaulting am
bition has o'erleared itself and fallen on
t'other side,
Three of the Republican journals of this
city-that is to say, all of them except the
Tribune, have expressed their disapproval
Of this attempt to expel Mr.. Long for
words spoken in debate The Evening
Post, in particular, has declared Its senti-
ments in a way which we trust may prove
instructive to tie popularity, hunting busy
body who has prostituted the dignity Of
his Office, Says the Post:
''But there is more than question of mere par
ty expediency in this M liter, Mr. Longs speech
was perfectly legitimate expression of opinion
He thinks that the rebels must be allowed 10 go
in peace or be eXtrpated and he stated his thought
calmly and respectfully. in proper words. We do
not think it necessary to concede the lndepend-
ence of the Confederacy (Which is an impossibili-
ty in our view, to eAtr pate the people OF the
South.
.sWe are not however, unwilling that those
who have come to other conclusions should have
the full liber ty to express them, whether III the
newspapers or on the floors of Congress. IF they
carry that liberty to the extent 81 overt acts OF
treason, they can he arrested and punished.
but If they min within he limits Of fair debate,
if thew coutrovert argument. if they present only
logic, cl0quence, appeal, in favor OF their views,
they are but exercising the tights which belong to
all freemen."
That the description here given of the
temper and manner of Mr.. Longs speech
is true should be evident, even to those
who have not read it. from the fact that
he was not called to order, either by Speak
er Colfax or any member, during Its dellv-
cry. When his hour was up, he reques-
ted an extension Of time to conclude his
speech, request which was granted with
alacrity by leading Republican members.
If the speech was rocking with treason
WHY NdS HUI vi I-OIIS W
BY one Of the rules the House, in cases
requiring it, 1.-THE Speaker shall, and any
member may, call to order To judge of
one part of Mr.. Colfax's conduct by the
other, he sat passive listener to fragrant
treason, without calling the traitor to or
der and it took him till the next day to
find out that treason was an affront to the
dignity Of the House. BY another rule
Of the House, ''no member shall be held to
answer or be subject to the censure of the
House for words spoken in debate, if any
other member has spoken, or other bust
ness interviewed, after the words spoken
and before exception TO them shall have
been taken" One might suppose that
the Speaker at least, would know the
rules whose observance it was his Office to
Ol'iVioo. O--.~. UuoiiIDso "o' ,idusdctcu,
other members did speak, nay, a whole
day interviewed, before Mr. Long. in the
very teeth of this rule, was 'held to an
swer for words spoken in debate \
model Speaker, this Mr. Colfax, who thus
conspieuously violates rule of the House
OF nearly thirty years standing