New-York tribune., 1867-07-16
DRBATE rs. TALK,

Mr.. Rush. formerly our Minister az St. James,
mentions in his diary that he once heard Mr.
Canning say that Parliamentary debate should
be no more than an animated conversation
upon public affairs Gentlemen in Congress seem
to have accepted this definition with differ
ence. We regret to say that Congression-
al debates are often merely free and easy
talk about private affairs. Take for instance
the following extract from the debatefn the
House last Thursday evening:
Bingham excused his colleague for be v" not
NJ. s,S.n dd o SsSs via. h colleague meant by
he schsac better satisfied 70 be what be wa, than %
Bingham declared that Incapable Of mi'rspr''u's his col
league but he knev he not himself TO night go, II,
% s'.s . & Ss:: a. the .. ases s sas
ar Bingham s SON, minutes said S' wsA'" everything 10 0'a
Mr.. Stevens's "hopen was natural and
charitable but reporters are not in the habit
of leaving out such little gems OF retort as
these. You might as well ask scientific COOK
TO discard all the seasonings of his pet ragout.
And it is as well. The public has right 10
know whether its servants can carry on an
"animated conversation in the language ana
in the spirit of gentlemen. IL they cannot, the
sooner we return to the stilted and dreary
STYLE OF old-fashioned debate the better for
the public business and the public manners.
Mr. Bingham only manages to remind us OF
Mr.. Stiggins and the Brick Lane Branch IN the
Pickwick Papers. What there was particularly
to "laughr at, either in the remark OF Mr.
Bingham or in that of Mr.. Stevens Is more
than we have been able to discover.
There are two ways of carrying on con-
versation even in the House of Representatives.
There is a civil way and brutal way-there
is way peculiar TO gentlemen, and another
peculiar to the other description OF human
beings. The first named does not by any
means necesstate Gullness. There may be
polished attack and sarcastic rejolnder, VIII ana
humor offensive and defensive, retOrts without
coarseness and light skrmishing without
butcherly vehemence. Any hanger-on oil any
beer-shop can tell his antagonist that no Is
drunk and very small minded persons are
sometimes mastery adopts in the science oil
abuse In accusations OF the kind above
alluded to- Mrs. Sairey Camp and Mrs. Betsey
Prigg might beat any Member of Congress,
and even give odds OF course. it would be
impertnent for us to attempt the correction OF
Mr.. Bingham's manners in private life but
when we Are obliged to pay for the reporting OF
WHAT he anu pliul IL aiN'i "s'"' w my
reasonably ask him to keep within the limits
of urbanity and good taste.
We wish we could say that matters are much
better in the Senate than in the House, but
whether it be the hot weather or for some OtheE
reason, Senators have not lately been 80 cour-
teous in their bearing as we could wish. We
rejoice as much ~ anybody to find the ancient,
long winded. scientific and interminable method
Of debate discarded We donot think that Mem
ber while speaking should be forever inter
rupted by cries OF "0rder!" We are by no means
ia favor of Senatorial sermonizing we like to
have debates smart, piquant and pointed; but
we prefer that private differences should be
adjusted in private, and that mere personal
alterations should be carried on elsewhere
than in the Senate Chamber. We warn both
Senators and Representatives that. if they are
not little more careful in ruling their tongues,
and little more attentive to the requirements
of civility and the calls of courtesy. We shall
be obliged TO go back TO the stiffness and
stateliness of the old style, and subject honor
able gentlemen to rules usually adopted in the
government of school-boys.