The New York herald., 1866-06-16

whole people are guilty, and, quoting the lam
guage of Edmund Burke, says, :" know mot
how an Indictment against whole people
shall be framed" There II much more Of
highly interesting character in the book We
cannot notice here, but it viii doubtless excite
good deal Of attention.
UnParltamentaryC Conduct I'm Both Houses
of Congress.
The gross violations of parliamentary law In
both houses Of Congress call for ap immediate
and effective reform. On Thursday there were
two fragrant instances of these violations In
the Senate Mr.. Wade denounced the Emperor
Napoleon as ga robber' and Minister Bigelow
as "a snob." For words spoken during Q
debate in the House General Rousseau admin
istered a Gaming to Congressman Grinnen.
Wade and Grinnell have long been notorious
for their unparliamentary language. Senator
Trumbull seems unable to open his lips without
using the most undigniGed terms Blaine and
Conkling recently disgraced themselves by in
sulting each other. Thad Stevens, although he
is now little tanned by sickness and defeat, II
generally remarkable for the violence Of his
epithets and the brutality Of his philippics.
Congressman Ingcrsoll has earned the bad
opinion OF his constituents by the recklessness
of his manner of attacking the President. Sem
ator Grimes is another of these blustercrs who
mistake hard words for strong ideas and abuse
for argument They do not understand that Il
|, not necessary to be unparliamentary in order
to be severe, sarcastic and crushing. Some Of
the most terrific inveciives ever uttered have
been couched il language so calm and gentle
manly as to be perfectly faultless. Tho rattling
thunder makes the most noise, but 1t is the
keen, polished lightning that strikes. Sumner
and Fcsscndcn In the Senate and Banks and
others in the House always speak like gentle:
men; and even when they are the most severe
they never outage parliamentary decorum.
From these gentlemen the oraiorical rioters
may take lesson or they may profitably study
the debates in tho English Parliament, which
are much more personsl than those in Com
gress, but are invariably tempered by good
sense and good breeding.
In old times, when Sumner was caned for
ridiculing Senator Butler, tho republicans
claimed that the Gaming was the result Of the
barbarism Of slavery. If SO, the exceedingly
unparliamentary conduct Of the present Con-
gress must be set down to the barbarian Of
anti-slavery. We are rather disposed, how
ever, TO attribute such outbreaks to the incon-
potency Of the presiding officers Of the Senate
and the House. They evidently do not under.
stand their duties and are only distinguished
by the partisanship Of their decisions. Whom
S,nator Wade called Napoleon "a robber" ana
our minister at Paris ~ snob," the President OF
the Senate should have called him to order at
once, informing him that, even IL these things
be true, they should not be stated in such Ian
guage, and directing that the offensive words
be expunged from the official reports Of the
debate and the Senator only allowed 10 pro-
ceed in order. One such rebuke as this, firmly
and temperately administered, would act like
charm upon these verbal bullies, such -
Wade and Grimes and Trumbull. The other
day, when Mr.. Grinnell was abusing General
Rousseau in q tone and language appropriate
to baroom; when he was displaying his
own ignorance by maliciousy stating that
Rousseau had no military record, and when be
was imputing cowardice to one Of the bravcst
generals Of our army, Speaker Coliax should
have stopped him at the very outset and insisted
upon his apologizng both to General Rous-
scau and the House. Had this been done there
would have been no further alterations and
no Gaming. In his reply Rousseau displayed
great moderation, and II be had dropped the
subject then, he would have elevated himself
in public estimation and left Grinnell with
out defender. But his undertaking to cane .
member OF the House for words spoken IN
debate was quite indiscreet and indefensible;
and we can only say that IL the current report
that General Bourbon had more 10 do with tAs
Gaming than General Rousseau is not true, it
certainly ought 10 be true for Rousseau's cake.
The main fault, however, lies at the door oe
Speaker Colfax for permitting the original
offence. Some time ago, in referring TO this
subject, we warned Congress that unparlia-
mcntary language would soon lead 10 personal
assaults, and the event has justified our pre-
diction. 1t is the duty Of the Speaker 10 protect
them he must be held responsible when they
take the law into their own hands II Is espc-
cially his duty to protect the minority instead
Of conniving at all insults 10 the Presidents
supporters. We appeal 20 the intelligence Of
Congress in regard TO this matter; and We ask
the republican majority "party Of IDEAS"
the 'moral reform party"-whctler they can
select no better representative shan Speaker
Colfax and whether they imagine that they are
increasing their popularity by sancuoning
bInckruardjzm