Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-12-24
In Bad Taste.

Certain of the chosen representatives of
the people have been during the last sum-
mer and fall, greatly exercised in mind, and
the subject matter OF their complaint has
been that the press of the country has not
treated congress with the respect due that
important body. The criticism of the press
had been aimed in the main at certain men,
bsrs and it was not the fault of the press
that the members who deserved sharp criti-
cism constituted majority of the body to
which they belonged.
Now members of congress are restrained
in their discussions by parliamentary rules
the press unfortunately has no " Mr.. Speak
er p" to warn it whenever it transgresses the
prOprieties, and besides, is not perhaps so
careful in maintaining the dignity of debate
as those who are impressed with the high
responsibility put upon them by trusting
constituency. Neither are the members of
the press selected by the careful suffrages of
Intelligent men, as men noted for wisdom and
virtue, but they themselves select their pro
fession, many doubtless thinking they are
s. called when their passions, their preiu-
dice and other human inirmitie5 unfit them
for it,
Taken as a whole, however, we believe the
editors OF the country mean to say the thing
which is true and right That some of them
at times speak in not the most classical Eng
ll5h and in terms bordering on abuse is no
doubt true. Knowing our iofrmities and
mourning over them; sharing in the rebuke
administered by members of our great rep
resentatiye assemblage, We looked for an ex-
ample of quiet and effective action or de-
bate conducted decently and in order, when
congress should meet and consider the sub
ject of the salary bill.
BehOldlng the conduct of such a debate,
we hoped to learn something concerning
courteous treatment of an opponent, and the
various amenities of life from the men whose
ability and character not only put them in
congress but were such as to deserve a high
er salary, and whose love for the pleasures
OF refined social intercourse was such as tc
lead them to accept that increased salary
with which their modesty would otherwise
have forced them to have naught to do.
In three weeks session SO exhaustnn
that those who engaged in it have been
Obliged to relieve their minds from the cares
OF state by like long period of rest, tn,
house has been considering the question of a
repeal of the salary bill. 1t was found that
there were men who did not want repeal.
There were others who were willing to max
some compromise but not to come squarely
up and undo what had been done.
The difference of opinion, of course re-
suited in debate. That debate took tire
weeks where as many days would have ex-
hausted the argument And these grave
legislators who were offended because tbf
word grab had been applied to bill which
they had constitutional right to pass have
IN their heightened speeches, given US tbei
measure and taught us how much of thei
criticism of the tone of the press was frou
real regard for their own dignity.
The men who asked repeal were denouncel
as demagogues amendments of farcica
nature were greeted with the loud laughter
of empty minds, and buffoonery about priz
rams received applause that is far from
being accorded any measure of reform The
House has followed the lead of Benjamin f
Butler Of Massachusetts his lead in tn
measure of retrenchment on the salary bill
and his lead in the character of the debate
Think of men who use the expression
heard in the halls of Congress within tn,