National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-22
CoYGREss rs. PARLIAAENT.

hu1nAn uatuIe, anu SstSSAaiJ icSleIhlJt
human nature, is. it seems. everywhere the
same. Under the monarchy and under the
republic the average legislator has his own
little private and individual schemes, and
the tactics by which he endeayors to carry
them out bear strong resemblance one to
tho other. For years certain class of
writer's and publicists in our own country,
who see In our modern legislatures and
Congresses only decentralization and In
Equity and all manner of wickedness and
corruption. have been pointing Us to the
example Of England and the older Euro
pean countries, to their exemption from
the evils which, they sllege, are carrying
our own system of government down to de-
struction. The American. reading public
Is not unfamiliar with the arguments used
by these gentlemen. In indirect, if not
Direct language we are told Of the advan-
tages Of an aristocracy, of the superior
claims Of monarchical over democratic in
stitutions. But the whole thing is simply q
delusion. The British Parliament Is, after
all, no better or no worse than Congress.
Ii both human nature averages about the
same. The heightened sons and descend
ants of the aristocracy are no better than
our plain republican John Smiths from the
rural districts.
Here, for instance, is the Saturday Re-
CieD. the organ of the Tory faction, which
hates republicanism with bitter hate, be-
wailing in recent number the existence of
all manner of jobbing and corruption in
that august body, the House of Commons.
Under the heading of Parliamentary
Night Birds" it describes class of honor
able members who wait and watch until
the witching hour of twelve, midnight to
run through all manner of small Jobs and
private bills. The Repisp says: "a bill
passes through committee late one night,
''and the next night the report of amend
''ments may be passed before hardly any
body has seen them, and certainly before
anybody has had sufficient time to consider
them properly and to understand their ef-
fleet on the measure in all its bearings. At
''ter that the bill has only to Turk in the
dark corners of the notice paper till there
''is chance of smuggling 1t through by
concerted gathering of its supporters, who
turn upsuddenly at the critical moment In
San empty house just dribbling itself out
Moreover it Il often not until q measure
'fhas reached an advanced stage-even
when it has not been altered that its
real design or full scope begins
$50 be appreciated" And again: ''The
f'roguery which is contemplated demands
and suggests the cover of carefully:
simulated innocence and simplicity" This
is horrible. The idea that the proud de-
scendalts of the Norman lords and barons,
whose swords flashed at Hastings, at Greasy
and Agincourt should come down to the
level Of the strikers of the Tweeds and the
Connollys, and put into practice all the
small games Of the Albany and Harrisburg
Legislatures is simply amazing. The reve-
lation destroys one of our sweetest illusions. |
In our simplicity we had supposed that |
there was, stlesst one country where the pub
lie veal was the only end where civic virtue |
and honor and honesty were the rule with
out an exception. 1.-THE statement we have
copied had appeared in the columns of one
Of our own papers we should have dis.
credited 1t and set it down to the intense
hatred Of monarchical institutions; to the
malice and feeling of hostility entertained /
BY some one of our own country |
men, some untutored child of ma
ture whose home is in the setting sun.
But appearing as 1t does in the columns of
he sedate and stately RSOisU we are reluc.
antly compelled to believe. that it is all
'ober reality; that the monarchy is not q
whit more exempt from legislative corrup-
ion than the republic; that under ducsl
,oronets and stars and garters there live and
oreathethe same passions as under the more
plain and humble homespun of democracy.
But there Is this difference between our
Is if all that is said and
written and printed about our Congress be
the British Parliament There
8 no private measure 30 dear to the con-
yressionsl heart that it will induce him to
,emain up until twelve or one o'clock at
light in the hope Of running 1t through.
The average Congressman, to be sure, is
lot in the habit of going to bed with
he going down of the sun; but hardly
Inything could induce him to remain
n the close and crowded Capitol beyond
he usual dinner hour. The Congressional
'tomach must be fed, public interests or
private interests to the contrary notwith-
Jtsnding. Taking the two bodies and in
Itituting the comparison between them the
advantages are all upon the side of Con-
yress and against our Legislative cousins
Upon the other side of the water Our
plan for thinning the House" is much more
Iensible, much more comfortable and ef-
icacious Instead of trusting to the chances
If somnolency we have way of reducing
and unappeasable opponents 70
he quiet shades of committee rooms and
Downing's restaurant 1t is very rarely
hat anything of the kind Is attempted, but
{ has been done, and it may be done again.
The fact Is. our Congress is vast improve
nent upon any legislative body in the
world, end one o: the most difficult things
IF accomplishment is the passage Of mere
private bill which should not be passed.
Notwithstanding all the charges Of corrup-
ion and venality which are made there is
no body anywhere where the opportuni-
lief are 80 slight the risks 30 great and the
ouniehunant FIR the conn mis- .ion nf vyronu eo