The New York herald., 1875-03-01

LEADER WANTED By bOTd bIDES-hEJOlCING
AT THE APPROACH OF THE END.
There Is general rejoicing among the members
of both houses that the session has only few
days more OF duration. Many who have served
in Congress q number Of years say that this short
session has been the most wearlsome and ex.
hausting they have ever known. 'Party.n said
Senator, In conversation with several others on
this subject this is because OF the really startling
events which have happened since Congress met,
the New Orleans af1air the vicksburg interference
ana the Arkansas Message, all OF which filed men
OF both parties with grave apprehensions of the
future, and gave to many Of us sleepless
nights" A member Of the House added, .'But
partly, too. 1t Is because, at least
on our side the debates have been
uncommonly dull. With few exceptions the men
Of acknowledged ability have not had opportunity
to speak, and, In general, by some fatality, the
discussion Of even the more important questions
has fallen into the hands OF second or third rate
men. to whom the House listened with
weariness and without pront" This IS true
OF the House, though not OF the Sen.
ate, where q number OF able speeches
have been heard during the session from such
men as Bayard, Schurz, Ferry, Gordon, Thurman,
Boutwell,, Edmunds and others. But OF the House
the remark Of member during last nights tedi-
ous session Is very true :-''There are no compe-
tent leaders on either side," said he. "Dawes
and Garfield have neither the strong will nor the
ability any longer to command their side. They
are bullted by the House and overreached when.
ever he pleases by General Butler, who Is the
real leader Of the republicans, the only
man on that side who impresses his will on his
party and who has the originality, fertility of
resource and determination which are necessary
Tor party leader. 'The Speaker" added this
memDer. sis man OF more force, vigor and In.
teleot than any other man OF his side or In the
whole House; but he cannot lead while he is in
the chair. He has guided debate and influenced
the course OF the House with incom.
parable ability and has won the highest
plaudits from both sdes both for
his uniform fairness and his extraordinary clear
ness and ability. In the next Congress- when he
sits on the floor and may take part in debate, he
Will be great power IN the House, and his leader
ship will be worth q dozen members to the repub-
lcans."
'On our side"-iy was democrat who now
spoke-"therc is no one who has had the requisite
qualities for q leader. Randall comes nearest to
it, but he Is not up TO the mark. He
lacks sell-contldence, audacity, the aggressive
spirit. He acts naturally the defensive, and that
is iatal. AS for Potter he IS able, but too lazy.
10 this republican replied :-"Lack Of aggres-
siveness is the ault, too, OF Dawes and Garfield,
and the reason why their influence has become
less and less IN the House, continually. They are
always defending themselves or their measures
and their loud voices no longer scare even the
newer members. The way Dawes was worried in
the House about his Tax bill made him ridiculous,
though the Introduction by him OF the bill was
enough TO make him ridiculous without
his lame and imp0tent defence Of 1t. As
for Mr. Garfield he seems ated to pass the rest OF his
lie in complaints that some one has outwitted
him; but what Is the use Of a leader who can be
outwittedf The use Of general is to WIN battles,
and not to MAKE ingenious pleas that the enemy
took an Unfair advantage OF him."
'"The House." said another-a republican nom.
ber-.is no longer place where great measures
can elicit great debates. The rules which have
grown up in the last dozen years nave made
debate almost impossible. There was time when
every important measure was discussed, altered
amended, ana, In fact. framed by the House when
day after day, after prayers, 1t went into Com
mittee of the whole ana heard the abest thinkers
and speakers all day, and Tor many days
at q time, In speecnes which went to
tine bottom Of the question, showed up every
side OF 1t ana enabled both the House
and the country to form a judgment on the
matter at issue. Now bill Is elaborated IN
secret by small committee, Is brought before the
House as party measure, Is weakly defended and
mittee alone, who have a silly prescrptive right
to rule the debate and Is then forced to a vote.
The result is that trickery, ingenuity, cunning
readiness to twist rules to ones use, are the
qualities which make man a leader In the
House. hence General Buffers prominence. He
is not An able speaker. The House never listens
to him with pleasure. His strength lies In quick,
though rude, reDartee. and in audacity and an
adroit use OF the rules"
''That is enc reason why able men so anxiously
seek the Senate" said another republican.
"There debate survives. There only can an i'm
portant question be fully discussed The Senate
Is always IN committee Of the whole. 1t need not
vote until 1t Is ready, and this ses-
sion mas seen the curious and unusual
spectacle OF the Senate leading the House, the
Senate caucus framing measures and policy to
be accepted by the House, the Senate originating
important measures and even considering finance
bills to be sent over to House committees for
adoption. We are choked to death in the House,
and when men cannot speak they can no longer
think clearly"
THE HOUSE SUFFERING TYRANNY UNDER IT'S
OWN RULEs-ExAGPLE FROM THE DEBATE
ON THE FORCE BHL-THE ABLEsT VOICES
sILENCED BY THE GAvEL.
This long conversation is here quoted because it
House has, at so great an expense OF strength In
prolonged night sessions, done so little and what
Is worse, done that little SO badly. 1t has heen
choked by It's rules. The most important
measure which any Congress for many years had
considered. the Force bill, has been passed by
what Is equivalent to "gag" rule, for under the
rules the Alabama commlttee-three republicans
and two democrats, all five men OF whom it Is not
offensive TO say that they are of second rate
or even third rate, abiity-werc permitted
to almost monopoize and entirely control
the debate, which, besdes was limited,
to brief and fixed time. Hence, no
man of first class ability had opportunity to be
fully heard and those OF this class VINO did speak
had to say their hurried say In ten or at most
fifteen minutes. Lamar Southern man OF such
wisdom. moderation and genuine patriotism as
make him respected by all the best men in the
House, was cnoked down. OF the repub-
nf tnA hin