New-York tribune., 1875-02-06
CONGRESSIONAL MANNERS.

CONGRESSIONHL MANNEho
For sixteen years the Republican party has
had an uninterrupted majority in the House
of Representatives 1t has done many things
wisely and well, some things hastily, and
other things, we think. under the influence OF
corrupt men. On the whole, however, we be-
lieve that the verdict of history will be that
this majority, in its protracted course of labor,
has deserved well of the country and the
world. We should. therefore, on many ac-
counts regret to see the last Republican Con-
gress of this long series end its days III dis
order and disgrace. We should like to see
reasonably peaceful sunset closing day so
filled with great achievements. But the pros
pect of this is not encouraging. There Is
only month more left of the present session,
and thus far little work has been done. The
Winter has been trfled away in purpOseless
tactics, in which each side has been seeking
some small political advantage over the other,
without the slightest regard to the public in
tcrests If this were all, it might not be hard
to resign ourselves to n session of inactivity.
Idle hands are not rs bad as those for which
Satan has furnished employment. The best
we can, as a general rule, expect from an II
responsible body, repudiated by the Country
and awaiting the end of their term, is that
they shall do as little as possible But this
seems ont of the question for our Congress.
If they are not employed about their business,
they are disgracing themselves. The scenes
of the last three days, the coarse bullying, the
vulgar recrimination, the bitter attacks OF
enemies, the short-sighted and unprincipcd
defense of friends, with nobody, so far as we
can see, but Speaker Blaine to vindi-
cate in proper manner the outraged dignity
of House which has lost its own self-respcct,
and of a nation which has grown languid
through constant repetition of such Otfcnses
by its servants-all these things begin to make
most people wish that the Fourth of March
would reject the jurisdiction of the Almanac
and come mt once to relieve us of the Forty
third Congress.
But even such wish as this is not founded
in reason. There is nothing i'll the behavior
of this Congress to make us look with much
hone of amendment to the future. 1t is true
that Gen. Butler has been the bitter fountain
Of all the rows, and next month will bring us
at least surcease of him. But we 90
not see that those Democratic statesmen
who always rise 50 promptly to catch
tho ball of vtuperation which 1t Is
his delight to throw into the House, give any
promise of reformation when he is gone.
They will not need, in his absence, occasion
for foul words On Thursday, when Mr.. Brown
began an utterly unparamentary attack upon
Butler the Speaker asked him if he referred
to any member. lie answered deliberately
No, and then finished his harangue by men
tioning Buffers name. SO gross breach at
once of parliamentary law and Of public de-
cency was rarely, if ever, committed IN Con-
grcss. 1t was a case calling for instant CEN
sure. Yet every Democrat who took part In
the discussion on the matter defended Mr.
Brown; not only his own friends and fellow
Southerners but members from NcwYOrk and
elsewhere. 1t was not strange that Mr. Dawes
should DO driven to remember the old times
before the war; when it was the fash
ion for members from one section to
push every debate to an issue of per-
sonal veracty and manhood, and for
their partisan allies from the other sec
ton to sustain them in this lawless and
barbarous course. 1t is not possible to imag-
inc anything further from chivalry than this.
The true knight of legend, like the ordinary
civilized gentleman to-day, is of course al
WAYS ready to take his own part. But ho is
"a courteous as he is brave, and it is not in
his character ever to give an aflront any more
than to receive it. We do not ask any i'm
possible courtesy or breeding from Congress
men, but we surely have the right to require
of them that matter of course dccency which
prevails everywhere else. No man could re-
tain his membership in any club of the world
who should permit himself to use in argu-
ment the tone habitually employed by dozens
Of members of the House Of representatives.