Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-06-17

congress New mad toe Congress
or 1'hIrsy Years Ago.

Or I'hIrsy Years Ago.
From the Boston Traveller.
This formidable instrument (ths Speak |
.r's hammer) marks an ere 10 the manage
ment Of deiibsrative bodies. In the days |
II Henry Clay It was unknown. A por-
trait Of that model presiding sf3esf bearing |
such symbol would fail 10 BE- recognized.
But the manners, no less than the times |
have changed. II 10 no longer by moral
power that parliamentary rules can be sus- |
famed. II 10 only by the physical agency |
Of the rough and ready hammer that order |
and dccorum can in any measure b &C.
cured. Such, ct least, 10 tne theofy. Our
impression 10, however, that even that rude
10 losing its potency. We have
seen in some Of the recent squabbleG 10
the House that members are with great
difAculsy hammond into the prophecies Of
debate.
Those Who are not accustomed to Wit
ness the proceedings Of Congress. and who
have not tho means, from personal obssrva-
ton, of comparing the House, ~ u present
with that body - IL existed
thirty years ago, would find it difficult to
believe the truth IN regard to II. A visiter
to the House for the hrst time IL astonished
ct tho want Of dignity and the positive
disorder which attracts bis attention. The
scsne which ordinarily presents itself Is one
Of confusion. One half the members are
cut Of thsis ssats, walking to and fro.
standing in the aislss. or in the area in
front Of the Speakers desk, or gaihsssd IN
knots here and there. esd engaged 10 con-
vsrsation 90 loud % 10 vie With the voice
OF Z member Addressing che heusss $40
even With the rude noise Of the Speakers
savel some osmbsrs are sitting listlsesly
~ vith apparent Indifference to the pre-
es.dineo. wfth both feet il nay be, On their
elegantly carved oak desks. Others, among
1hc lev eeupesaAivsly whs seem to -
svare Of lhs busiaess bsssse the Houss,
are constantly isterruptiug The speaker Who
10 entitled to the floor, and not unffeQuept-
" two Or three ms0bsss Will b. a0drsss-
ing the Chair st the same time. Whsl With
the ed bhs generation going ion about
ne hall, ! pfstty good idea Of Babel may
b formed. Every few nisutsa the indem-.
itsbls hammer y vlkeson6ae bul vainIy phi
fos the pesposs e pessAi1S msabsrs ents
Q sense Of dsoorum, aud enforcing eenfor-
nifty to the rules Of order. Ten tinss -
beur tho clear veics Of the Speaker 10 heard
Above che tunsls Of toayues Repeating
oembsos y ssss1ns thsae seats asd come 10
oriw, and urging ~ request with more OF
lees vehsmencs. by more Or less application
Or the ham0ee upon the devoted desk. IL
must b firm and durable material which
withstands the constant and severe home
strokes oe this dcspotie monitor.
During the long term Of ysars in which
Henry Clay WAS Speaker Of the House, he
seldom or never used his hammer. il indeed,
he was invested with such an emblsm Of
power. A venerable gentleman, who wal
member Of Congress thirty years ago, in
forms US that he never, In the course o.
several terms Of ssvics. saw Mr.. Clay usa
the hammer. Either through his influence
% presiding officer, or the prevalence Of q
better sense Of dseorum auesg the mem.
bfs, dignity and honor marked the pro-
l cssdings Of the House at all lime. But, il
ever there were occasions 70 call 10 order
and . slight departure from The roles Of ths
House Was deemed IN eccasien--it wal
done, and edectually done, by a simple tar
upon the Speak ~ desk with his folder Of
| penknifc. If, while member was I'd
dressing the House. two others were out o
their seats, and even whispering in front o
tho Speakers desk, Mr.. Clay would rsques
the member to suspend his remarks till or
der was restored. An anecdote related by
the venerable gentleman Of whom We hav.
spoken, will illustrate the sentiment which
pssvaded the House a that time, in regard
to ths department. Of members while il
their seats: NJ. Vance. . member from
Ohio, was lame and. to relieve himesl
from pain, he one day raised his foot to th,
edge Of HE dssk. Mr.. Clay. observing hi
position, sent one Of the pages 10 rsmins
hin thar he was out Of order. lie locked
up, and catching the Speakers eye, bowed
an acknowlsd cement Of the justice Of the
| -ebukc, and rssurned his accustomed and
dignified position. At tho time referred TO-
no interruptions Of members while speak.
ing we're allowed. Now, such interruption,
are constant, and sometimes productive Of
tho EXTREMIST confusion and disorder-lead
ing naturally to these ot-bloodsd retorta
aud disgraccfu personal alterations which
so frequently occur. Then, speaking Ia
tho question, even in the Committee Of the
Whole, was strictly insisted upon, and the
Speaker was accustomed TO remind mem.
bers whenever they rambled Ut deviated
from the question in debate. There was,
Of course, littlo or no occasion for members
to call ono another to order as they now do
iucessantlY. That Office Was then properly
dischasged by tho Speaker. Now, the lati
tudo and longitude o! debate in Committed
Of tho Whole is unboundcd aud unneasur
cd by any rules Of the House or any laws
of propriety. Then. when the House re.
| solved itself into Committee Of the Whole
il VAS customary for the Speaker to &c
down and take part ia the debate. Now
tho Speaker rstires % his private room,
which is fitted up With palatial msgnifi
cetec for the reception Of his friends, and
Is seen no moro till the rising Of the com.
mittse. which. during his absence, scarcely
rises to the diggity Of political caucus
much less to that Of town meeting or Z
debating society. rron Oil Of which w
infer that there b very little moral pswsr Ia
the Speakers hammer, and that pasliamen
tary order and dseosum Asd the amenities
and courtsiss Of debate are dependent upes
. bigger prineipls THAI can Do evolved from
l L. - a.