New-York tribune., 1875-02-04

has served four terms in Congress, and will
shortly be renominated for fifth, probably
without opposition. 1t seems TO any one who
considers the functions Of Representative in
Congress and the stake which his constituents
have in the deliberations and acts OF Congress,
q little singular that he should persist in TAX
ing an Office he does not pretend to hll, or
that his constituents should continue TO bo
satisfied with him and TO return him with
such cordial unanimity.
Last Summer, before the Connecticut Legis-
lature, Mr. Barnum was a candidate for
United States Senator, receiving in tho Demo-
cratic caucus very large support from mem
bers Of the Legislature outside Of, as well as
from his own district. No one vi his support
ers seemed to think there was anything
incongruous or absurd in the proposition to take
q man who had served seven years in Congress
without opening his mouth, and had been
more tlan half the time recorded among tho
absentees, and had never made in any form
public utteranco. and promote him TO a cat
in the highest legislative body in the nation.
IL did not strike any of bis supporters az
being in the least ridiculous; but what man
who considers seriously the duties of the Office
and the capacity he had exhibited for them,
can fail to see the wild absurdity
of such a selection 7 Mr.. Barnum is man OF
large wealth and extensive business interests
These make constant demands upon his time.
and we presume he has found it almost I'M
possible to be at his post of duty in Congress
very much Of the time since he began to rep
resent his district. But it is not impossible
TO find some other person in the district and
in his own party who would undertake to SEQ
the district represented occasionally in tho
voting We confess we cannot understand
why he should desire either to continue in tho
position Of Representative, for which be has
developed no capacity, or to be promoted to II
higher place for whose duties he would DO
more conspicuOusly unfit.
Now in this matter: it may or may not have
been of supreme Importance to the party to
which Mr. Barnum belongs to defeat the at
tempt Of the majority to impose upon them an
arbitrary and unjust rule. The leaders of tho
party seemed to think it of consequence enough
to make a staying, continuous tight OF forty
six hours on, and to resume it with the
most stubborn obstinacy at each meeting OF
! the House. Mr.. Barnum knew this fight was
in progress, and that his party, in the minor
ity, needed every vote at every stage OF 1t TO
prevent their being utterly routed Every vote
on that side counted more than one in this
crisis for the majority had to be two-thirds
to succeed. And Mr.. Barnums vote was no
where. Will some delegate to the Democratic
Congressional Convention of the IVth Dis
trict of Connecticut, about to assemble
shortly and ren0minate Mr. Barnum by
acclamation, have the goodness to drop
line to DIR. Randall or NIr. Cox
or some other of the Democratic leaders
who sat this fight out and saw it through
and state precisely what Mr. Barnum is sent
to Congress for. He is good citizen and an
honest man no doubt is generous, good
natured and jolly-all admirable qualities in q
| neighbor and friend, but really, why send bim
to Congress Once in two years regularly he
runs for Congress all the rest of the time be
runs away from it. We expect, of course, that
he will be renominated; and as the majority
in his district don't care about being repre-
sented in Congress, and only hold the place as
| a sort of bauble TO give to fayOrite we pre-
sumo he will be reelected. Only we would
consider it a special favor if the Convention
which renOminates him would just say what
for