The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-05-09
From the New York Times Repabliean., .,i
Queer Whitewashinx.

COngreSS Is no less exquisite as
school of personal manners than as q
school of political morals. 1t is true
that it teaches them beth in the way
some books teach grammar-by giving
examples Of that which is bad. But,
then, its examples are SO disgustingly
bad that there is no such danger as is
said to attach to books constructed on
this plan, viz that they confuse and
mislead the judgment, and destroy ones
repugnance to offences against taste
and decency.
The way in which the House has at
tempted to get over the shameful scenes
Of Saturday last is worse even than the
original offence. First, it was proposed
to expange the records Of Saturday from
the Congressional Globe,-as though that
would expunge the proceedings from
the records of the county, or take away
any part of the contempt which they
aroused in the mind of every self-re-
specting American. Next, the SLANG
whangers" las they were called in Con-
gress) set to work making apologies for
the revolving language they had applied
to each other, withdrawing the vile ac-
cusations which they had hurled at each
ether,-as though the infamy Of such
language aud such accusations could be
in any way affected by apologies or
Withdrawals. If Donnelly faneies it is.
as easy to take back as it is to utter
such Billingsgate as he directed against
Washburne, or il Washburne imagines
he can obliterate as easily as he can put
forth such ignominious charges as he
brought against Donnelly, they must
have queer notions of tho value of
their words and the rules that regulate
the intercourse of respectable people.
Finally, after this sort of thing had
been INDUCED in for some time, the cli-
max of the nauseating was reached by
Donnelly proposing that he and Wash
bnrne and the whole crowd should go
out together and "take a drink" We
don't suppose that many people outside
of the House bould read the report of
these things without a feeling of
shame and modification. Bat the
House enjoyed them so hugely
that the Congressional reporter
was compelled to close almost every
paragraph of his report with laughter"
"excessive laughter" renewed laugh
VI AhO
most nauseous portion of the whole af-
fair-that, namely, about taking al
of producing feelings
of shame, induced prodigious hilarity
and cries of "Amen," "My whistles
dry" -&c., &c. In the early part of the
day member proposed that the House
should censure itself for it's conduct of
Saturday; but the way in which this
was received may be judged by the way
in which members proceeded to demean
themselves. ..-.. 90
The country can bear good deal
from Congress, and has borne good
deal from the present Congress, in the
way yofforcible-feeble legislation. Public
feeling has been pretty strongly arous-
ed in regard to some eff its measures and
some of its members, and it has done
much to endanger Republican suprema-
cy and stir up opposition by its intoler-
ant spirit and unstatesmanlike policy.
But there is one thing even more dan
gerous than this to the Republican par
ty and Republican prospects, and that
is,-in the House conducting itself as to
secure universal scorn and contempt.