Litchfield enquirer., 1869-04-01
The Record.

The Bridgeport Farmer of last week ayers that our charge regarding Mr. Bar, num's neglect of his Congressional duties is ''totally without foundation" and re- marks further:
 ssNor is it 8 fact that that Mir. Barnum has been frequently absent from his post, for he has not, we are assured, been absent from his seat three days during any session Of Congress, except in the one instance when he was sick" sss
 Since our last articleswe have received the last numbers of the bound Globe so that we now have accessible the doings of the Fortieth Congress up to Dec. last. From that the following facts appear:
 The first meeting of the Fortieth Con- gress after MT. Barnum's election was on July 4, 1867, and it continued in session till July 20. MT. Barnum was sworn in on the 11th of that month. There were several divisions of the House on the 11th and 18th, in all of which his name appears until the evening of the latter day, when he is recorded among those "atsent or not voting,' nor does his name again occur among the members voting, during the sum- mer session. On Nov. 21. Congress reas. sembled and remained in session till the opening of the Second Session, on Dec. 2d, Mir. Barnum being absent throughout. During the 21 days of the First Session of the Fortieth Congress, which occurred af- ter his election. therefore, Mir. Barnum was present only one day and portion of an other. h..e
 The Second Session of the Fortieth Con- gress commenced on Dec. 2d, 1867, and continued till July 27, 1868 Mir. Barnum's name is down among the absent or non-voting members, till Dec. 6. From that time till Dec 1S,he was present Con- gross took holiday from Dec. 20 to Jan 6, 1868, Mir. Barnum leaving three days ear- Tier and coming back 2 days later than the regular time of adjournment. He return ed, Jan 13; was present till Jan. 30; was then absent till Feb. A.. went off again on the 7th, and returned on the 17th. Im- peachment coming up on the 22d, MT. Bar mum found Congress sufficiently interes- ting to remain till Mar. 19; continuous attendance on his part of 31 days. From that time till the end of the Second Ses- sion, which is as far as our record extends, MT. Barnum's name never appears among those of the members present and voting. Thus, during the more than seven months of the Second, or Long Session, of the For tieth Congress, Mir. Barnum was absent more than two thirds of the time.
 It is but fair to state, he appears, from the paper reports, to have been in his seat most of the time during the last two months of the short or closing session. In fact had he not done something to re- trieve his character he could scarcely haye expected re-nomination, much less re- election, s sa.s .s
 The record itself so completely upsets the claim of the Farmer that their candi- date had not been absent from his seat during any session of Congress, except in the one instance in which he was sick, ' that comment is unnecessary. We wish to say word about Mir. Barnum's proba- ble future action. He is now President of the Connecticut Western Railroad, work upon the construction of which is to com- mence forthwith. This road can hardly be finished before the end of the present Congress. If, therefore, MT. Barnum is elected, it is evident that he must neglect, either his duty to his constituents, or his duty to the Railroad. We imagine the friends of the Connecticut Western have little reason to fear that their interests will suffer.